DIY ink: What are the dangers?

TATTOOS, once reserved for bikers, criminals and avant garde artists have now become mainstream, so much so that many people seeking truly unique body-art are turning to ‘home-made’ or ‘do-it-yourself’ tattoos.

The new, yet concerning trend, known as the ‘stick and poke method’, can be accomplished with little more than a simple sewing needle and ink from a ballpoint pen.

Tutorials on the method can easily be found online. According to one of these tutorials, the needle is attached to the eraser at the end of a pencil. Cotton or nylon thread is then wound tightly around the pencil and needle for stability. The needle is then dipped into the ink and repeatedly jabbed into the skin.

Not only does the ‘procedure’ sound painful and daunting, but Rufus Cripwell, a professional tattoo artist at Electric Eye Tattoo in uMhlanga, warns that it also poses a number of risks.

“It’s more brutal on the skin, which means it takes longer to heal and is more prone to infections. Also, the person, unless he is properly trained, can’t control the depth of the needle, so the ink can leak under the skin, causing blood poisoning (septicemia). If the ink or equipment are not properly sterilised it could lead to infections and cross contamination of blood pathogens, such as hepatitis,” he said.

In some cases, unprofessional tattoo artists have used polyvinyl alcohol ink diluted with water to create tattoos. Unapproved ink could also lead to allergic reactions, he said.

What’s more, said Ashley Welman, the store manager, these tattoo could lead to scarring if done incorrectly.

“Tattoo artists traditionally train under an apprenticeship for a year, where they learn how to properly tattoo. If a piece of the tattoo is overworked it could scab, become infected or scar. We have had several clients come in and request touch-ups to self-made tattoos,” she said.

Cripwell urged members of the public to do proper research and to inspect the tattoo parlour and the tattoo artist’s work before getting inked.