Tattoos Can Improve Your Immune System

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It seems that tattoos can boost your immune system and that people in the past used it for precisely that purpose and for showing off their bodies fitness.

Image by ilovetattoos from Pixabaytattoo3268988_1920 1.jpg

We, humans, tattoo ourselves for a long time. The ancient mountaineer who died more than 5300 years ago while traveling across the Alps had tattoos at more than 30 places on his body. But it wasn't just about decorating his body. The tattoos were at places where he likely had pains from for example arthritis.

And the current culture is also very positive when it comes to tattoos. Around one-third of U.S. citizens have one. But for the most part, scientists were focusing on health risks associated with tattoos like possible negative effects of the colors used or the possibility of infection.

But now, American anthropologist Christopher Lynn from the University of Alabama has a different approach to tattoos. He not only published a study that was published in the American Journal of Human Biology but he also decided to take a more hands-on approach. He himself got tattooed by Su´a Sulu´ape Paula III who is a sixth-generation tattooer.

But when it came to the study itself he managed to get volunteers from people who were tattooed by both commercial Samoan tattoo saloons and by traditional Samoan indigenous tattooers. Both locals and tourists who decided to get a nice present on their holiday were part of the study.

The scientists took samples before and after the tattooing and had them analyzed. Among other things, they took a look at immunoglobulins, cortisol, or the c-reactive protein that is an indicator of an inflammatory reaction.

The results show that the longer the procedure took the more class A immunoglobulins were present. And the rise in the immunoglobulin levels was visible even after the tattoo healed and repeated tattooing only increased the immunoglobulin production. The body reacts to a new tattoo just at it reacts to foreign particles and starts an immune reaction.

But the tattoo itself not dangerous if done properly and provides the body with temporary stress. Such stress boosts the immune systems and thus tattoos can enhance the immune system.

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