This post is from a story I found on the Internet. It’s from a girl who contracted HIV/AIDS from a tattoo artist using contaminated needles. Sadly enough this was her first tattoo. This site is not anti-tattoo but is rather aware that all that glitters is not gold. There are real risks from tattoos and once the damage is done it is done. There are reports that say there are no documented cases of anyone contracting HIV/AIDS from a tattoo. Interesting. However perhaps you remember the story of 2 teenagers who when to Caribbean and contracted HIV/AIDS from tattoos. The bottom line is that once the damage is done, it’s done. All tattoo inks are toxic at some level. That is the reason why we have invested so much into providing resources so you can make the best decision about getting a tattoo or getting rid of a tattoo.

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Hi, my name is Mandy. I have been HIV positive for the past 4 years. I caught HIV by making the biggest mistake of my life…getting a tattoo. I know what you’re thinking..you’re probably saying..”well she could have had sex and caught it.” That’s just not so..i am a virgin..and now i have to stay that way for the rest of my life. I’m not writing this story to scare any of you, i just don’t want any of you to have to go through what i went through. Well, im gonna tell you my story now. Here Goes.

The day i turned 20 is the day i wanted to do something that i always told myself i would never do… have lots a fun. I was a junior in college, and having the time of my life. Of course, i kept my head in the books, and steered clear of the guys that were there… but i had amazing friends. They were so daring.. not like any of the friends i ever had. One of my friends had her nipples pierced, her nose pierced, eyebrow, navel, and her hood pierced…along with 5 tattoos. I’m not saying i wanted to get a tattoo because my friends had them, i just wanted to get one so i can finally express myself through art. So, the day i turned 20 is the day i decided to get one done.

We all decided to go to this place where everybody said it was the best place to get a tattoo. They did them cheap.. mine cost $60 for a large, colorful cartoon girl (the ones that look like they could be on sailor moon or any of those japan cartoons) on my back. We got there, and the tattooist was finishing up this guy who was getting a snake tattooed on his forearm. When he was done, he told me the wait would be 30 minutes because he needed to prepare everything. I waited patiently, and listened to my friends making fun of some tattoos that they had there. So, finally it was finally my turn to go in.

The other tattooist had left because it was his break, so there was this other guy there…a freaky looking guy..with all these face piercings and tattoos all over his arms. He told me to sit in this chair and life my shirt over my head so he could get the placement right. He showed me the placement and i thought it looked fine, so he continued. He didn’t explain to me what he was gonna do..or how the needles were sterilized. I asked him about it, but he said there was no need to say anything, that everything i needed to know was on the form i had signed. So i said fuck it, and let him continue with his job. I must say…getting that tattoo hurt so bad. I swear to you, it felt like a huge butter knife was going through my back. I cried and screamed. The guy kept asking if i wanted him to finish it up, and i said yeah. When it was finally done (3 hrs later) he told me that he would only charge me $60. So i tipped him $40 and left with a very bloody, sore back. He told me to clean it with Neosporin, and after 5 days of that, rub some moisturizing lotion on it.

About 4 months later, i went to my regular doctors check up. I felt fine, but im always known to be “the cautious one” in my family. He took my blood, checked my eyes, my lungs, etc etc. Only a few days later, my doctor called me back and told me to come to his office ASAP. When i got there, he had a worried look on his face. I knew something was wrong. I asked him right away what was wrong. He told me that i tested positive for HIV. I was in total shocked. I asked him how this could have happened, because i haven’t had sex with anyone in my life. He explained the possibilities…and finally said that word…”needle”…….i totally broke down and started crying….i knew it had to be when i got my tattoo……

Well…i guess you’re probably asking…”then what??”… well..they investigated the place, and found out the place was extremely filthy, and the place might have infected about half the customers that went there, including me. The place got shut down, and yada yada yada (the place reopened 2 years later)

Well…..that’s my story. I hope that all of you that are reading be careful that you check out the places that you wanna get a tattoo. Don’t make the same mistake that i made. This tattoo ruined my life. Please be careful.

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I hope her story at least makes you think. If you contract a disease like HIV from a tattoo, getting it removed will not make it go away, however if there is an allergy or other skin irritation from tattoo ink then removing the tattoo may provide some relief or prevent a long-term condition.

Our repeated advice is for people to get educated and understand the risks and dangers of tattoo inks as well your tattoo removal options ranging from laser tattoo removal to tattoo removal creams.

Check out: The Tattoo Removal Cream Store and The Secret Dangers of Tattoo Inks.