Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Can I get a tattoo when I'm sick?

I was quite surprised to discover that this is a question that people google. I rarely heard anyone ask this when I was a tattooist. Is it because they thought it was a dumb question? It isn't a dumb question.

Now, even though people didn't regularly ask if getting a tattoo when they're just plain ol' sick was okay, people who were battling cancer or other life threatening illnesses would always ask (though I'm sure there were many who didn't, and I had no idea they were ill). My policy was this: I wanted a doctor's note telling me that it was medically safe. I may have stuck needles in people, but I was not a doctor. Also, I had to think of my own liability issues. If I didn't have a doctor clearly state in writing that it was medically safe to tattoo a person, I felt I could be susceptible to a lawsuit if the tattoo made that person more ill. This is not a small thing!

So, is it okay to get a tattoo when you have a cold or something like that? Sure, it's okay. It won't kill you. It might make you stay sick a bit longer. Then again, it may not. However, getting a tattoo is a challenge to the immune system. It may not amount to much, especially if you are getting a small tattoo, but don't forget, getting a tattoo does some "damage" to your body. The tattoo machine pokes zillions of tiny holes in your skin and they bleed. Even if you think getting a tattoo is pleasureable (and some people do), your body will respond as it would to any stressor that includes low grade injury.

But think about this: if you are going to get a tattoo, do you want to do it when you're not feeling your best? In my way of thinking, I want to be as fully present to the experience of being tattooed as I possibly can. It is an experience! Of course, some people would rather be numbed out to the experience and they get tattooed while drunk or high. Getting a tattoo while sick is similar, as odd as that may sound.

Lastly, I've noticed that people who are sick tend to experience pain more readily.

So, my advice? If you're sick, stay home and save your tattoo experience for another day. I'll write more about getting tattooed when one is battling a serious illness another time. That is a deep topic and one that deserves a post of its own.

5 comments:

Jordan Patrick said...

Good advice, but scheduling is a pain with most tattoo artists, and walking around with a half-finished tattoo is just embarassing.
A minor cold today, I think I'll tough it out.

Lisa said...

i was going to go today to get mine, but have been sick for three or four days. i'm not worried about making my condition worse or whatever, i'm more worried about getting the artist(s) in the room sick. but i'll take your advice and just wait it out.

Anonymous said...

My daughter is 18 years old and she has mono. However, she is adimate about getting a tattoo now. she has beeen diagnosed for about 2 weeks now....we think she had it a few weeks before as well. Do you think there are any additional health concerns with her haveing mono now? If so, how long does she need to wait. Seh wants a tattoo to memoralize her brother.

Anonymous said...

Good advice indeed, but I don't want the guy to think I'm backing out. I have scheduled mine for tomorrow but I've been sick for two days now and I'm still burning up.

I think I will step by tomorrow and ask the guy if he would rather wait until I feel better so that I don't spread my microbes everywhere. But if he says it's ok, I think I'll do it...

Unknown said...

Great advice thank you jonathan