Covid 19 has changed the entire world in the last year. Many industries have been hit majorly because of the global pandemic, and the tattoo industry is no exception. Today, tattoo studios have a whole new approach to their business model. Even though the pandemic is not over, at least now we have vaccines. Phew!
With so much time on their hand, many people had prepared a bucket list of what they wanted to do after the pandemic. We don’t know how many goals out of these were actually achieved though. Many of these were tattoos. But tattoos are easy and fun. It's not like your extreme ‘get a six-pack in a month' regimen, where you question if it's worth it every time you hit the gym. Then why do folks hesitate to get tattoos?
Well, it is understandable with the severity of covid 19 vaccines, many are not sure whether they should tick tattoos off their bucket list right now. So if you are looking to get inked during this period, but have concerns regarding the tattoo and its interaction with the covid vaccinations, this blog is here to help. These are a few questions that our clients and netizens have been constantly asking about tattoos during the covid crisis.
Should I wait before getting a tattoo after the vaccine/vice versa?
Covid 19 vaccinations are pretty new. We don't have a lot of expertise in this area, unfortunately. It's unclear how it'll react with your new tattoo. After all, it is a risk. Tattoos and vaccines aren't exactly the same, but they both cause your immune system to go into overdrive!
It's important to remember that tattoos will leave a wound on your skin. As a result, your body will take steps to ensure that it is mending. White blood cells, your body's warriors, will rush to the tattoo to ensure that any infections are eradicated. It's likely that your immune system will change its emphasis to healing you.
This means that if you get your vaccine much too soon, your immune system's army will be crushed. Covid 19 vaccine causes your body to weaken and produce a negative effect, as is well-known. In the event that both of these occur at the same time, your immune system will have a difficult time combating them. Chances are that either your tattoo will heal wrongly or that you will not recover from your fever fast, depending on the circumstances. So do yourself a favour and take some time to recover from each of these separately if you can.
How long should I wait?
Here comes the important question. Well it’s not like you’re gonna have to wait forever. But honestly there is no specific time period that is mandatory to follow between tattoos and vaccines. As we already discussed, Covid 19 vaccines are quite new. So it is hard to tell exactly how long you have to wait.
But when it comes to the healing process, both tattoos and the covid vaccination require the same amount of time to recover. Side effects of the covid 19 vaccination usually subside after two weeks. And at least two weeks are needed for tattoos to heal properly. So whether you want a tattoo before your vaccine or after it, you must at least keep a 2 weeks gap between both. This will give your body enough time to get prepared for the next thing.
Although it would be great if you could keep a longer gap of a month or two. And if you feel any weakness in your body even after two weeks, it is recommended to wait a little longer, until your body is nice and fit again.
Is it safe to vaccinate within the inked part?
Tattoos on the arm are quite common, especially in men. And covid 19 vaccines are also typically injected in the deltoid muscle of the upper arm. So there might be a concern about how the ink will respond to the new vaccine. And since Covid 19 shots are also quite strong, they might mess with the pigment of the tattoo. Even worse, they can transfer harmful infections and bacteria to the tattoo.
Even so, there is no such evidence of particularly covid 19 vaccines causing side effects in tattoos. Vaccines have been known to react poorly with tattoos in the past. And you don't want to take that risk, do you?
So if you have a tattoo in your deltoid muscle, then get your Covid shot on the arm. In case both of your arms are covered with tattoos, you should ask the doctor if they can place the vaccine in some other place. Just in case this is also not possible, try placing the vaccine in the tattooed part, where there is no pigment.
Hopefully, now you understand why it is so crucial to wait between the tattoo appointment and the covid 19 vaccine appointment. Although we at Aliens Tattoo wish well for you, and we hope that you understand that vaccinating yourself is really important. And nonetheless, we would love to see you visit us once you are vaccinated.
In this crucial time make sure to choose tattoo studios that are highly reliable. When it comes to sanitation and hygiene, Aliens Tattoo will never compromise. So if you have a tattoo on your mind, you know where to look. Book your appointment now!