Last February, while having some routine blood tests done for insurance purposes, singer Natalie Cole was told that she has contracted Hepatitis C. Shocking as it may have been, she was told she could have had this disease for the last 25 years.
While hepatitis C can remain dormant for many years before causing illness, which is likely the case for Natalie, the singer isn’t sure if the use of heroin in her past or a dirty tattoo needle was the culprit.
This seems to be reason enough for all people getting tattoos to watch the artist open up a sterile needle pack and for all heroin users to quit. Ha! Seems fairly straightforward.
Hepatitis C can take many years to cause symptoms so if you think you may have been exposed, the singer recommends that you get yourself checked out.