Causes and Effects of Tattoos - Essay Example

It is characterized to be Tahitian, tatau, meaning an indelible figure fixed upon the body especially by the insertion of pigment under the skin (Merriam Webster Dictionary 732). However, these signs which used to be mere adaptation and camouflaged have advanced into many different uses dependent upon the enthusiast or fanatic. Aficionados vary in attitude, age, lifestyle or standard of living and interest, much as are the designs, motifs, consequence and significance. Nonetheless, the acquisition of infectious diseases corollary to motivations and driving forces is blameworthy.

Whether healthy or unhealthy, in fad or mainstream, an aesthetic or natural, religious or secular, figurative or literal tattoo has its doable side. It is a mechanism of driving in some colorant using sharp edge instrument down to the dermal layer of the body's first line of defence. The human skin as an organ protects the underlying parts from physical trauma, pathogen invasion, and water loss (Mader 730). Infringing through the homogeneous epidermal sub layers: 1-a) twenty to thirty tiers of keratinized squamous epithelial cells making up the cornified outermost level, the stratum corneum; and 1-b) basal cuboidal cells, highly mitotic cells producing replacement epidermal cells for sloughed keratinized portion; and the dermis, the inner stratum of : a) connective tissues consisting of collagen, reticular and elastic fibres, blood vessels, nerves, pigment cells, adipocytes and fibroblast; b) sebaceous and sweat glands; c) hair follicles; and d) the papillary layer (Ayque 42-43) would naturally wind up to its malfunction.

In the dermis too are small receptors for pressure, touch, temperature and pain (Mader 731). Immunity, the ability of the body to defend itself and as non-specific defences consist of barriers to entry, inflammatory reaction, natural killer cells and protective protein. Any minor injury resulting from broken skin would result to redness, swelling, and pain. This would mean destruction to the epidermis, the underlying connective tissues and mast cells (Mader 762). It is the creation of an avenue for microbial invasion.

Although the human body has its natural flora of microorganisms called indigenous microflora (Burton and Paul Engelkirk 5), opportunistic pathogens may cause a dilemma. A case in point is the intrusion of Escherichia coli. It is a species of coliform bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae, normally present in the intestines and common in water, milk, and soil. E. coli is the most frequent cause of urinary tract infection and is serious gram-negative pathogen in wounds. E. coli septicemia may rapidly result in shock and death through the action of an endotoxin released from the bacteria (Mosby's Pocket Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health 458).

It may gain access into the bloodstream passing through lesion causing septicemia (Burton and Paul Engelkirk 488). It is typified by fever, chill, hypotension, pain, headache, nausea, or diarrhea (Mosby's Pocket Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health 1155-1156). Other opportunistic pathogens as human indigenous microflora are Staphylococcus aureus and Enteroccocus spp (Burton and Engelkirk 260). Staphylococcal infection of the skin includes carbuncles, folliculitis, furuncles, and hindradenitis supurativa.

Bacteremia, the presence of bacteria in the blood is common and may result in