Tattoos used to be a great way to piss off your parents.
But in light of new information that multiple inkings can actually improve your immune system, they may not have quite the same effect any more.
Believing that getting inked can inoculate the immune system to heightened alertness against the stressors that are associated with soft tissue damage, researchers at the University of Alabama set about testing it out for themselves.
Veteran tattooees had their secretary immunoglobulin (SlgA) — a sign of activity in the immune system — measured as well as their cortisol levels — released when the body feels stress — before and after getting tattooed.
As predicted, they found a correlation between those who had tattoo experience (i.e. had several tattoos, a large percent of their body covered, and many years since their first) and increased SlgA and reduced amounts of cortisol.
In other words, better immunity and less stress. And they were right. Proving that tattoos don’t just look tough, the people bearing them probably are a little more resilient, too.
Any one-time tattoo dabblers who have ever spent a brief amount of time under the needle will wonder how on earth these veterans have become more immune as many people may feel sick or drained the first time. But like most things, practice makes perfect. According to ZME science, it’s a bit like going to the gym and training your body — the more tattoos you get, the stronger you’ll be.
“If you continue to stress your body over and over again, instead of returning to the same set point, it adjusts its internal set points and moves higher,” says Dr. Christopher Lynn, UA associate professor of anthropology.
So the next time your mom asks if you’ve been looking after yourself, just tell her, “Don’t worry, ma, that’s what my sleeve of tattoos is for.”
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