Why Is My Tattoo Raised After 2 Years?
A tattoo can become raised for a number of reasons. The most common factors that can cause tattoo raising are allergies, tissue damage, certain weather conditions, poor healing and rough tattoo artist work. Below as a complete list of potential causes:
- Bad healing
- Infections or allergic reactions
- Skin tissue damage
- Your unique body chemistry
- Certain weather conditions
- Skin conditions
- Absolutely no reason at all
The most common reason from the above list is the last point. Most of the time, tattoos remain raised for seemingly no reason at all. This is more common in newer tattoos, and as they get older, they normally settle down within several months to a year. However, if you wish to delve a little deeper, the below issues can also cause a tattoo to remain raised beyond the initial healing period. 
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Why do old tattoos get raised?
Sometimes older, healed tattoos become raised but don’t itch — as Gohara tells me, that can be caused by scarring or a delayed reaction to ink as well.
Why is my tattoo bumpy after 2 years?
Allergic reaction to pigment According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), an allergic reaction can occur right away or even several years after getting your tattoo. As a result, you might have severe itching along with redness and hive-like bumps.
Why is my tattoo bumpy and raised after a year?
These bumps on older tattoos are caused primarily by things such as heat rash from the sun, and certain allergies that might develop, such as an allergy to the tattoo ink, which can take years to initially appear after getting a tattoo.
Can tattoos swell up years later?
Medically Reviewed by Stephanie S. Gardner, MD on December 17, 2020 
Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, but they’ve really gone mainstream in the last decade or so. Still, no matter how advanced the technology gets, a tattoo amounts to a puncture wound filled with ink. And for some people, that can cause problems, from allergic reactions to infections and more. 
Some tattoo dyes, especially red and yellow, can cause an allergic reaction, especially when exposed to sunlight. The area around your tattoo might itch or swell, or you could get a rash. It can happen right after you get the tattoo, or years later. If it’s mild — itchy skin and a few bumps — treat it with a steroid cream. If your reaction is worse or if doesn’t go away in a couple of weeks, call your doctor. 
Some ink reacts to light, especially sunlight. So if you don’t keep a new tattoo covered for a couple of weeks, your skin can swell or turn red. This is most common with yellow inks, but it can happen with red, too. Again, a mild case should get better with time and antihistamines or steroid creams, but if not, check with your doctor. 
If your tattoo artist doesn’t properly clean their equipment or uses it on more than one person, you could get an infection. If your skin swells, turns red, or feels tender, or you notice a pus-like drainage from the tattoo, call the doctor. You may need antibiotics to clear it up. 
Sometimes your immune system thinks the pigment in tattoo ink is a threat and sends cells to the area to fight it. These cells clump together around the tattoo and create nodules which are called granulomas. If you see them, talk to your doctor. They might run tests to rule out other causes. They’ll treat them with steroids — taken by mouth or as a shot. 
Keloids are areas of scar tissue that are raised from the skin. They can start under the tattoo and spread out. Keloids run in families and are more likely to affect people with dark skin. Treatment starts with OTC silicon products and steroid shots or prescription creams. If it’s removed surgically, the keloid could grow back even larger without close follow up care from your doctor. 
Tattoo needles can get bloody. If yours wasn’t cleaned well between uses, you could be exposed to diseases spread by blood, like hepatitis B or C, tetanus, or HIV. Choose your tattoo artist wisely. Make sure needles and other instruments are sterilized and that your artist wears gloves. 
You may notice that a tattooed area swells or burns when you get an MRI. This is rare and usually goes away without causing problems. Tell your radiologist or technician about your tattoos so they can take precautions. Your skin might not react, but the tattoo could affect the quality of the image. 
If an allergic reaction or infection doesn’t clear up — or if you just hate the tattoo — you can have it removed. Laser removal technology has gotten better, but it isn’t perfect. It rarely leaves scars, but it can change your skin’s texture or color, especially if you have a darker tone. And it can cause what was a local reaction to spread..
Can your body reject a tattoo years later?
Allergic reaction to pigment – Some people have an allergic reaction to the actual ink used in tattooing. Tattoo pigments may be made from dyes that are made from plastic materials. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) , an allergic reaction can occur right away or even several years after getting your tattoo.
Why is my 3 year old tattoo raised and itchy?
Tattooing as a form of body art is increasing in popularity, especially among young adults. In fact, the Pew Research Center found that 36 percent of Americans ages 18-25 report getting a tattoo. As a result, dermatologists are seeing increased complications such as allergic reactions, serious infections and reactions to tattoo ink that can mimic skin cancer.
Michi Shinohara, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Washington in Seattle, provides the following information about risks related to newer tatoo inks.
The composition of tattoo ink has changed dramatically over the years. In the past, metal salts, lead, cobalt and carbon were used in inks. Today, many modern tattoo inks (especially intense reds and yellows) contain organic azo dyes with plastic-based pigments that also have industrial uses in printing, textiles and car paint.
- As a result, Shinohara explains that there are many unknowns about how these inks interact with the skin and within the body and if they are responsible for an increasing number of complications;
- 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. In cases where an allergic reaction occurs months or years later, the affected person might not suspect that the tattoo is the culprit.
