Tattoos are getting more and more mainstream but so are the risks associated with them. Getting a tattoo requires caution or else you might get into some serious health issues like a bacterial infection, excessive blood loss, or a permanent scar. But what if you already have an std, can you get a tattoo if you have an STD?
STD is a disease that is transmitted by sexual intercourse. Thanks to unprotected sex, STDs are on the rise in America. In 2020 there were 2.4 million STD cases were reported. And the number is only increasing since then. So the possibility of someone having an STD and wanting to get a tattoo can be more common than you think. Getting a tattoo requires to fulfill some health requirements and having an STD may hinder it. But there are factors such as the patient’s health condition that can affect the possibility of if he can get a tattoo or not. In this piece, I will explain if you can get a tattoo while having an STD and more.
Key Takeaways
- You can get a tattoo if you have an STD. Just ensure you are in good health when you get the tattoo.
- Before getting a tattoo you should consider facts such as health condition, the condition of the disease, and if your tattoo artist is professional or not.
- The gap between your tattoo session should be at least a month if you have STD.
- Before getting a tattoo consult with your doctor, find a professional tattoo artist who specializes in tattooing clients with special needs, and make sure the equipment gets sterilized before and after being used on you.
Getting a Tattoo if You Have an STD
Getting a tattoo is not easy as baking a cake. One must be in peak health condition to get a tattoo. And the tattoo artist has to follow numerous steps to ensure he is using sterilized equipment and ink to make the art. Things get a bit complicated when you want to get a tattoo while having an STD. Yes, you can get a tattoo even if you have STD. But in some circumstances, you may not be able to get a tattoo while having an STD. For example, your current health condition has to be at a certain level, if your health is not good enough to sit through the session and to heal the tattoo afterward then you can’t get a tattoo regardless of the fact if you have STD or not.
To understand why you can’t get a tattoo while having STD in certain circumstances, first, you will need to understand the tattooing procedure. A tattoo needle pokes deep into the second layer or dermis layer of your skin to insert ink. This poking can go on for a few hours, so you can expect a few hundred to a few thousand times getting poked by the tattoo needle. It is a quite painful procedure and one needs to be in peak health condition to sit through the whole process. As you will be losing some amount of blood during the tattooing session, you should not go through the procedure while being sick.
Not to mention the healing phase that comes after getting a tattoo is annoying as cutting an onion. You will feel discomforts such as inflammation, itchiness, and scabbing but you have to bear the discomfort and complete the healing phase which can last around 14 days. But a person who is sick or not in good health condition will have delayed healing and can face issues such as infection on the tattooed area.
If you have STD and taking your medication regularly, doing your best to keep your health at its best then you can get a tattoo without a doubt. But if you have a poor health condition it is recommended to either wait till you get cured of the STD or at least get the disease under a certain level of control and get into good shape before getting a tattoo.
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Gap Between Tattoo Sessions if You Have STD
If you have STD naturally tattoo healing process will be much slower than usual. And many tattoos require multiple sessions to get completed. And usually, the gap between these sessions is 21-28 days. But since you got STD hence delayed healing, the gap between your tattoo session should be at least a month. And it can be more than a month depending on your condition and the condition of the tattoo. You can not go for your next session before healing the first layer of the skin. You may consult with your doctor and your tattoo artist to decide how long the session break should be.
Not maintaining a proper break between tattoo sessions can cause you serious problems. Your immunity is most probably very weak because of the STD, you will be prone the infection and other health issues. If you do not follow proper breaks between your session you may make the wound complicated. It won’t heal in time and you do not have a strong enough immune system, as a result, the area will cause inflammation, pain, itchiness, excess scabbing, and most likely cause an infection. So for your own good, maintain a proper length of the break between your sessions.
3 Factors to Consider Before Getting a Tatto If You Have an STD
There are a few factors you should consider before getting a tattoo if you have STD. Such as:
Health condition
Getting a tattoo requires a healthy body. You are supposed to be in peak health condition when you get a tattoo. Because the tattooing procedure is quite tiresome and the healing phase that comes after it is exhausting. You need to be physically and mentally fit to get a tattoo. STDs can affect your health, but you can still maintain good health even if you have STDs. Talk to your doctor, take medication, and follow all the dos and don’ts that your doctor suggests to stay healthy. And when you achieve good enough health you can go get yourself a tattoo.
Current STD condition
Thanks to modern medicine many STDs can be cured nowadays. If you have trichomoniasis, syphilis, chlamydia, or gonorrhea then it can be cured by taking proper medicine. It is recommended to wait till you are cured before getting a tattoo.
But if you have herpes simplex virus, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, or HIV then unfortunately you have to live with the infection as they are incurable. That said, you can take steps to keep the infection under some level of control and boost your health. To get a tattoo if you have an incurable STD, do your best to keep it under control and achieve good health.
