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This is a personal note from Kay Zahn. I am not a medical or legal professional therefore the following is being stated as a personal opinion of a tattoo artist.

If you are on blood thinners or any medication that would increase bleeding I would not suggest you get a tattoo since excessive bleeding will not allow the ink to penetrate and stay in the skin well. That is why many shops will not take client with recent alcohol consumption since there will generally be increased bleeding if the person has consumed alcohol in the recent past. It only makes since to get your tattoo when your skin is in good condition (not sunburnt, without acne, blemishes, or sores) and when you will heal up properly. If you take medications that slow the immune process or have a conditions like diabetes that may cause you to heal slower  you are at higher risk which of color fading or the tattoo not healing properly and looking spotty. Generally this is not an issue other than you may need the tattoo touched-up. Many artists (like myself) will offer a free touch-up to clients who have a greater risk of not healing the tattoo properly. As a AIDS/HIV+ person receiving a tattoo you should be aware that healing may be an issue. The body will react to a tattoo the same as it would a deep scrape. If you are having problems healing you may also have a problem with the tattoo. In order for your tattoo to look good and for the ink to be solid looking the healing process should be quick and easy. Speak to the ink artist about the healing of your tattoo if you heal slowly since a little extra care may be needed.

If you are HIV positive or have AIDS, I  feel it is your obligation to disclose this fact to a tattoo artist. Some tattoo shops will not accept AIDS or HIV+ clients. Some shops that do accept HIV+ and AIDS clients only have a few or one artist that is willing to accept the client. Many shops, like the one I work in, now require that you legally disclose your health status including if you are taking illegal substances or medications,  if you are intoxicated, or if you have any medical conditions like; Hepatitis, diabetes,  kidney problems, high/low blood pressure, allergies, AIDS, and HIV testing and status. As a tattoo artist I have the right to refuse service to anyone. As the client you have the right to go to another shop that does not ask so many questions, require a legal signature, and a photocopy of an ID with name, photograph, address, date of birth, and signature.

The risk of getting HIV, AIDS, HEP and anything else is very slim for the client if the artist and shop follow strict hygiene rules. Remember it is cross contamination of blood and body fluids that is your concern. Every good shop is clean, has an autoclave, has licensed artists, and follows strict hygiene rules. If the shop does not follow these procedures you don't want to be going there anyway!  Tubes, grips, and needles should all be sterilized and you should see them opened. Ink cups, gloves, and paper products should all be new. The machine cords and bottles of soaps and liquids used should be incased (wrapped in plastic) and the wrapping changed whenever it is touched with a cross-contamination hazard.  If you receive a tattoo you should be sure that the needles will be discarded after use (not even autoclaved). All products used during the tattoo must be disposed of in a Bio-Hazard compliant manner. These are general hygiene practices that everyone should be sure are followed for their safety. It is always a good idea to research the shop as well as the artist.

Since the ink artist is directly exposed to blood, a few extra precautions are often used when you know a person has an infection.   The ink artist may wear two sets of gloves. Some even prefer to wear eye protection.  Other than that the artists should be following such standards that there is really nothing else different they could do.

Personally, I have no problems working with any clients because I know the  hygienic procedures to follow to reduce/negate the possibility of infection. Most states test/license tattoo artists annually and require that the tattoo artists are immunized for Hepatitis at the very least and many now test for HIV and AIDS. Some states or counties will not license those with HEP, HIV+ status or AIDS. Check with your state &/or county to find out what your local laws are. In some states/counties receiving/giving tattoos are illegal or if you receive a tattoo by an unauthorized tattooist you and the artist can both go to jail.  The laws are constantly changing and I have no way of saying with certainty what the law is where you are located. It is your responsibility to check out the legalities and the safety of receiving a tattoo.

I have expressed my opinion and urge you disclose all your medical conditions to your tattoo artist. Additionally, I hope you have been lucky enough to find an artist who cares about your entire health and can help you receive a great tattoo and proper healing of the new art work.