Permanent tattoos involve insertion of ink under the skin topmost layer. One's system will react to the ink as 'foreign material', going into defence mode.
Tattoos are slowly becoming more and more popular in Kenya, especially among the youth.
While some largely get them as fashion statements, little reasearch is done beforehand.
When asked, few will be aware of the health effects brought about by the permanent markings.
A CNN article outlined the effects of tattoos on the immune system.
It's not bad news.
The first study on women with tattoos revealed that their immunity was strengthened. This is how it works.
Permanent tattoos involve insertion of ink under the skin topmost layer.
One's system will react to the ink as 'foreign material', going into defence mode.
Your body may also react to the tattoos as a new wound, which they are.
The white blood cells are then released to block infection.
Proteins are also released to stop future infections that may have been caused by the same 'foreign material'.
The bigger the tattoo, the stronger your immunity becomes seeing as you will have spent a considerable amount of time under the needle.
"This effect appears to be dependent on receiving multiple tattoos, not just time passed since receiving one. This immune boost may be beneficial in the case of other skin injuries and for health in general," the article adds.
The article further suggested that getting tattoos regularly prepares one's system for future attacks as the immunity is strengthened.
The article compared getting tattoos regularly to hitting the gym. The effects are closely similar, in terms of improving one's health.
"Regular exercise provides immune function benefits through repetition, not necessarily single visits to the gym. We think this is similar to how each tattoo seems to prepare the body for vigilance."
Tatted people, as they are referred to, say the strengthened immunity is among the few things they celebrate, as having a tattoo is still frowned upon.
Some hide them from their parents, even though they are permanent.
Nancy Njeri said she had to lie to her father that it was henna, which she says he was more open to allowing.
"They [parents] associate tattoos with hooliganism, which couldn't be further from the truth," she said.
Different people have different reasons why they would get tattoos, ranging from concealing scars to sharing personal messages.
More than 30% of Americans are tattooed today. It is unclear how many Kenyans are tattooed.
Tattoo prices are dependent on the artist's location, size of the tattoo, colouring and complexity - some require simple outlines while others involve intricate shading.
The minimum is Sh1,500.
