There are two major organizations that focus on health issues surrounding tattooing- the NTA and the APT . Both organizations deal greatly with the education of artists in regard to infection control, the establishment of professional standards, and the utilization of professional practices to help establish health and safety standards in the tattoo world. They also deal greatly with the major subject  of disease prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there has never been a recorded case of getting AIDS from a tattoo. 

Tattoos are very dangerous for people with diabetes, hemophilia, and other blood diseases because a tattoo will bleed when it is being applied. Tattoo pigments and inks are loosely regulated by the FDA. Current pigments have been tested recently and a human can ingest 465 grams of most inks without being poisoned. This means that a person should not be afraid to get a tattoo with many colored or darkened areas. To comply with each state's health regulations regarding tattooing, every material used for your tattoo is individually packaged, dated, sealed, and then autoclaved. If the materials aren't autoclaved, they will be disposable and used only for you. An autoclave is a sterilizing device that kills all living organisms known to mankind. Hospitals rely on autoclaves to sterilize their medical equipment. The tattooists should use stainless steel tubes instead of chrome plated needle bars because chromates (chromium containing compounds) are carcinogens and are very poisonous to the body. Lead should also be avoided in the needle bar because it could cause lead poisoning in large tattoos. 

It will take ten to fourteen days for a well executed tattoo to heal. When a tattoo heals a scab may form. This scab will then fall off . The skin on and surrounding the tattoo will then dry and shed off. The tattoo will itch tremendously because it is healing and it is very  important that you do not scratch it. Some unusual side effects may occur, such as: infection, abnormal swelling, or excessive itching. If these do occur, then you should telephone your tattooist and speak with him about what you should do. A small percentage of people who get tattoos have an allergic reaction- usually because of red inks used in the tattoo. It is also important to remember that alcohol should not be consumed before or after getting a tattoo because alcohol thins the blood. If the blood is thinned, the inks in the tattoo will be pushed out with the blood because the blood is so runny.