How To Know If You’Re Allergic To Tattoo Ink?
Signs of a reaction: If you or your child has an allergic reaction, you may notice one or more of the following in the temporary tattoo:
- Redness and swelling.
- Intense itch.
- Pain.
- Tiny bumps.
- Scaly, raised skin.
- Blisters, which may open and leak.
- Loss of skin color.
- Scarring.
Contents
How do you know if you have an allergic reaction to tattoo?
The signs vary depending on the type of allergic reaction and the ingredient in the tattoo ink that’s causing it. Common signs of an allergic reaction to a tattoo include: Swelling. Redness. Rash or bumps. Flaking. Scaly appearance. Purple or red nodules around the tattoo.
What are the signs of ink allergy?
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. A number of ink ingredients are known to cause granulomas, or red bumps.
Can tattoo ink cause bumps around the site of a tattoo?
There are several risks to consider before subjecting your skin to a tattoo needle, not the least of which is the possibility of infection from viruses like hepatitis and HIV. But even if you choose a safe tattoo studio and the tattoo artist uses a sterile needle, you’re not out of the woods.
- The tattoo ink can potentially cause an allergic reaction;
- A tattoo allergy can result in swelling, irritation, a rash , or some other skin abnormality at or around the site of the tattoo;
- What Causes a Tattoo Allergy? Tattoo ink contains several ingredients and chemicals, and you may be allergic to any one of them;
Substances like iron oxide, mercury sulfide, ferric hydrate, aluminum, and manganese are only a few of the ingredients that may be included in the ink, depending on the color. An allergy to any of these substances can cause an allergic reaction once the ink gets into your skin. Types of Tattoo Allergic Reaction A tattoo allergy can take a number of different forms:
- Acute inflammatory allergic reaction. Many people who get tattoos experience what’s called an acute inflammatory reaction — the skin becomes red, slightly swollen, and irritated at the site of the tattoo. This occurs because of the irritation caused by the tattoo needle and the tattoo ink. It’s not serious, and generally subsides within about two or three weeks.
- Photosensitivity. Tattoos that are exposed to the sun may result in an allergic reaction, particularly those that contain yellow tattoo ink. Yellow and some red pigments contain cadmium sulfide, which can cause an allergic reaction when exposed to the sun.
- Dermatitis. Some of the most common tattoo allergies include types of dermatitis — photoallergic and allergic contact dermatitis. Most often, these types of allergic reactions are caused by mercury sulfide, which is found in red tattoo ink.
- Lichenoid allergic reaction. This is rare, but is typically related to red tattoo ink, and characterized by small bumps that appear around the red ink areas.
- Pseudolymphomatous allergic reaction. Caused by sensitivity to a substance in the tattoo ink, this is a delayed reaction — it doesn’t occur right after getting the tattoo. Red tattoo ink is usually to blame, but it can result from blue and green as well.
- Granulomas. These are small bumps that can appear as a result of an allergic reaction. Red tattoo ink is most often the culprit, but purple, green, or blue tattoo ink may also cause these bumps to form around the site of the tattoo.
What causes tattoo allergies?
– 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
