5 Surprising Signs That Your Tattoo Is Infected and How To Heal It

Tattoo Healing Or Infected

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Tattoos are also becoming less controversial in the workplace in many industries. You may see several co-workers, your boss, or executive management sporting visible tattoos, even in a traditional office environment.

Infected Tattoo Stages: Signs, Treatment, What To Expect

The popularity of tattoos may convince you that they aren’t all that risky to get. But getting a tattoo does carry some risk: Inserting an ink-covered needle into your skin has the potential to introduce foreign matter or infections into your body.

Getting a tattoo from a person or a shop that doesn’t properly clean their tools — or provide you with instructions for keeping your fresh tattoo clean — can lead to skin conditions, infections, or other health problems.

In some cases, your skin may just be irritated because of the needle, especially if you have sensitive skin. If this is the case, your symptoms should fade after a few days.

Man Dies After Contracting Bacterial Infection After Swimming With New Tattoo

A staph infection is one type of infection you might get with a tattoo. Although these infections are treatable, staph bacteria can often develop resistance to regular antibiotics, making prescription treatments ineffective.

Staph bacteria, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), can also get into your bloodstream and internal organs. When this happens, other conditions can develop, such as sepsis, arthritis, and toxic shock syndrome.

If you’re experiencing an infection, treatment depends on the cause. Your doctor may take a swab of the area or lance a pus pocket (if one is present) to see what bacteria or virus is causing the infection.

Skin Reactions To Tattoos

In most cases, your doctor can prescribe an antibiotic to help stop the infection. In severe cases of infection, antibiotic treatments may last for weeks or months.

If your infection was caused by MRSA bacteria, antibiotics may not be beneficial. If MRSA causes an abscess, your doctor may drain it instead of giving you antibiotics.

In rare cases of infection, surgery may be required. If your tissue has died due to the infection (necrosis), surgery may be needed to remove it.

Infected Tattoos: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Persistent, sometimes itchy, and painful bumps in your tattoo may be signs of an atypical mycobacterial infection. This requires long-term antibiotic treatment.

If you begin to feel feverish and experience abnormal oozing or scabbing around the tattooed area, see a doctor. These are common signs of infection. You should also see a doctor if a rash or swelling lasts for more than a week.

If an infection isn’t treated soon enough or can’t be treated properly because the bacteria have become resistant to an antibiotic, abscesses can result. Removal may require special treatment in the clinic or hospital.

Itchy Tattoo: 9 Causes, Treatments, Risks, And More

You should also see a doctor if you experience uncomfortable itching around the tattooed area or if the area is oozing pus or fluid. You may be having an allergic reaction to the ink.

An allergic reaction can also lead to anaphylactic shock. This causes your throat to close up and your blood pressure to become dangerously low. Go to the emergency room right away if this kind of allergic reaction occurs.

Tattoo infections are usually easy to treat and even easier to prevent. Most infections can be treated within a week with antibiotics. However, some infections can be very serious and require long-term antibiotics or other medications.

Signs

The Surprising Way Tattoos Impact Your Immune System, According To Scientists

Learning how to choose a good tattoo artist and take care of your tattoo are crucial to making sure that your tattoo heals well, doesn’t get infected, and looks the way you want it to.

Bad infections may result in long-term antibiotic care, but usually they won’t cause any long-lasting health problems. However, though rare, it’s possible to get a condition such as hepatitis or HIV from a tattoo needle. In these cases, you might require more intensive, long-term treatment.

Before getting a tattoo, find out if you’re allergic to any ingredients in tattoo ink. Make sure you ask your tattoo artist what ingredients their inks contain. If you’re allergic to any of the ingredients, ask for a different ink or avoid getting a tattoo altogether. However, keep in mind that it may be difficult to know what exactly is in tattoo inks as they aren’t regulated in any way.

Signs And Symptoms Of Tattoo Infection (and What To Do About It)

Make sure that all items that touch your skin have been properly sterilized. Don’t feel shy about asking the parlor about how they sterilize their instruments and meet safety standards. It’s your health!

