Health & Illness

If I Get a Tattoo, Will My Skin Get Infected?

Published: April 28, 2021

Dear TeenHealthFX,

I just turned 18 and I want to get a tattoo. If I get one, will my skin get infected?

Signed: If I Get a Tattoo, Will My Skin Get Infected?

Dear If I Get a Tattoo, Will My Skin Get Infected?,

TeenHealthFX understands how exciting it can be to turn 18 and allowed to get a tattoo! WebMD explains that it is possible to get an infection, but there are steps to take to make sure you limit the chances. One way to prevent an infection is to make sure you go to a licensed place that is extremely clean. Since getting a tattoo requires needle usage, it is necessary to make sure that place follows safety steps, sterilization and a new needle for every client.

It is also important to know your skin. If you have allergies to dyes or a skin condition these can lead to infections. In addition, it is very important to follow the post tattoo instructions provided by the tattoo artist to make sure it heals correctly. Lastly, make sure you are ready for the tattoo and really consider what you are getting. Tattoos are permanent and even though there are ways to remove them they can be extremely expensive, painful and can leave scars.

Signed: TeenHealthFX

Ratings

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the US among people aged 10-14 ¹

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in the US among people aged 15-24 ²

51% of youth (6-17) get treatment each year for a mental health condition ³

15.6 teenage girls for every 1,000 will give birth to a baby before they are 20 years old. ⁴

Only 6% of high school students get tested for STDs ⁵

1/3 of high school students who were currently sexually active used effective hormonal birth control the last time they had sex with an opposite-sex partner ⁶

Nearly 30% of female students currently drank alcohol and nearly 20% currently used marijuana.⁷

2.14 million middle and high school students currently vape ⁸

Over 80% of women and men both report having experienced their first rape under the age of 25. ⁹

Almost 40% of high school students have reported using marijuana at least once. ¹⁰

83.88% of 12- to 17-year-olds have reported using marijuana within the last month. ¹¹

One in four women first experienced intimate partner violence before the age of 18. ¹²

5.9 million teens have reported to drink at least once in the past month. ¹³

In 2022, there were 1,573 motor-vehicle deaths from underage drinks ¹⁴

About 1 in 10 children live in a home with a parent who has a drinking problem ¹⁵

Only 65 percent of teens consistently wear seat belts when driving or as a passenger. ¹⁶

The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than any other age group. ¹⁷

49% of the youth report having less than 3 friends in 2022 ¹⁸

^{2.7 million youth report experiencing severe major depression}¹⁹

Over 3.3 million teens will be graduating from high school in the year 2023-2024 ²⁰

The average social media screen time for teens is 7 hours and 22 minutes per day ²¹