In people with psoriasis and eczema, tattoos may cause the chronic skin conditions to flare. Sarcoidosis is an autoimmune disorder characterized by swelling and itching that can occur in a tattoo decades after the procedure and can involve other organs, such as the lungs or eyes.
This type of reaction is not directly caused by the original tattoo, but can show up within the tattoo. Treatments include topical creams and, in severe cases, immunosuppressant medications. Some tattoo-related infections can pose serious health implications.
- Common infections linked to tattooing include localized bacterial infections;
- In addition, there have been reports of syphilis and hepatitis B and C being transmitted due to non-sterile tattooing practices;
However, Shinohara notes that outbreaks can also stem from the tattoo ink rather than the tools used in the procedure. Â A recent outbreak of atypical mycobacterial infections has been traced to contaminated tattoo ink, which cause itchy, painful pustules and red bumps within a tattoo during the first month of the procedure.
- With this type of infection, a biopsy of the tattoo is taken and the bacteria cultured;
- This type of bacteria is harder to treat than regular staph bacteria and can require a several-month course of oral antibiotics to clear the infection;
Skin cancer can occur within a tattoo, and for that reason Shinohara explains that tattoo artists need to be careful not to place a tattoo over an existing mole. However, one reaction that can result is a bump that mimics skin cancer, which can ruin the tattoo.
- This type of bump or lesion that can occur within a tattoo looks like a type of skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma;
- Since the bump is so hard to distinguish from this skin cancer, it requires a biopsy and, in some cases, may need to be treated as a skin cancer, with additional surgery;
Shinohara notes that this unusual reaction is thought to stem from tattoo ink and can result in potentially unnecessary and expensive skin cancer treatment. Shinohara offers the following tips for those who insist on getting tattoos: Be sure to go to a professional tattoo parlor and to a tattoo artist who is licensed based on a states requirements.
Insist on seeing equipment in sterile packaging. Let the tattoo artist know if you have a reaction. If a problem lasts more than one to two weeks, see a board-certified dermatologist. Those with a chronic skin condition such as psoriasis, eczema or a tendency toward keloid scarring should check with a board-certified dermatologist before getting a tattoo.
Avoid tattooing over a mole, as it will make it more difficult to diagnose a problem if the mole changes in the future. Since tattoos are not regulated in any way, there are many unknowns that could pose potential problems for consumers in terms of the inks and tools used, says Shinohara.
What does it mean when your tattoo is raised?
The Formation of Scabs and Crust – As you may know, getting a tattoo means getting an open wound on the skin. During the tattooing process , your skin is being poked thousands of times, which makes the body respond as if it would respond to an actual injury.
- The immune system fights to heal the ‘wound’ as soon as possible, which in this case, takes time, or a few days;
- That is why your tattoo in the first few days doesn’t appear raised;
- The body is still getting rid of the excess ink, blood, and plasma resulting from the tattooing process;
After it is done oozing and once it is cleansed and left to dry, your tattoo starts forming a new skin layer. As a result, you will notice your tattoo appearing raised, as well as forming a crust or scabs. This is a completely normal process when accompanied by other symptoms like itching and scabs falling off.
- What To Do?
In this case, patience will be your strongest virtue. The formation of scabs and their own falling off is a waiting game that you can’t really do much about. Actually, there are a few things you can or can’t do. For example;
- You should NOT touch or peel off the scabs; this will prolong the healing process and possibly lead to an infection
- You can apply a thin layer of mild, gentle, and fragrance-free ointment or lotion to rehydrate the skin and relieve the itching
- You should NOT scratch the tattoo at all costs
Do tattoo granulomas go away?
The answer is A: granulomatous reaction. A granulomatous reaction is a giant cell reaction, usually from a foreign body too large to be ingested by polymorphonuclear cells or macrophages. 1 The patient’s pathology results confirmed a foreign body granulomatous inflammation from carbonaceous material, possibly tattoo pigment.
Granulomatous reactions may be localized hypersensitivity reactions 2 or local reactions reflecting systemic diseases, such as sarcoidosis. 3 Granulomatous reactions from tattoos are thought to be an acquired hypersensitivity reaction to metallic ions in the pigment, and occur in the deeper dermal layers of the skin.
4 The reaction may appear several months or years after tattoo application. Granulomas have been reported with both artistic and cosmetic tattooing. 5 Treatment of granulomatous reactions to tattoos has variable success. Topical or intralesional corticosteroid injection or laser ablation may be beneficial; however, these treatments may cause areas of hypopigmentation or scarring within the tattoo.
- Some reactions may resolve spontaneously;
- Keloids are caused by an exuberant healing response, in which fibrous scars extend beyond the borders of the original wound months after trauma or surgery;
- They occur more often in darkly pigmented skin and in slow-healing wounds, such as burns;
Areas more susceptible to keloids include the sternum, upper arms, earlobes, and cheeks. Keloids occasionally are tender, pruritic, or painful. 6 Pseudolymphomatous reaction can be a delayed hypersensitivity to tattoo pigment, usually red pigment. Most reactions are characterized by flesh-colored to plum or plum-red indurated nodules and plaques.
