Tattoos and Permanent Makeup

There are several types of tattoos you may be seeing, including some that are permanent and and others that are temporary. People get tattoos for various reasons, such as beauty, self-expression, or cultural events. Whatever your reason for choosing to get a tattoo, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reminds you to know the facts before you make the decision to get a tattoo. 
Types of Tattoos 
Permanent Tattoo: A needle inserts colored ink into your skin. Permanent tattoos last a lifetime.
Permanent Makeup: This is a type of permanent tattoo. A needle inserts colored ink into your skin to look like eyeliner, lip liner, eyebrows, or other makeup.
 Henna: Plant dye called henna or mehndi is used to stain your skin. A henna tattoo lasts for 3 days up to a few weeks.
Black Henna: This type of tattoo may or may not contain henna and may contain hair dye or other dye to make it darker and longer lasting.
 Decal temporary tattoos: Some decal tattoos have a backing that is removed with water when applying the design directly to your skin. Others have a backing that sticks to your skin. Decal tattoos may last for a day or up to a week or more.
Tattoo Risks 
Tattoos can have health effects, and some of these effects can last a lifetime. Tattoo risks include:
 • Infections and serious illness from unclean tattoo tools, practices, or products.
 • Allergic reactions to the inks or stains can cause skin problems, such as rashes.
 • Other skin problems, like increased chance of sunburn, rashes, redness, or scarring.
 • Swelling and burning of some permanent tattoos when you get an MRI test. 
If you have questions about safety practices at tattoo parlors, contact local health department that regulates them in your area. In addition, be sure to tell your healthcare provider about any tattoos you have before undergoing any type of medical procedure.
Removing Your Permanent Tattoo
Permanent tattoos can be hard and painful to remove. Removal may also take several treatments and cost a lot of money. Options for tattoo removal include:

•  Laser Removal: FDA has approved certain laser devices to remove tattoos. Lighter colors such as yellow, green, and red are more difficult to remove than darker colors such as dark blue and black. It may take 6 to 10 treatments to remove a tattoo. Some side effects may include bleeding, redness, or soreness. 
• Surgery: Tattoos can sometimes be removed by cutting out the tattooed skin, then sewing the skin back together. Other times, the skin can be sanded down to remove the tattoo. Either way, there will be some scarring.
• Ointments and Creams: FDA has not approved tattoo removal ointments and creams or do-it-yourself tattoo removal kits. These products may cause skin rashes, burns, or scars.

To learn more about tattoos, visit: Cosmetic facts, Tattoo