You can be taking blood thinners because a doctor prescribed them to you, because you want to maintain good heart health, or even because you have a particular ache that you are trying to alleviate right now. However, is it safe to take blood thinners and have a tattoo at the same time? We’ll explain why getting a tattoo while taking blood thinners is not a good idea.
Potential Dangers to One’s Health Resulting from Blood Loss
It’s possible that using blood-thinning medication like aspirin, ibuprofen, or even alcohol might make obtaining a tattoo far more difficult. Although it is normal for there to be some bleeding during a session, the quantity of bleeding that occurs might be increased by blood thinners. This is because blood thinners reduce the capacity of the blood to clot.
This danger is enhanced if you are getting a tattoo in a session that is going to take a long time and will take up a significant portion of your day. In order to hasten the recovery process after the application of a tattoo, tattoo artists often break up sessions of three to four hours of work with short breaks of 10 minutes each. This permits the wound to begin to coagulate and also allows it to relax in order to be ready for the next round of combat.
If you are taking a medication that thins your blood, the area that was tattooed won’t be able to heal correctly, and you may even continue to bleed while you are getting the session done. Even while the amount of blood lost will never be so great that you will lose consciousness and need medical assistance, the fact that it poses a problem for the process of getting a tattoo is undeniable.
Removal or Poor Visibility of Tattoos
If you are bleeding heavily during your session, another problem that may arise is that the blood may make it more difficult for the artist to see what they want to see. The increased bleeding may cause the ink to pool and disrupt the work that your artist is doing, it may necessitate an excessive amount of wiping, which may rub away the stencil, or it may make it difficult to see the ink that has already been deposited in your dermis, which may cause the artist to overwork the skin. All of these outcomes are possible due to the increased bleeding.
Having Trouble with The Blood’s Clot
The time when your tattoo artist does their last wash of the area and wraps it is the beginning of the healing process for your new tattoo. At this point, your incredibly fragile wound is starting to transport white blood cells to the area that was injured, and it is beginning its duty as a guardian for the wound. When you use blood thinners, your white blood cells, which are called macrophages, are unable to perform their function as efficiently. If these cells are diminished in number, they will no longer be able to fulfil their function as supervisors of the healing process. Because of the blood-thinning drug, it is simplest to picture them as a large group of troops charging into the battlefield in preparation for battle; yet, the medication leads them to disperse in a variety of different directions.
Because of this risk, you should also refrain from taking any blood-thinning medication for around twenty-four hours after getting a tattoo for this reason.
Greater Potential for Catching an Infection
Not only are these white blood cells, also known as macrophages, important for healing and mending the wound, but they are also crucial for warding off infection. The use of blood thinners may make your tattoo more prone to infection since it reduces the number of white blood cells that are “present” to fight infection. The longer it remains unclotted, open, and susceptible to microorganisms, the higher the risk that it may cause an infection at some point in the future.
Sessions of Tattooing That Are More Expensive
Even while the bulk of the arguments against blood thinners have been based on health concerns, the fact that an increase in bleeding may make your session more complicated and make it more challenging for your artist causes your session to go on for longer than was originally planned. A lengthier session will result in a higher overall cost for the tattooing experience. Some tattoo artists may even come to the conclusion that they are unable to work with your skin at this time, in which case they may request that you come back and schedule another appointment with them.
Getting a Harmful Response
Many stores that are competent and professional may inquire as to whether or not you have taken blood thinners in the last twenty-four hours. If you unfortunately respond with a yes, the company or the artist retains the right to refuse to provide service to you at their discretion.
If you take blood thinners yet are interested in getting a tattoo, what should you do?
If you are taking blood thinners for medical reasons and are legally prescribed the medication, your tattoo artist may ask for a note from your doctor confirming that this medication will not make the tattooing process more difficult and will not result in complications as the tattoo heals. If you are taking blood thinners for medical reasons and are legally prescribed the medication, your tattoo artist may ask for a note from your doctor.
It is ultimately up to your artist to decide what they are most comfortable working with, therefore if they do not feel comfortable working on your skin because of the medicine you take, you may have to search elsewhere to receive the artwork you desire. Unfortunately, this is the case.
Are Blood Thinners Considered to be effective Medications?
OTC medicines are commonly available pharmaceuticals that do not need a doctor’s prescription and are used to treat aches and pains in the body. Unfortunately, many over-the-counter drugs also act as blood thinners, and you should avoid using them both before and after getting a tattoo because of this.
Conclusion
While it’s true that some bleeding is to be expected throughout both the tattooing and healing processes, the average quantity of blood loss is quite acceptable and has no effect on the final result. Having blood thinners like alcohol or aspirin before having a tattoo might increase the risk of complications. Taking blood-thinning medication before to obtaining a tattoo increases the likelihood that blood will leak through the needle punctures more readily than usual. Aspirin use before to tattooing is likewise not without risk. Blood clotting time is slowed by aspirin because of its inherent anti-clotting properties. Because blood thinners pose a danger to the tattooing procedure as well as your healing process, it is best to avoid taking them both before and after getting a tattoo. If you have a medical condition that requires you to take blood thinners prescribed by a doctor, you should discuss the potential risks involved with getting a tattoo with your physician, and you should also make sure to prepare a note from your physician indicating that you are free to get a tattoo. This implies the skin around the tattoo will bleed for a considerably longer period of time than usual during and after the procedure.