Professionalism of the Tattoo Artist
The professionalism of the tattoo artist can mean various. As, if he is professional enough to do a tattoo on an STD patient, being extra careful to ensure the client feels comfortable during the procedure, and sterilizing equipment before and after the procedure. If you don’t go to a professional tattoo artist he may use unsterile equipment or ink to cause you an infection.
And he may use the equipment used on you for another client without sterilizing it which can potentially spread the STD infection to other people. So professionalism of the tattoo artist is a crucial factor to consider before getting a tattoo while having an STD.
Possibility of a Tattoo Artist Getting Infected While Tattooing an STD Patient
No, a tattoo artist can not get infected if they tattoo an STD patient or client. To understand why they can not be infected you have to understand how STDs spread.
STDs spread through sexual intercourse. It can be oral, anal, or vaginal sex. It can also spread by blood. You know tattooing procedures cause a little bleeding, but as long as the blood does not enter the tattoo artist’s body, he won’t get infected. The blood being touched by intact skin will not cause infection. The tattoo artist has to ensure he does not have any open wounds while doing the tattooing procedure. And sterilize equipment before and after use on the STD patient.
4 Steps to Follow Before Getting a Tattoo if You Have an STD
If you have an STD and want to get a tattoo you should follow the steps below:
- Consult with your Doctor
Your doctor knows best if you are in good shape to get a tattoo or not. As I have explained earlier staying in good health condition is mandatory to get a tattoo. And your doctor can tell if you are in a good enough physical condition to get a tattoo. - Let your Tattoo artist know
You must let your tattoo artist know that you have STD. Keeping secrets such as this one won’t do you any good. Some clients tend to hide the fact that they have STDs so the tattoo artist doesn’t refuse them to provide service, which can be harmful for the client and others. Any professional artist won’t refuse to tattoo an STD patient who is in good enough health to get a tattoo. If an artist refuses, then the reason could be he is not professional enough or educated enough to deal with a such delicate matter. It is a good thing that your not getting a tattoo from such an unprofessional artist. Find a professional artist and make sure to let them know beforehand you have an STD. - Sterilize equipment
As a client you won’t sterilize any equipment, just make sure your tattoo artist does. Contaminated equipment can cause infection. Getting an infection when you have STD can cause many issues. So to avoid any possible infection, ask if your tattoo artist to sterilized the equipment or not and if he is using a new ink pod or not.
Because you have STD you must make sure the tattoo artist sterilizes the equipment after using it on you. And throw the ink pod away. This is to ensure STD bacteria doesn’t transmit to other clients. - Specialized in the atypical
Not all tattoo artists are of the same level. There are tattoo artists who take training on how to tattoo clients who have blood born diseases. You might be surprised to know that Th Red Cross provides certification with courses that train tattoo artists on how to best handle clients with Herpes or HIV. If you have STD I strongly recommend you do your research and choose a tattoo artist that specializes in tattooing clients who have blood born disease.
Possibility of Getting STD from Tattooing
Yes, it is possible to get STD from tattooing. Any blood born disease or infection can transmit from unsterilized tattoo equipment to another person. Even though there is no evidence of anyone getting HIV by tattooing but other infections such as hepatitis B and C has been seen to transfer through tattooing.
To avoid the risk of getting STD or any other blood born disease make sure to sterilize all tattoo equipment between clients. Don’t be a cheapskate don’t throw away the ink pod after using it. Instead of sterilizing, it is best to throw away needles after use as well. Even the tattoo bench should be disinfected and to take the precaution one step further tattoo artist can change and cover the bench with plastic each time a client gets a tattoo.
FAQs
Can I get a tattoo anywhere I want if I have an STD?
No, having an STD can prevent you from getting tattoos on some body parts. You have to consult with your doctor and tattoos artist.
Do I have to tell my tattoo artist that I have STD?
Yes, of course. Keeping such vital information from your tattoo artist can cause issues for your and it can possibly help transmit the bacteria to other clients.
Can I get a tattoo if I have syphilis?
Yes, you can. Make sure to share the information with your tattoo artist before getting the tattoo so the artist can take proper precautions.
Can I become a tattoo artist if I have an STD?
Yes, you can. Having STD can not prevent you from becoming a tattoo artist.
Final Thoughts
You can get a tattoo if you have an STD. There are tattoo artists who take training on how to best handle specialized skin and disease when it comes to tattooing. If you can find one of those artists who specializes in tattooing clients with special needs, it will make things more convenient for you. To get a tattoo while having STD, the first recommendation is to wait until you are completely cured of the disease. If it is an incurable STD and then talk to your doctor and follow his advice to get a tattoo. Don’t forget to take proper breaks between your tattoo sessions. Because of your STD, your immune system will be weaker than usual so it will take a bit more time to heal the tattoo hence longer breaks between sessions will be required.
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