Tattoos Can Make Your Body Stronger Because Science

Even though tattooing is a practice that has been around for centuries, there’s still a surprising rift between the tattooed and non-tattooed communities. Many people are met with constant stares if they have a sleeve or their parents gasp if they say they are thinking about getting even the smallest bit of ink.

If you’re someone who can’t get enough of tattoos, you’re going to want to keep reading. The next time you have to justify wanting or having a tattoo to someone, tell them it’s for your own good. According to a study from the American Journal of Human Biology, tattoos can actually improve your body’s immunity, giving it a better shot at fighting off infections compared to those without ink!

The study, which was conducted in 2016 by Christopher D. Lynn, Johnna T. Dominguez, and Jason A. DeCaro, examined men and women between the ages of 18 and 47. 

They considered the number of tattoos, lifetime hours tattooed, years since first tattoo, percent of body covered, and number of tattoo sessions.

Saliva was collected from each participant before and after they were inked and measured both immunoglobulin A and cortisol levels.

 Immunoglobulin A is an antibody that lines our gastrointestinal and respiratory systems, and cortisol is a stress hormone that can suppress the immune system’s response to infections.