In addition to choosing a body art professional who follows strict hygienic procedures, people can reduce the health risks associated with body piercings and tattooing by following doctors’ recommendations. If a person is taking a blood-thinning medicine, doctors recommend that the person wait until he or she is off the medicine before getting tattooed or pierced. Doctors also recommended that people with congenital heart disease take antibiotics before getting pierced in order to reduce the risk of contracting endocarditis.

If a person is susceptible to dye allergies, he or she can ask the tattoo artist to do a patch test. This involves having a small amount of ink punched under the skin to see how the body reacts. To avoid allergic reactions to piercings, people should make sure that their piercers insert jewelry made only of the highest grade of stainless steel, niobium, or titanium, the least reactive of jewelry metals.

Body piercing and tattoo professionals also stress that another important way to minimize potential health problems is to follow aftercare instructions. Tattoo professionals recommend that a person leave the bandage on the size of the tattoo. After the bandage is removed, they recommend washing the tattoo gently with a soap that is free of deodorants, skin softeners, or other additives; pat the tattoo dry with a soft towel; and apply a coasting of ointment. For the following two weeks, people should not rub, pick, or scratch their new tattoos.

The APP Web site explains how to care for piercings during their healing periods. A person should clean the piercing two to three times daily. The APP recommends that a person first wash his or her hands before cleaning the piercing and then soak the piercing by inverting a cup of warm salin solution over it. Disposable paper products, such as paper towels, are recommended for drying the piercing. During the healing period, the APP recommends that people wear loose clothing over their piercing and keep in the initial jewelry.

By choosing a piercer or tattoo artist who follows strict hygienic procedures and properly following aftercare recommendations, people can greatly reduce their risk of health problems resulting from permanent body art. However, health professionals stress that the health risks of getting tattooed or pierced can never be completely eliminated.