Tattoo Risk Or No Risk

[balotsaputi]

Hello Dr  HHH and Dr Hook I would like to ask if I’m in risk for a having a tattoo in arms...

I had a tattoo session last three weeks ago in my arms...The tattoo artist was not wearing a mask during our tattoo session.. The tattoo artist informs me that all the materials used for tattoo is sterilized... (Tattoo motor was cleaned, plastic cup for the ink is disposable, all needle are sealed artist used a gloves) but after our session the tattoo artist told me that the ink is not new. The distance for putting the ink in the plastic cup for tattoo is one inch so the tip of the bottle will not hit the ink...And the artist guarantee that the ink is not contaminated.... But accidentally the assistant of artist hit the ink that he used to me by the tip of the plastic bottle of ink.

1. If the tip of the bottle have a blood of previous customer and hit the ink that the used to me...Do you think I’m in risk of hepatitis or HIV?
2. What is my risk in my situation? Low Risk, High Risk Or No Risk?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Last answer until you have test result to report. The symptoms you report do not suggest HIV or hepatitis. EWH

[balotsaputi]

Hello Dr Hook..

I would like to ask if my symptoms are related to Hepatitis or HIV..

After two hours of our tattoo session there is a swollen nodes between my legs..
And after 4 days theres a cold, cough with phlegm without fever and still persist up to 10 days…

Thank you Dr Hook

[balotsaputi]

Thank you very much Dr Edward...I will post my good news after 8 weeks...

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No, this does not change my opinion.  Your risk of infection is low but not zero.  EWH

[balotsaputi]

Thank you very much for your help and answer...

I would like to inform u that im here in saudi arabia so the apparatus that there using here and in america is not same,,,it will change your answer regarding my schedule of testing?

Im not scared to HIV because one the virus exposed to air the virus will die immediately...

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. Any risk for transmission of HIV or hepatitis viruses relates to the potential for the blood (and virus) of an infected person to be injected into the skin of an uninfected person during the tattooing process.  The necessary steps which typically prevent this are to use single use needles and to carefully clean materials between different clients.  It sounds as though this was done.  You raise the possibility that in transferring ink from the larger supply to the cup used for your tattoo there may have been some contamination.   From what you say this sounds quite unlikely.  If a prior client's blood were transferred to the ink used for your tattoo however, there would be risk.  Thus what this comes down to is your concern vs. the tattoo artist’s assurance that there was not.  

Of course, another variable is whether or not the person before you DID contaminate the ink and whether or not the person did have HIV or hepatitis- these are all unlikely but admittedly unknown.

Bottom line, considering the possibilities I mention above, your risk for infection is quite low but not zero.  Personally I would not worry but if you are concerned, you should have a blood test for HIV and the hepatitis B and C viruses in about 8 weeks.  I hope these comments are helpful to you.  EWH