Allergic reaction. Tattoo inks contain ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Sometimes, this reaction can occur months or years after getting a tattoo. People tend to develop an allergy to a specific color of ink.
Allergic reactions
Red inks are common for this. Signs of an allergic reaction also include a red rash, or the area going bumpy or itching. It might not happen straight away, there are examples of people getting a reaction months or even years after the actual tattoo took place.
Older tattoos may be raised due to scar tissue
Thicker lines, and more pressure applied during tattooing, can cause some scarring. It's nothing to be concerned about, but it can sometimes raise up, and this is generally caused by changes in body temperature or weather conditions, as well as general health.
Itching is normal as a tattoo heals, but it is imperative that you do not scratch that itch. (If the itching is accompanied by heat, inflammation, pus, spots or anything that looks worrying - check it out with your tattooist and if necessary, your doctor. Don't let an infection get the better of your tattoo!)
Now, save for moments you catch a glimpse of the design in the mirror, you usually forget the whole thing happened. What's done is done, right? Not always. In fact, skin irritation or a full-blown condition can develop months, years, even decades after the initial tattooing process.
Over-moisturising can lead to inflamed tattoos and potentially infection. Excess moisture can clog your skin's pores which prevents it from breathing, something that's important for your skin to heal. This can lead to breakouts on the skin that can damage the tattoo.
It's just healing
If the ink's fresh, here's the deal: Your tattoo is a wound. Yep, just like an itchy scab or dry skin, sometimes tattoos itch while they heal. Your new body art should heal up within a week or two. While it's healing, use only gentle moisturizers recommended by your tattoo artist.
In most cases, tattoos will be itchy for one to two weeks. Once the skin heals over and the scabs fall off, you shouldn't experience itchiness any longer. Although rare, some people experience itching months or even years after they get a tattoo. Of course, like with everything else in life, there are exceptions.
A great way to get relief from tattoo itchiness is by applying a cold compress to the area. This helps reduce swelling, inflammation, and itchiness that occur days after you get inked. But make sure you're using materials that won't damage your tattoos, like a soft cloth or cold compress.
Don't peel, pick, or scratch the skin: Ugh, it's so tempting, but everyone has to resist scratching or rubbing their tattooed areas. Hibler suggests using a soothing lotion, such as Sarna Anti-Itch Lotion and CeraVe Itch Relief Moisturizing Lotion, or applying ice packs to reduce the itching sensation.
It could also prevent the ink in your new tattoo from properly settling in place. Scratching could also pull flakes off or even scabs (versus allowing them to fall off naturally), which could cause distortion or even permanent scarring on a beautiful new tattoo.
Allergic reaction. Tattoo inks contain ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Sometimes, this reaction can occur months or years after getting a tattoo. People tend to develop an allergy to a specific color of ink.
One of the most common problems associated with tattooing is allergic reactions to the tattoo pigments. Itching, bumps, or rashes can occur days, months, or even years after the initial tattoo. These reactions need to be treated with a topical steroid ointment.
RASH: SUN ALLERGY
Some people can even develop a sun allergy on their inked skin after getting a tattoo. This reaction can happen every time the UV rays hit your tattoo.
You should start moisturizing your new tattoo right away and not stop for some time. Love says there's an immediate need to keep a new tattoo moisturized: Moisturizing helps to prevent scabbing and promote healing. "During the healing process, you should moisturize your tattoo three to six times a day," Ladna says.
A tattoo should have healed in the outer layers of the skin after about 2-3 weeks to such an extent that there are no more restrictions on your lifestyle. However, the complete tattoo healing process in all skin layers will take about 4-6 months.
After the first month, you still need to be diligent about protecting and caring for your tattoo as it could take 3 to 4 months for the lower layers of skin to heal fully and completely. You are completely healed when your tattoo surface is clear and has an even texture and feeling as the rest of your skin.
From 1 to 6 months
After a month, any itching and redness should have completely gone. In fact, your new tattoo may look fully healed! However, the skin under your tattoo can continue to repair itself for up to six months until it's considered healed. During this stage it's important to keep up your aftercare routine.
How long do you moisturize a new tattoo? The length of your aftercare routine is usually dependent on the size of your tattoo, and this can be anywhere between 2 weeks to 3 months. Most professional tattoo artists will recommend moisturizing the fresh ink once or twice each day to give it the best chance of healing.
So what product should you use? You may have heard some rumours that Bepanthen shouldn't be used on new tattoos, but this absolutely isn't the case. Bepanthen is by far one of the most highly recommended tattoo aftercare products and is the go-to ointment for most tattoo artists and studios.
Don't go out with your tattoo exposed to the sun. Always wear tattoo-friendly sunscreen and make sure you cover your tattoo. Do not scratch or peel off the skin after it has healed. It is generally recommended to moisturize for 2 weeks to one month after the tattoo has healed.
Basically, it's a hypersensitivity to the ink. It's thought that the red ink acts as an antigen, stimulating an immune response from the body and causing an inflammatory reaction. The response likely has been developing for a while, but it's taken months or years to manifest on the surface of the skin.
Signs of an Overworked Tattoo
A Change in Appearance - If the tattoo looks faded, pale, cloudy, blurry, or heavily distorted, this could be a sign of overworked skin. This may also appear as ink distortion and blurring. During a tattoo, ink needs to be deposited in your dermis so the pigment stays put.