If your tattoo artist gave you instructions on how to take care of your tattoo, follow those instructions closely. If they didn’t provide you with clear guidelines afterward, give them a call. They should be able to provide you with aftercare information.

Once the tattooed area starts to form into scabs, use a moisturizer or lotion to keep your skin from getting too dry or damaged. Don’t scratch or pick at the skin. This can cause the area to heal improperly, which may make you more susceptible to infections.

Is This Infected? Tattoo Done 1.5 Weeks Ago

Has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.But it can come with the territory. Of course an infection is possible when you're getting tons of mini injections in the skin and adding some ink. Even if you go to the fanciest tattoo shop in town, there's always a chance something could go haywire.

Just because tattoo infections are possible doesn't mean you need to shy away from booking that appointment for fresh ink. There are many strategies to properly take care of your new tattoos, and plenty of warning signs in case an infection does occur. And, thank you, modern medicine—there are plenty of treatments to help an infection if it does happen.

Infected

If you know the signs and act quickly to get help when you see them, you'll be prepared to mitigate any possible long-term issues.

How To Treat A Tattoo Infection

Infections can start at the appointment, if you're not careful. It's important to see a quality artist that uses proper sanitization protocol. There are plenty of red flags to look for when booking an appointment at a new studio (here are a few of them, by the way)— but cleanliness should be a top-tier priority.

Infections are not always the artist's fault, though. Aftercare is important to ensure the healing wound doesn't get infected. Your artist should give you detailed instructions on how to properly care for your new ink—be sure to follow those.

Below, dermatologists share how to care for your skin after you get a tattoo, how to tell if your tattoo is infected, and what to do if you think it is.

Tattoo Peeling: Is It Normal, Or Is Something Wrong?

The healing process for a tattoo can last between two to four weeks. Aftercare instructions vary among tattoo artists, but they all generally agree with the following strategies. After your appointment, your tattoo will be covered with a bandage or plastic wrapping, which can be removed after about six hours. Wash your tattoo three times per day with unscented antibacterial soap, pat dry with a paper towel, and cover with a thin layer of ointment.

“After getting a tattoo, take care to keep the area clean and moist. An occlusive dressing is often applied to protect the skin while the pigment injection sites heal, ” says Lara Devgan, M.D., a top board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City. “Avoid strenuous activities, profuse sweating, and contact with contaminated environmental exposures such as sand, oceans, and debris.”

(How long should you wait to start working out after getting a tattoo? That depends on tattoo placement and a few other key factors. More here.)

Infected Tattoo: Tips For Identification And Treatment

Some peeling in the early stages of the healing process is normal, but never try to pick off the crusting that will typically show up on the surface, ” says Viseslav Tonkovic-Capin, M.D., a double board-certified dermatologist based in the Kansas City metro area and editor of DermBoard.org.

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Until your tattoo is fully healed, you should also avoid taking baths (showers are perfectly fine), swimming, tanning, scratching the tattoo, and touching the tattoo without washing your hands.

Seeing pus draining from the tattoo site is the most specific sign that your tattoo is infected. Tonkovic-Capin says you'll definitely want to visit the doctor if this occurs in order to determine if the infection is one that can be treated at home or not.

Tattoo Healing Process: Steps And Aftercare Tips

You may try to wash it with liquid antibacterial soap and apply over-the-counter double antibiotic ointment three-to-four times a day, ” advises Tonkovic-Capin.

“If you experience spreading pink discoloration or the feeling of pulsatile heat radiating from around your tattoo, you may have an infection, ” says Devgan. Make sure to see a doctor as soon as possible for a topical or oral antibiotics.

You can have swelling and warmth even without infection, says Tonkovic-Capin. But if it persists for more than three days or gets worse, then it is an infection. And you guessed it: See a doctor.

Why Is My Tattoo Peeling? What To Do For Healing & Care

“Firm bumps, known as granulomas, may signify a

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