Answer
(a) A tattoo is a pattern of permanent discoloration of the skin made by intentional, artificial deposition of colored ink into the dermis.
(b) Some potential health complications of skin piercing are:
i. Infections
ii.Allergic reactions
iii.Nerve injury
iv.Cartilage damage and subsequent malformations
Work Step by Step
Tattooing is the practice of creating colored patterns in the skin. The practice/art is several thousands of year old, and was apparently done in cultures as ancient as Egyptian culture. It is a practice that has become very popular in modern western societies -- maybe fiftfy per cent of US college students have undergone tattooing.
The process involves puncturing the epidermis with a rapidly moving needle that pierces the epidermis at rates of 100-2000 times per minute. When the needle gets under the dermis, it deposits inks of various predetermined colors in the dermis, according to a predetermined pattern. Ordinarly, tattoos are virtually permanent--they fade with the passing of time. Nevertheless, it has been shown that laser light can remove tattoos.
In body piercing the skin of the organ to be pierced is disinfected and anesthetized. The area to be pierced is then marked and clamped. The piercing is done with a needle covered with a plastic cannula that keeps the hole open after the needle is withdrawn. The item of jewelry is placed in position and locked; the clamp is removed and the area cleaned up.
The areas commonly pierced are lips, noses, eyelids, ears, genitals, and navels. The usual potential risks associated with this technique are infections, allergic reactions,and nerve damage. In addition, the jewelry of body piercings may impede the performance of certain necessary medical procedures , for example, cardiac resuscitation, child delivery, radiography, and urinary tract catheterization.
