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Tattoos: Understand risks and precautions
纹身：几多风险几多愁
Tattoos may be more common than ever, but don't take tattooing lightly. Know the risks and understand basic safety precautions and aftercare steps.
纹身这事儿现在越来越常见，但不要轻易纹身！纹身前需要做一系列的功课，比如：纹身有风险吗？纹身要做哪些预防措施？纹身后如何护理？
By Mayo Clinic staff
Mayo Clinic 工作人员
You could be the proud owner of a new tattoo in a matter of hours — but don't let the ease of getting tattoos stop you from making a thoughtful decision about permanent body art. If you first take steps to protect yourself from possible risks, what seems like a cool idea now is less likely to turn into a source of regret later.
您可能会在纹身后的头几个小时非常兴奋不已，但是不要让这种兴奋冲昏了头脑，对于在身体上作画这事儿您得三思而后行。如果您能花点时间多了解一些纹身的风险，学会保护自己，这事儿才靠谱，要不您可没有后悔药可以吃。
How tattoos are done
怎么纹身？
A tattoo is a permanent mark or design made on your skin with pigments inserted through pricks into the skin's top layer. Typically, the tattoo artist uses a hand-held machine that acts much like a sewing machine, with one or more needles piercing the skin repeatedly. With every puncture, the needles insert tiny ink droplets. The process — which is done without anesthetics and may last up to several hours for a large tattoo — causes a small amount of bleeding and slight to potentially significant pain.
纹身其实就是用带有颜料的针刺工具在皮肤的表皮层留下的永久记号或图案。一般来说，纹身师会使用一个带有一颗或多颗枕头的手持式的器械（看上去比较像一个小型的缝纫机）在皮肤上戳出很多小针眼，每戳一次，就会在针眼中注入一点颜料。要完成一幅比较大面积的纹身可能会需要数个小时，结束时皮肤往往都已经没有知觉了，而整个过程可能会造成少量的出血以及轻微的刺痛感。
Know the risks
纹身有风险，决定需谨慎
Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible. Specific risks include:
纹身会造成皮肤表面的开放性创伤，也就预示着皮肤可能会出现感染或其他并发症的可能。常见的风险包括：
Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red dye — can cause allergic skin reactions, resulting in an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This may occur even years after you get the tattoo.
>过敏反应。纹身所使用的颜料，特别是红色的颜料，可以引起急性的皮肤过敏反应，在纹身的部位会出现瘙痒和红疹，而且在纹身后多年也会发生。
红色颜料所引起的过敏反应
纹身所使用的颜料，特别是红色的颜料，可以引起急性的皮肤过敏反应--如图所示，在纹身的部位会出现瘙痒和红疹
Skin infections. Tattoos can lead to local bacterial infections, characterized by redness, swelling, pain and a pus-like drainage.
>皮肤感染。纹身可以导致局部皮肤细菌感染，主要表现为红、肿、疼痛以及流脓。
Other skin problems. Sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink — especially red ink. Tattooing can also lead to raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue (keloids).
>其他皮肤问题。有时会在纹身部位颜料周围出现硬颗粒状肿块，如上所述，特别是红色颜料附近。纹身还可以引起由于疤痕组织过度生长出现的疤痕颗粒（特别是疤痕体质的人群）。
硬颗粒
硬颗粒的出现是一种组织损伤后的小面积炎性反应。在纹身过程中，这样的损伤主要是由针刺所造成的。
Bloodborne diseases. If the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated with infected blood, you can contract various bloodborne diseases, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, tetanus and HIV — the virus that causes AIDS.
>血源性传染疾病。如果用于纹身的器械和用料已经被感染的血液污染过，您就有可能接触到很多血源性传染，包括乙肝、丙肝、破伤风和人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）--引起艾滋病的病毒。
MRI complications. Rarely, tattoos or permanent makeup may cause swelling or burning in the affected areas during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. In some cases — such as when a person with permanent eyeliner has an MRI of the eye — tattoo pigments may interfere with the quality of the image.
