Tattoo ink allergy symptoms: 7 unexpected skin reactions and what to do about them

17.01.202208.06.2023 by alexxlab

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7 unexpected skin reactions and what to do about them

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Rash and Other Reactions to Ink, Treatment & More

It’s not unusual to notice some irritation or swelling after getting inked. But getting a tattoo can also cause an allergic reaction. Skin can swell, itch, and ooze with pus. Most reactions are tied to certain inks.

This hypersensitivity often presents as contact dermatitis or photosensitivity.

You can usually treat mild cases at home. But if your symptoms persist — or are more severe from the start — you’ll need to see a doctor or other healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.

Read on to find out what symptoms to watch for, how to tell the difference between an allergy and an infection, your options for treatment, and more.

Allergy symptoms vary by severity. Some are simply skin-deep and resolve in a few days.

Mild allergic reactions can cause:

itching
rashes or bumps
redness or irritation
skin flaking
swelling or fluid buildup around tattoo ink
scaly skin around tattoo
skin tags or nodules

More severe reactions can affect your entire body. See a doctor or other healthcare provider if you begin to experience:

intense itching or burning around the tattoo
pus or drainage oozing from the tattoo
hard, bumpy tissue
chills or hot flashes
fever

Seek emergency medical help if you develop swelling around your eyes or have difficulty breathing.

Although the symptoms are often similar, there are a few key differences that may help you distinguish between the two.

Allergic reaction

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These symptoms only affect the skin near your tattoo. Think localized itching, burning, swelling, and redness. You shouldn’t have any allover symptoms.

If the ink is to blame, your symptoms will only appear around the offending pigment. Red ink is the most common allergen.

Often, your symptoms will only last for a few days. In some cases, symptoms may last for a few weeks before disappearing entirely.

Infection

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Infection can also cause redness, irritation, and itching, but these symptoms typically extend beyond the tattooed area.

Surface symptoms may be present in addition to those that affect your entire body, such as fever or chills.

Infection symptoms also tend to last much longer — anywhere from a few days to a week or more.

Not all tattoo reactions are the same. Your reaction could result from:

an immune system response
a skin condition
overexposure to light or other allergens

Acute inflammatory reactions

You don’t have to be allergic to the ink or other materials to have reactions to tattoos. Sometimes, the process itself can irritate your skin.

Many people experience mild redness, swelling, and itching after getting a tattoo. These symptoms typically clear up within a couple of weeks.

Photosensitivity

The ingredients in certain inks can react with sunlight or other bright lights. This can cause swelling, redness, and itchy bumps.

Yellow, black, red, and blue inks are the most common offenders.

Dermatitis

If you’re allergic to the ink itself, you may develop symptoms of contact dermatitis. This includes swelling, itching, and flaking.

Contact dermatitis is often associated with red inks.

Granulomas

A number of ink ingredients are known to cause granulomas, or red bumps. These ingredients include:

mercury salts
iron oxides
cobalt chloride
manganese

Overall, they’re most commonly tied to red inks.

Lichenoid reactions

A lichenoid reaction happens when small, discolored bumps appear around where the ink was injected. It’s most common with red inks.

These bumps aren’t usually irritating or itchy, but they can appear beyond the area where ink was injected.

Pseudolymphomatous reactions

If your symptoms don’t immediately appear after getting your tattoo, you may be experiencing a pseudolymphomatous reaction. It’s usually in response to red inks.

In these cases, rash, red skin growths, or other irritation may not appear for several months afterward.

Tattoo allergies are often caused by ingredients in tattoo inks, such as pigments, dyes, or metallic substances.

Some inks now contain dyes made from the same components used in car paint and commercial printing. These can all stimulate an immune response as your body attempts to remove the ink as if it’s a foreign invader.

Tattoo ink isn’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so you may not always know exactly what’s in your ink. But the FDA does compile reports of people’s negative responses to certain ingredients.

It’s best to ask your tattoo artist for the inks they use and look for any ingredients that may cause a reaction or may be documented as potentially harmful.

