Tattoos Can Impair Sweating

Getting tattoos can impair natural sweating, causing the body to overheat if the tattoos have covered a large area of the body, said researchers.

The study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology finds the association between tattoos and damage to sweat glands.

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‘Applying a tattoo typically requires puncturing the skin with needles 50 to 3,000 times per minute, at a depth of 1-5 millimeters, which could result in sweat gland damage. ’

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The study results revealed that tattooed sections of the skin had decreased sweat rates leading to an overheat body because sweating helps the body cool itself and regulate its temperature.

Eccrine, the major sweat glands, are present in most skin across the body and produce sweat to cool the body.

"Any damage to eccrine (sweat) glands within the skin can impair sweating response and potentially increase the risk of overheating if the damage covers a large enough body surface area," said study author Scott L Davis from University of Texas (UT Southwestern) in the US.

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Study Details

The research team explored sweating rates in the upper and lower arms of people with tattoos by comparing at least 5.6 square cm of tattooed skin with adjacent non-tattooed skin.

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Ten volunteers chosen for the study wore a special tube-lined suit that circulated hot water over 120 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes to increase core temperatures and measure the sweating level.

Tattooed areas produced less sweat than areas without tattoos. Even though the nerve signals to sweat glands weren't affected in tattooed skin, the sweat glands were likely damaged during tattooing.

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"These data indicate that the collateral effects of the tattooing process negatively impact eccrine sweat gland function and could be considered a potential long-term complication or side effect of this cosmetic procedure," researchers wrote.

Source-Medindia