tattoo and hiv

[jason35]

as some of yea may know im coming back to been myself again after a year of the rollar coaster ride

anyway i want to get a new tattoo to mark the occasion and also because i want a new tattoo!! but ive been hearing from  another board that tattoo's and hiv are a no no, first finding someone to do it (i dont want to lie about my hiv to an artist) and also i would be putting pressure on my body as a tattoo is an open wound and it would cause problems!!!  also i was told i was putting other people at risk for my vanity which i felt was harsh and a bit ignorant!!

anyone know anything on the subject??  are they right are just people that dont know much about hiv,

cheers all

[decayingsinner]

I have a few tattoos myself and have been wanting to get another one as well. From the research I've done and to put it realistically. They are a business, just as your dentist is.  As part of their job, they are required to sterilize the equipment they use for every single use. If I read correctly, if they are doing their job correctly, the risk of HIV from one customer to another should be non-existent.

[dtwpuck]

Um   I know a thing or two about tattoos.   You shouldn't get them if you are gravely ill, but it doesn't take AIDS for that.   There are plenty of artists who will work on you.     Any good artist has training regarding bloodborne pathogens anyway.

[Ann]

Jason,

Of course you can get a tattoo. Just make sure you go to a reputable artist. While hiv isn't that big a concern when considering tattoos, hep C is.

[quicky lesson on hep C]Tattoos can be a source of hep C infection. This not only includes the needles, but like with drug use, other parts of the equipment can be contaminated, such as pots of ink and the rubber tubing. A reputable tattoo artist will use single use ink pots and disposable tubing and needles.

Be careful where you get your tattoos done and don't be afraid to question them about their equipment. A reputable artist will welcome your questions.

Piercings can also be a potential hep C transmission route. Again, don't be afraid to question the person doing the piercing as a reputable person will be happy to discuss their infection control with you. Equipment should be either disposable or sterilized.

If you want to compare hiv and hep C, hiv is like a thin-shelled egg whereas hep C is more like an armadillo. It's a very robust virus that, unlike hiv, can remain infectious for long periods outside the body.

There are many more numbers of people infected with hep C than there are people with hiv. It's sometimes called the "Silent Epidemic" because not only do many infected people not know they are, but also because it is even less talked about than hiv. And that's saying something! A person with hep C can go for twenty five years or more without symptoms, so it's not surprising that so many don't know they're infected and potentially walking around for a quarter of a century, unwittingly infecting others. Hep C is some scary shit! [/lesson]

Here are some forum threads on the subject that you may find interesting:

http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=18601.0

http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=25438.0

http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=25538.0

And of course, please know that you will be in violation of our Terms of Membership if you fail to post photos of your tat once it's done.  

Ann