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Online tattoo and piercing kits could be spreading hep C

January 18, 2013 by George Forgan-Smith Leave a Comment

Hey there Guys. Today I wanted to share a news article that highlight an increasing trend that has been associated with the spread of hep C.

With tattoo’s and body piercings more main stream and prices of tattoos rising there are many people buying home kits via the Internet.

“We do know that tattooing is incredibly popular, becoming more so, body piercing is very popular and there are now online kits.

“So you’ve got this situation where people are getting involved in tattooing parties and body piercing parties among themselves.

“They’re doing some good stuff but they don’t have the knowledge or the equipment to sterilise the equipment.”

Tattoo and body piercing kits are widely available online for about $100 or less. Many of them are advertised as being “for beginners”.

Mr Loveday said hep C was 10 times more infectious than HIV and that it’s impossible to tell if someone has it.

By far the biggest concern is that many people are not equipped to sterilize equipment. This increases the chance of transmission of  hep C and HIV.

As discussed in my article on how to get a safe tattoo it’s very important to feel confident and safe when you are getting a tattoo. A tattoo is a permanent addition to your body.  So is hep C and HIV.

Look after yourself. The last thing I would ever want for a mate is a bad tattoo, or worse a chronic infection. I recommend seeing a professional tattooist or piercer for body art.

Never feel afraid to ask about their infection control or to see their sterilizer.

Yours in good health

Dr George

See full story on news.com.au

Filed Under: lifestyle Tagged With: body piercing, getting a tattoo, hep c, tattoo

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