Here are some ingredients that may cause allergic reactions:

aluminum
aminoazobenzene
brazilwood
cadmium sulfide
carbon (also called “India ink”)
chromic oxide
cobalt aluminate
cobalt chloride
ferric hydrate
ferric oxide
iron oxide
lead chromate
manganese
mercury sulfide
phthalocyanine dyes
sandalwood
titanium oxide
zinc oxide

Notice any swelling, oozing, or other signs of irritation? Stop by your tattoo shop to let your artist know what you’re experiencing.

Also ask your artist about the inks they used and the processes they followed to inject the ink. These details will help a doctor or other healthcare professional determine what exactly caused the reaction and how to best treat it.

Once you have this information, see a doctor right away. Let them know that you recently got a tattoo, and tell them about your symptoms. Make sure you relay any information that you got from your tattoo artist too.

If your symptoms are mild, you may be able to use over-the-counter (OTC) medications to find relief.

OTC antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may help reduce overall symptoms. Topical ointments, such as hydrocortisone or triamcinolone cream (Cinolar), may help soothe local inflammation and other irritation.

If OTC methods aren’t working, your healthcare provider may be able to prescribe a stronger antihistamine or other medication to help ease your symptoms.

Infections will likely require taking antibiotics.

Removal isn’t usually necessary. If you take care of the affected area, your symptoms will likely fade after a few days without leaving any visible marks or scars behind.

In severe cases, untreated allergic reactions and infections can disrupt the ink and disfigure the tattoo.

Identifying the reason for your reaction can help you decide what to do next. Your artist may be able to touch up or add on to the tattoo to hide the blemishes.

If your skin is unable to endure additional ink and you don’t want to leave the art as is, removal may be an option. See a doctor or other healthcare provider to discuss your options.

The best way to prepare is to learn more about your reaction to other allergens and to research your potential tattoo artist.

First, take the following into account before you decide to get any tattoo:

Find out whether you have any common allergies. If you can, make an appointment with an allergist and tell them about your previous allergic reactions. They may be able to test for related allergens and help you identify other ingredients or triggers to avoid.
Find out whether you have any underlying skin conditions. Some conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema, may make you more prone to adverse reactions.
Don’t get a tattoo if you’re sick or your immune system is weakened. A weak immune system can make you more susceptible to allergic reactions.

Then, make sure you choose a reputable artist and shop. Run through the following checklist before getting a tattoo:

Does the shop have a license? Licensed tattoo shops are regularly inspected for health and safety violations.
Does the shop have a good reputation? Check out online reviews or ask friends who have tattoos. Visit a few shops before you decide on one.
Does the shop use ink with safe ingredients? Ask your tattoo artist about the inks they use. Make sure you tell them about any previous allergic reaction.
Does the artist observe safe practices? Your artist should put on a new pair of gloves before setting up new sterilized needles to use during your appointment.

can you be allergic to them?

Is the ink used for tattoos dangerous?

When you get a tattoo, the ink is injected into the dermis of your skin and it stays there for a long time. This is the reason why you should only use high quality professional ink . Professional inks may contain iron oxide and plastics. Homemade or traditional ink can be made from pen ink, dirt or even blood .

Most people who have an allergic reaction to tattoo ink have a reaction predominantly to reds and yellows , but only 0.5% of the population is affected. They say that it’s not the color ink itself, problems appear when mixing colors. Most professional tattoo artists purchase inks that are pre-mixed with thick paint, some choose to mix their own dry pigment and thinner. Metal-rich ink may not be suitable for use on leather. In some cases, allergies occur precisely for this reason. Some tattoo inks contain mercury , but the use of these inks has declined significantly in recent years. Here are the elements that cause an allergic reaction – nickel, cadmium and chromium. These substances are sometimes found in jewelry, so if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to jewelry, be careful.

The main symptoms of allergy are usually itching, redness, mild swelling, but most often all symptoms disappear after a few days. If symptoms persist or the unhealed tattoo begins to ooze or bleed, seek medical attention , tattoo artist not a doctor

Do you have any other types of allergies?

