Tattoos are said to be an outward sign of good health and a immune system efficient, according to the results ofa study published in the medical journal American Journal of Human Biology.
Despite the growing popularity of tattooing across all social classes since the 1970s, biological studies of tattooing have largely been limited to these health harms.
Studies have highlighted the risks of this “fad”, such as bacterial infections, the transmission of blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis, allergic reactions to colors… Today, a new study brings totally different information about tattoo addicts.
Tolerating well tattoos a sign of good health?
Researchers from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Alabama (USA) conducted a small study with 24 women and 5 men aged 18 to 47 selected and divided according to the number of tattoos drawn on their bodies. . Scientists sought to understand if these ornamentations of the body could reveal information about the immune system , which ensures the defenses of our body and our good health. They measured the quality of the immune system using immunoglobulin A (SIgA) and cortisol (SCORT) secretion in saliva collected before and after tattoo sessions. On average, the volunteers got 3 new tattoos during the study.
And his findings reveal that the most tattooed people would have a immune systemand more efficient. “Tattooing can stimulate the immune system in a way analogous to vaccination to make the body less susceptible to pathogenic infiltration,” explains Christopher Lynn, professor of anthropology at the University of Alabama. “Tattoo enthusiasts report becoming ‘addicted’ and we believe this phenomenon occurs mainly for those for whom this activity does not cause any side effects. So that their immune system protects them well from external infections”.
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