+ Antibiotics.

If you are on antibiotics you are currently treating an already existing infection. It is not advisable to get tattooed when you already have an infection present even if it is being treated. This does not guarantee that your tattoo will become infected but it does greatly increase the chances of an infection developing.

There are also certain antibiotics that are designed specifically for treating skin infections that can have adverse effects on your tattoo healing.

I recommend that you have been off antibiotics for at least 3 weeks before being tattooed.

+ Acne medications.

Acne medications greatly affect your skin and its ability to heal. Medications such as isotretinoin (often called Accutane here) affect you skin so much that I advise a least 6 months to a year before being tattooed.

+ Immunisuppressants.

Doctors regularly utilize immunosuppressants in order to prevent the spread of infections. However, most immunosuppressants often don’t take a targeted approach to treatment, and instead shut down the body’s entire immune system. That may turn the tide against infections, but it prevents a number of vital bodily functions, namely your ability to heal wounds. In order to address this concern, more researchers are looking into creating bacteria-specific immunosuppressants.

+ Corticosteriods.

An umbrella term for several medications, corticosteroids create artificial versions of hormones naturally released by your adrenal glands. This surge of hormones helps to battle the inflammation associated with a number of ailments, including asthma, skin rashes and lupus. However, too much of these hormones can shut down your immune system – similar to immunosuppressants – and prevent wounds from healing. According to a study published in the American Journal of Surgery, corticosteroids can greatly diminish the durability of wounds as they heal.

+ NSAIDS.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – or NSAIDs – refer to pain relievers like aspirin, naproxen and ibuprofen. While they have similar anti-inflammatory effects to steroids, NSAIDs rely on special enzymes that create compounds called prostaglandins, which help to reduce swelling and relieve accompanying pain and fever. However, research has shown that some NSAIDs – namely meds called COX-2 inhibitors – interfere with platelet function. If these platelets don’t operate properly, this can diminish cell function in the clotting process.

+ Anticoagulants.

Most people have the ability to stop bleeding on their own, as specific proteins activate in order to form blood clots. However, some individuals – including those with issues in their biochemistry – create too many clots, which can increase their risk of stroke or heart attack. Though anticoagulants like heparin can break down these excess clots, they also interrupt normal cell division. This, in turn, can reduce the healing process and increase the amount of bleeding a patient experiences. As such, doctors have to carefully monitor the use of anticoagulants.