Most people who are allergic to tattoo ink are also allergic to other dyes found in food or clothing. If you have this kind of a allergy, you can ask your tattoo artist to do a preliminary test on how your skin reacts to the paint that he is going to use. However, tests of this kind may not always give a hundred percent correct result . Although the main reaction will be visible immediately, some side effects may take up to a month to appear.

For those who have an adverse reaction only after a year, and this may be, there will be a characteristic reaction – itching of the skin. It can also be a reaction to weather conditions. If you feel itchy at the tattoo site in hot weather, it may be due to an allergy to the ink when it is heated .

There are medications that can help you get rid of unpleasant allergic reactions to ink soon after getting a tattoo. These are usually antibiotic ointments or hydrocortisone, and you can also try anti-itch creams and cold compresses. If symptoms do not disappear within a week or so, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist .

Things to know before you go for your first tattoo

If you are considering getting your first tattoo and are worried about allergies, here are a few steps you should take before going for a session.

Visit your tattoo artist before “Day X”

When you go to consult with your tattoo artist, ask him to give you a list of the elements that make up the ink. If he or she does not have this information, ask for the brand of ink and color. Then you can independently find out the chemical composition of this paint and possible skin reactions. If any are noticed, then you can ask the tattoo artist to change the brand of ink .

Test ink before global use

Ask your tattoo artist to test the ink on your skin at least 24 hours before your main session. Moreover, the tattoo artist must inject a drop of ink on the skin exactly in the place where the future tattoo is planned. If you have not experienced any discomfort beyond the norm, then everything is in order. Or you should try to choose a different type of ink.

Do final test

Make only a small dot of your tattoo . If the previous test could just be done in advance at any time, then this test, essentially the same, must be done exactly 24 hours before the session to be sure. Any redness, irritation, or swelling may indicate that you are allergic to the tattoo ink.

Tattoo ink tests

Karin Lehner of Regensburg University in Germany together with her staff published their study in the journal Contact Dermatitus. The study was carried out using precise laboratory methods that can detect even the smallest traces of chemical compounds in various commercially available black pigment inks. The compounds are primarily composed of coal and soot and have names such as Black Magic Diabolo Genesis. The results of these tests were not encouraging. It was discovered that some paints not only damaged skin cells, but also DNA cells, causing a risk of skin cancer.

However, many of these tests were done on Japanese paint brands that do not meet European standards. Dr. Paul Broganelli , specialist in dermatology and venereology, University Hospital of Turin , noted that the tests were carried out only on black ink, which has the highest concentration of harmful substances. Using this black ink caused a reaction only 7% of the time . Although the words of Dr. Paul Broganelli are encouraging, it is a very good idea to know the type of ink you have and the individual reaction to your body in advance.

Additional recommendations for phosphor and fluorescent inks.

Both types of ink glow in the dark and can be used for tattoos. Glow in the dark ink retains light and uses it to glow in the dark. Fluorescent ink does not glow in the dark, but reacts to UV light, which causes it to glow. The safety of using such inks on human skin is widely discussed in the tattoo community.

How to Identify and Treat a Tattoo Allergy – Drink-Drink

Things to Consider

It is normal to notice irritation or swelling after applying the ink. But reactions to tattoos can go beyond simple annoyance. The skin may swell, itch, and pus.

Most allergic reactions are associated with certain dyes. This hypersensitivity is often manifested by contact dermatitis or photosensitivity.

You can usually treat mild cases at home. But if your symptoms persist or become more severe from the start, you need to see a doctor or other healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.

Read on to find out what symptoms to look out for, how to tell an allergy from an infection, treatment options, and more.

How to spot an allergic reaction

Allergy symptoms vary in severity. Some are just superficial and go away after a few days.

Mild allergic reactions may cause:

itching
rash or bumps
redness or irritation
skin peeling
swelling or fluid buildup around the tattoo ink
peeling skin around the tattoo
skin tags or nodules

More serious reactions can affect your entire body. Call your doctor or other health care provider if you begin to experience:

severe itching or burning around the tattoo
pus or drainage leaking from the tattoo
hard, lumpy tissue
chills or hot flashes
fever

Get emergency medical help if you have swelling around your eyes or difficulty breathing.