Why is tattooing and piercing a risk?
When you get a piercing or a tattoo, your skin is ‘broken’ which
leaves the area more open to infection from bacteria, which can
then enter your blood stream.
The techniques that tattoo artists and piercers use, and the
standard of sterilising equipment can all vary, and there is always
a risk of getting an infection from dirty equipment or because it
is done in a non-sterile way. Doctors usually say that it’s best
not to have a piercing or a tattoo if you have valvular heart
disease, congenital heart disease, or hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy.