Durban - Ink is the new cool, but tattoos can do more than leave an indelible design on their proud new owners.
Thousands of South Africans, young and old, have followed the worldwide trend and taken to getting a tattoo as a way of expressing something about their life or personality.
Whether it’s the name of a person close to them, or the colours of their favourite sports team, no two tattoos are the same.
There is, however, a downside to this coloured skin frenzy. According to dermatologists, an increasing number of people have been forced to remove their tattoos due to rashes and even more serious skin problems.
If not treated swiftly, tattoos can lead to infections such as swelling of the skin, haematomas and skin tumours.
Durban dermatologist Dr Zweli Mbalane said one of the major causes of this was that patients were allergic to some of the inks and chemicals used during the tattooing process.
“A lot of people do not know the components that go into the ink. Some people find that they are allergic and this can cause rashes and bleeding in the skin cells,” said Mbalane.
The major problem with tattoos is that some people do not immediately show a reaction and the severity of the infection is often determined by the area that the tattoo is in.
Softer parts of the skin like thighs and buttocks are more likely to get infected than areas like the arms or back – so much so that in countries like the US people are not allowed to give blood for a year after getting a tattoo for fears of giving infected blood.
“We have in the past dealt with patients who have suffered skin problems years after they got the tattoo. Sometimes it takes a while for the ink to settle in and start infecting the skin cells,” said Mbalane.
The major cause of these infections is the mixture of too many colours in one tattoo.
According to Nicole Peters, who owns a tattoo studio, We-Are-Ink, in Durban, it is important to keep a simple colour palette to avoid as many complications as possible.
“Sometimes people want complicated patterns and many colour layers. If you are getting a tattoo like this, you must get it one layer at a time and then let it heal before going for the next phase.
“This can reduce complications,” said Peters.
One of the major worries among doctors is that there is no regulation of people who do tattoos and often those who have been infected have been worked on by fly-by-night tattooists.
“The use of unsterilised equipment and lack of knowledge contribute to the infections. And, unfortunately, there is no real policing or enforcement of any kind when it comes to who can do tattoos. I once had to remove a tattoo made from melted tyres,” said Mbalane.
Contrary to popular belief, however, tattoos are not for ever, so for those who have taken the plunge and have changed their minds there is hope.
Through laser treatment tattoos can be gradually faded out, but this can often be a long and expensive process.
“Sometimes it takes years to remove tattoos and it can be very painful,” says Peters.
“It’s important to know what kind of thing you want and to go to a person who will make that tattoo for you perfectly and professionally.”
Independent on Saturday