>核磁共振（MRI）并发症。带有纹身的部位在做核磁共振（MRI）检查时可能会出现肿胀和刺痛的感觉，但这种情况鲜有发生。在一些案例中，当纹过眼线的患者在做眼部的MRI时，纹眼线的颜料可能会干扰最后的成像效果。
Medication or other treatment may be needed if you develop an allergic reaction, infection or other skin problem. In some cases, the tattoo may need to be removed. Keep in mind that tattoo inks are classified as cosmetics, so they aren't regulated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
假如您出现了过敏反应、感染以及其他的皮肤问题，您需要立即就医或者其他一些紧急的治疗方法，有时，甚至需要将纹身消除。记住，纹身所用的颜料被认为是一种化妆品，所以他们并没有通过美国食品药品管理局（FDA）的审批。
Insist on safety precautions
坚持安全的预防措施
To make sure your tattoo will be applied safely, answer these questions:
为保证纹身安全，您需要确认以下问题：
Who does the tattooing? Go to a reputable tattooing studio that employs only properly trained employees. Keep in mind that regulation requirements and licensing standards vary from state to state. Check with your city, county or state health department for information on local licensing and regulations.
>是谁帮您纹身？
选择声誉较好的纹身工作室，纹身工作人员都是经过专业培训的机构。注意；每个地区的营业规范和执照标准有所不同，纹身前了解清楚你所在的城市、地区或州立健康部门对执照和和营业规范的相关规定。
Does the tattoo artist wear gloves? Make sure the tattoo artist washes his or her hands and wears a fresh pair of protective gloves for each procedure.
>纹身师带手套吗？
确认您的纹身师在每次纹身之前清洗过双手并带上新开封的一次性防护手套，操作流程规范。
Does the tattoo artist use proper equipment? Make sure the tattoo artist removes a needle and tubes from sealed packages before your procedure begins. Any pigments, trays and containers should be unused as well.
>纹身师是否使用了合适的器械？
确保每次纹身前您的纹身师都替换上了新开封针头和针管，不论是颜料、置物盘还是盘内的工具用料都应该是全新的。
Does the tattoo artist sterilize nondisposable equipment? Make sure the tattoo artist uses a heat sterilization machine (autoclave) to sterilize all nondisposable equipment after each customer. Instruments and supplies that can't be sterilized with an autoclave — including drawer handles, tables and sinks — should be disinfected with a commercial disinfectant or bleach solution after each use.
>纹身师对非一次性物品是否进行消毒？
确保纹身师在每次使用完非一次性器械后都使用高温高压消毒器进行消毒。
仪器和敷料等不能用高温高压消毒的物品（包括抽屉把手、桌子和水槽等）应该在每次使用后用化学消毒剂或漂白液进行消毒灭菌。
Also ask yourself whether you truly want to invest in permanent body art. Choose the location of the tattoo carefully. Don't get a tattoo if you're under the influence of alcohol or drugs or worry that you might regret the tattoo later.
现在，再次向自己确认是否真的想纹身，然后谨慎地选择纹身的部位。假如您受到酒精、药物的影响和各种担心，那还是暂时不要考虑纹身，否则您将追悔莫及。
Take good care of your tattoo
好好照顾您的纹身
How you care for your new tattoo depends on the type and extent of work done. Typically, however, you'll need to:
不同的纹身所需要的纹身护理有所不同，一般您需要注意下面几点：
Remove the bandage after 24 hours. Apply an antibiotic ointment to the tattooed skin while it's healing.
>24小时后出去绷带。纹身的恢复期需要坚持涂抹抗生素药膏，预防感染。
Keep the tattooed skin clean. Use plain soap and water and a gentle touch. Pat — don't rub — the area dry.
>保持纹身部位干燥洁净。使用具有一般清洁功能的肥皂和清水轻轻擦洗纹身部位，轻拍纹身部位直至干燥，记住不要擦揉。
Use moisturizer. Apply a mild moisturizer to the tattooed skin several times a day.
>使用保湿产品。每天在纹身部位多次擦拭温和的保湿产品，记住，手法要轻柔。
Avoid sun exposure. Keep the tattooed area out of the sun for at least a few weeks.
>避免阳光照射。在纹身后的头几周一定要做好防晒护理。
Choose clothing carefully. Don't wear anything that would stick to the tattoo.
>选择正确的衣物。选择柔软吸汗的衣物，防止刺激纹身部位。
Allow up to 2 weeks for healing. Don't pick at any scabs, which increases the risk of infection and can damage the design and cause scarring.
>至少2周的恢复期。不要试图自行去除疤痕，这样会增加感染的风险，甚至损坏纹身的图案。
If you think your tattoo may be infected or you're concerned that your tattoo isn't healing properly, contact your doctor. If you're interested in tattoo removal, ask your dermatologist about laser surgery or other options for tattoo removal.
如果您觉得纹身后感染了，或者您认为纹身恢复的时间过长，请及时与您的医生取得联系，如果您想将纹身去除，可以咨询皮肤科医师关于激光手术以及其他纹身消除的办法。
