Inflamed tattooing often leads to signs such as redness, swelling and pain in the area of the skin where it was performed, causing discomfort and fear that this may be a sign of something serious.
However, it is normal for the tattoo to turn on for the first 3 to 4 days, as it is a natural skin reaction to the type of needle injury, without being an indication of something more serious such as an allergy or infection. Therefore, it is very important to start with proper care immediately after the tattoo ends, to reduce skin irritation and make sure no other complications occur.
- However.
- This inflammation is expected to decrease over time.
- Almost disappearing after a week of care.
- For example.
- If inflammation does not improve or worsen within the first 7 days.
- It is very important that the tattoo is evaluated by a dermatologist or family doctor.
- As this may indicate the presence of an infection or even an ink allergy.
One of the most serious complications that can occur after a tattoo is the onset of an infection, which occurs when a microorganism, such as a bacteria, fungus or virus, manages to enter the body.
When this happens, in addition to inflammation of the skin, other symptoms may occur, such as:
Whether or not these symptoms appear, as long as the inflamed skin does not improve after 3 or 4 days and whenever symptoms worsen over time, it is very important to go to the hospital or consult a doctor who can assess the location and understand if any specific treatment is necessary. Find out which skin infections are most common.
One of the tests your doctor can prescribe to find out if it’s actually an infection is the site smear. During this exam, your doctor rubs a cotton swab at the tattoo site and sends it to the lab, where it will be tested for excess microorganisms that could cause an infection. If this happens, your doctor may recommend using an antibiotic, an antifungal or simply recommend a new care routine, depending on the identified microorganism.
Allergy can also cause signs similar to those of an infection, especially on the skin where it occurred. However, it is less common and causes fever, chills or general discomfort, as redness, swelling, pain, itching and even peeling of the skin are more common.
So the best way to know if it’s really an allergy is to make an appointment with your dermatologist, who can request a skin smear to detect a possible infection and then start allergic treatment.
Better understand how to identify a skin allergy
Since there is no single cause, the most important step in treating an inflamed tattoo is to consult a dermatologist, or go to the hospital, to identify the correct cause and initiate the most appropriate treatment:
Treatment of an infected tattoo will vary depending on the type of microorganism present. In the case of bacteria, an antibiotic ointment with bacitracin or fusidic acid is usually indicated, for example. If it is a thrush, your doctor may recommend the use of an antifungal ointment with ketoconazole, fluconazole or itraconazole. When it comes to a virus, it is usually sufficient to maintain the hygiene of the place and rest, because the body is able to fight the virus without medication.
In most cases, ointments are able to treat the infection, but if the situation is more severe and the symptoms do not improve, it is advisable to return to the doctor as it may be necessary to start using oral remedies, in the form of pills. .
The sooner treatment of an infection is started, the greater the risk of it spreading to other tissues and even other organs, putting life-threatening. Therefore, whenever an infection is suspected, it is very important to consult a doctor to start appropriate treatment.
Treatment of an allergic reaction to the tattoo is usually simple and can be done with the ingestion of antihistamines, such as cetitary, hydroxyzine or bilastine. However, if your symptoms are very severe, your doctor may still prescribe a corticosteroid ointment to apply to your skin, such as hydrocortisone or betamethasone, which will help quickly relieve irritation and discomfort.
In most situations, it is not necessary to treat the allergy by removing the tattoo, as the body will slowly get used to the presence of ink. But if your symptoms don’t improve, it’s important to go back to your doctor, adjust the medications used, or evaluate other types of treatment that may help.
Inflammation of the skin is a natural process that occurs in most tattoos because it is the way the skin should react to needle wounds and heal. However, complications that cause this inflammation to last longer or recur, such as infection and allergy, can be avoided.
To do this, the most important care you have to think about even before starting the tattoo, and is to choose a certified place with good hygienic conditions, because, if the material is dirty or contaminated, it is almost certain that some will appear. complications, as well as a very high risk of other serious diseases such as hepatitis or even HIV, for example.
After that, post-tattoo care should be initiated immediately after the end of the process, usually performed by the tattoo artist, who covers the tattoo with a piece of film paper to protect wounds from contact with microorganisms. But other precautions are also very important, such as washing the area, applying a healing cream and avoiding exposing the tattoo to the sun. Discover step-by-step treatments after getting a tattoo.
Watch the video below as well and know what to eat so that your tattoo heals properly: