A student at the Kenya Methodist University (KEMU) is seeking medical help after a tattoo procedure done by a class mate went horribly wrong, leaving the student with ugly scars in several parts of the body.
The Tourism major student had sought the help of his college-mate to get tattoos on the chest, hands, neck, back and the legs. But sources at the Uni say the college-mate is not a tattoo expert and that he ‘stole’ equipment from his brother who runs a tattoo shop in Nairobi’s CBD.
One student at KEMU said the victim has always been in love with tattoos.
“He draws sample tattoos in his body. His chest and other parts are written…some labeled the music G clef,” said the student friend who did not want to be named.
The college-mate agreed to do the tattoos for Sh8,000, a deal the student thought was to good to pass up considering he would have been charged Sh20,000 for the same procedure in a reputable tattoo shop.
But due to the inexperience of the friend, the tattoos became septic leaving ugly scars in place of a tattoo.
The brother of the student says he can’t use soap while bathing.
“It itches when he showers with soap and he only uses hot water to shower,” the brother said.
His close friends now sympathize with him as they say his lifestyle has totally changed.
“He now has to wear long sleeved shirts and scarves to hide the tattoos,” said a close friend, Jack.
This has now locked out the poor student from various job markets.
”He once sought a job at Kichwa Tembo- Masai Mara and was rejected due to tattoos,” says Jack.
The desperate student is now appealing to friends to make contributions to help clean up the tattoos.
He has consulted a specialist based along Moi Avenue Nairobi. On speaking to the tattoo specialist, only few doctors can handle the medical issue in Kenya.
“There are only three doctors in Kenya specialized in tattoo treatment,” Jack quotes the student in one of their past conversation.
Among the three doctors, it is said that one is based at Yaya centre, Westlands and another one in Mombasa.
“According to the specialist, it will cost him about Sh200,000 to clean the scars,” Jack recalls him saying.
The student cannot get his parents support since they are not aware of the complication in their son’s life.
He now plans to sell his laptop, digital printer and sweep some rent from his father and move in to his brother’s house.
