I Got A Tattoo Yesterday And Had Some Concerns Afterwards.

Posted on Sun, 13 Oct 2019

Question: I got a tattoo yesterday and had some concerns afterwards. I remembered the artist opened drawers wearing gloves and went back to tattooing me. He didn’t put on new gloves. What happens if the drawer had dried blood with hepatitis C. Can I get that if he touch my open wound from the tattoo?
Also after he finished up he took his gloves off and touched his phone to take pictures of his work and then bandaged me but he touched the bandage with his bare hands and the place on the bandage he touched it touched my tattoo which is an open wound. If he had dried blood with hepatitis C can I get it that way?
Will washing hepatitis C dried blood off with soap from hand prevent it from spreading if he accidentally touched my open wound?

Answered by Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (26 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No reason to worry

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for using the Ask a Doctor service.

I have gone carefully through your query and understand your apprehension. However, let me assure you that practically you do not have the slightest reason to worry and Hepatitis C would not spread like that even if you had a wound and even if he touched it.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana

Follow up: Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (54 minutes later)

are you saying that even if there was dried blood with hepatitis C on his hands and he touched my open wound thats bleeding i cant get hepatitis that way? i researched and it said the hepatitis virus is alive for up to 6 weeks on surfaces.

Answered by Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
Yes I am saying that even if he had some invisible specs of blood (but not visibly bloody hands) and even if he touched a wound on your scalp (but not a bloody one), the practical chances of transmission are nominal to absent. Nevertheless, if apprehensive, feel free to get a blood test done.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana

Follow up: Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (4 hours later)

If he has blood on his hands with hepatitis C and he washes his hands with soap and he touches my open wound can I get hepatitis C that way. did the virus die or is it still alive on the hands after being dried?

Answered by Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (18 hours later)

Brief Answer:
The virus could still be alive

Detailed Answer:
Although the virus may be live for quite some time after getting out of the body, a certain amount of viral load is required for transmission. Moreso, for transmission, the body's immune systems need to be evaded and therefore a contaminated touch on a minor wound without active bleeding is unlikely to be enough. But I do not think that my explanations about plausibility would clear your apprehensions. So, it is best to get tested to clear your anxiety.

Regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng