Tattoos are becoming more and more common.
However, before you decide to get a tattoo, you may want to think about the “relatively common” side effects, according to BBC News.
According to a new study, which was published in the journal Contact Dermatitis, one out of every 10 inkers does not anticipate the possible severe, ongoing skin reaction that can come with getting a tattoo, according to Yahoo Health.
“While we know infections are a risk of tattoos and can be dependent on tattoo parlor practices, a lot of the complications in our study — and that I have seen in my patients — do not have to do with the tattoo artist or parlor practices, but rather the qualities of ink and how the body’s immune system responds to it,” stated Marie C. Leger, study lead and assistant professor at the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology.
For the recent study, researchers reportedly asked 300 people if they had any unwanted side affects after getting a tattoo. The participants reportedly ranged between the ages of 18 to 69 with most having no more than five tattoos.
10 percent reportedly stated that they experienced symptoms such as itching, pain and scarring.
“We were rather alarmed at the high rate of reported chronic complications tied to getting a tattoo. Given the growing popularity of tattoos, physicians, public health officials and consumers need to be aware of the risks involved,” stated Leger.
Some of the symptoms, including redness, skin infections, allergies, sensitivity to the sun and prolonged scabbing reportedly lasted more than four months.
The recent study isn’t a call to stop tattoo enthusiasts to stop with their art, but more so a sign to be more cautious.
“While tattoos are popular among Americans, there is still little to no regulation of what exactly is being injected into the skin,” stated Jeremy A. Brauer, dermatologist and Director of Clinical Research at Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.
