Tattooing and body piercing are fashion trends that are so popular among people of all ages that there are even television shows devoted to the topic.

But what is not so common is any talk about the serious health risks that can be associated with these procedures and what you can do to protect yourself.

Tattooed artwork involves breaking one of your body's main protective barriers — the skin. This means you can be more susceptible to skin infections and other skin reactions. Some of these risks include:

Blood-borne diseases: If the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated with the blood of an infected person, you are at risk of being infected with hepatitis C, hepatitis B, tetanus and HIV.

Skin infections: Tattoos can lead to local bacterial infections. Typical signs and symptoms of an infection include redness, warmth, swelling and a pus-like drainage. There have been potentially serious antibiotic-resistant skin infections such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcal aureus (MRSA) associated with tattooing done by tattoo artists who don't follow proper infection-control procedures.

You can come in contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person if the equipment being used has not been properly sterilized, if needles are reused, or the artist does not wash his or her hands between clients. Used needles can also get barbs, micro bumps and hooks in them that can mange the skin and carry infection.

Too many people focus on what and where to get a tattoo or piercing instead of searching out the safest salon to have work done. Don’t take chances with your health. There are people who practice their art skillfully and responsibly, so shop around and look into the practices of a salon and artist.

Make sure that the salon displays a certificate of inspection from the health unit, is clean and well lit, has a sink with hot and cold running water and liquid soap, has sterilizing equipment and uses that equipment on required tools before each use.

Talk to the artist and ask about their experience and training. Ask to see some examples of their work and have them explain how their equipment is cleaned and sterilized. Watch them at work so that you know they wash their hands before and after each client, wear gloves during the procedure and use new, packaged, sterile, piercing and tattooing needles for each client. If the artist can’t answer your questions, then find a different artist.

If you are getting a piercing make sure the artist uses jewelry and metals designed for piercing and does not reuse or resell jewelry. Your piercing artist should also ask about metal allergies/medical conditions and give you information on healing. Note that piercing guns must only be used on ear lobes, as they can cause serious damage and infection if used to pierce other body parts.

After your tattooing or piercing is done, be sure to cut the risk of infection by keeping the area clean.

Wash your hands thoroughly before you apply lotions or ointments to the tattooed or pierced area and before rotating jewelry. Follow the written and verbal aftercare instructions from your artist.

See your health care practitioner immediately if you see any signs of infection such as redness, swelling, tenderness or heat around the pierced or tattooed area.   

• Dr. Lee is one of Simcoe Muskoka’s associate medical officers of health and an emergency room physician.