The Tattoo Taboo Your friend has one and your friend’s friend has one. They look cool and you want one too. However, before you go out and get a tattoo, there are a few possible medical problems you know about. The most serious medical problem caused by tattooing is infection. Make sure you go to a well-established tattoo parlor and discuss with the artist his or her sterilization procedures. Besides skin infections such as impetigo, unsterile tattooing equipment and needles can transmit three serious infectious diseases: tuberculosis, hepatitis and HIV. Those are three extremely important reasons you should make sure all equipment is sterilized prior to its use. On a side note, because of the high risk of infection, blood donations cannot be made for a year after getting a tattoo. A second danger is an allergic reaction to the tattoo dyes. In addition, if you already have a skin disorder, such as eczema or psoriasis, you might experience chronic flare-ups at the site of the tattoo. Another issue facing anyone thinking about getting a tattoo is the fact that it is permanent. As you get older and want the tattoo removed, the procedure is expensive and almost always leaves a scar or other changes in the skin. The latest dermatological procedure for removing tattoos is the laser, which apparently breaks up the dye into smaller pieces. It is interesting to note that these days, tattoo removal is a common reason for seeing a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. This shows to us doctors that a lot of people think it was a mistake getting a tattoo in the first place.