These can appear similar to cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. The pathologic changes differ from those of a granulomatous reaction by the predominance of lymphoid infiltrate, mainly CD3+ T lymphocytes with pseudolymphomatous reactions and the predominance of polymorphonuclear cells or macrophages with granulomatous reactions.
7 Pyoderma gangrenosum is an uncommon inflammatory condition of uncertain etiology. It typically begins as a pustule or vesicle that progresses to an ulcer or deep erosion with violaceous overhanging or undermined borders. Pyoderma gangrenosum is characterized by ulcers on the lower extremities, but it may occur anywhere.
Why do my tattoos swell up?
Researchers have found that inks used to create tattoos and permanent makeup can spread inside your body, causing long-term swelling in nearby lymph nodes. When it’s likely to appear: Ink usually spreads to the lymph nodes as your skin heals from getting the tattoo.
Why do my tattoos raise up and itch?
The skin is the largest organ in the body, and its job is to protect the body from invaders. When a person has a tattoo, the needle breaks the skin’s barrier. In response, the skin begins its healing process. This healing process can result in itching, redness, swelling, and other symptoms as the skin repairs itself around the tattoo.
How do you treat a bumpy tattoo?
Do tattoo keloids go away?
– Your dermatologist may recommend one or more of the following removal methods:
- Corticosteroid shots. Steroid injections once every three to four weeks for a series of treatments can help shrink and soften the scar. These injections work 50 to 80 percent of the time.
- Cryotherapy. This method uses intense cold from liquid nitrogen to freeze off the keloid tissue to reduce its size. It works best on small scars.
- Laser therapy. Treatment with a laser lightens and minimizes the look of keloids. It tends to work best when combined with corticosteroid injections or pressure garments.
- Surgery. This method cuts out the keloid. It’s often combined with corticosteroid injections or other treatments.
- Radiation. High energy X-rays can shrink keloids. This treatment is often used right after keloid surgery, while the wound is still healing.
Keloids aren’t easy to get rid of permanently. Your provider may need to use more than one of these methods to fully remove the scar — and even then it may come back. Talk to your provider about prescription imiquimod cream (Aldara). This topical may help prevent keloids from returning after removal surgery.
Can you get a keloid from a tattoo?
What are keloids? – Keloids are a type of raised scar. They occur where the skin has healed after an injury. They can grow to be much larger than the original injury that caused the scar. They are not at all common, but are more likely for people who have dark skin.
Anything that can cause a scar can cause a keloid. This includes being burned, cut, or having severe acne. Keloids can also develop after you get a body piercing, a tattoo, or have surgery. Keloids sometimes show up 3 months or more after your skin is injured.
Some continue to grow for years.
Why does my tattoo hurt years later?
‘ Cells called lymphocytes infiltrate the skin in the area of the antigen — or red pigment in this case — and cause an inflammatory reaction. ‘ Likely, the response has been developing for some time but took months or years to appear on the surface of the skin.
What does it mean when your tattoo is raised?
The Formation of Scabs and Crust – As you may know, getting a tattoo means getting an open wound on the skin. During the tattooing process , your skin is being poked thousands of times, which makes the body respond as if it would respond to an actual injury.
The immune system fights to heal the ‘wound’ as soon as possible, which in this case, takes time, or a few days. That is why your tattoo in the first few days doesn’t appear raised. The body is still getting rid of the excess ink, blood, and plasma resulting from the tattooing process.
After it is done oozing and once it is cleansed and left to dry, your tattoo starts forming a new skin layer. As a result, you will notice your tattoo appearing raised, as well as forming a crust or scabs. This is a completely normal process when accompanied by other symptoms like itching and scabs falling off.
- What To Do?
In this case, patience will be your strongest virtue. The formation of scabs and their own falling off is a waiting game that you can’t really do much about. Actually, there are a few things you can or can’t do. For example;
- You should NOT touch or peel off the scabs; this will prolong the healing process and possibly lead to an infection
- You can apply a thin layer of mild, gentle, and fragrance-free ointment or lotion to rehydrate the skin and relieve the itching
- You should NOT scratch the tattoo at all costs
Why do my tattoos swell up?
Researchers have found that inks used to create tattoos and permanent makeup can spread inside your body, causing long-term swelling in nearby lymph nodes. When it’s likely to appear: Ink usually spreads to the lymph nodes as your skin heals from getting the tattoo.
Why do tattoos get bumps?
– Tattoo pimples can develop when a hair follicle becomes clogged with oil, dirt, or skin cells. Most tattoo pimples will clear up without causing permanent damage or color loss. However, picking or popping a pimple can lead to skin infections and patches of faded ink.
Why does my tattoo randomly raised and itch?
The skin is the largest organ in the body, and its job is to protect the body from invaders. When a person has a tattoo, the needle breaks the skin’s barrier. In response, the skin begins its healing process. This healing process can result in itching, redness, swelling, and other symptoms as the skin repairs itself around the tattoo.
