Tattoo Reactions

I was thinking about getting a Tat but... I am wondering what bad things can happen from a tattoo. I herd that the INK can actually kill some people is this true and if it is how do you know if you are one of these people. Also What type of alergic reactions can you get from getting a tattoo ? please reply and let me know as i really want to get one but want to know all there is to know before doing it.

i never heard anybody dying from getting a tattoo.some people may get a reaction from some types of ink,but i don't think it's anything that should stop u from getting a tattoo.where at in new york do u live?We can recommend a good shop for you.

hey there, i have heard of allergic reactions to certain ink like swami said. Any the other reactions i know of are by people not taking care of there tattoo, like infection, also heard of some people actual going out in the sun and letting the new tattoo get hit witht the uv rays causing some problems. Thats really it. Let us know where abouts you are so we can direct you to a good artist.

I recently got my first tattoo and i had a huge reactions to it... unlike you i didn't research things about what can happen untill after.... i got a butterfly on my lower back and about 3 days later i broke out in a hive like rash all over my back moving down on to my butt and to my sides almost looking like it was going to go to my stomach... i just thought that maybe i was allergic the the cream i was using so i switched to a different one but it didn't really look any better.... so i went to the doctors... and they told me i got a contagous skin infection from the artist or the ink that they used.. but when i went back to the place and showed them they just said that i either put to much cream on at a time or not enough and let it dry out.. and that it wasn't that at all... i got mine done in march.. and my tattoo is reallly faded in spots b/c it leaked so much ink and it is still scabed in other spots... its been a month and its still not healed and i still have some bumps on my back... and i don't really know if i should believe them or my doctor but... some advice to you would be really check out the place you go to and the equiptment they use even if someone tells you they are really good and clean b/c my friends told me they were good and clean but it turned out maybe they were wrong.... so be careful and really do research on the place and if you do have a reaction go to the docotrs right away don't wait a week like i did,,,,,, Good Luck with it...

I recently got my first tattoo and i had a huge reactions to it... unlike you i didn't research things about what can happen untill after.... i got a butterfly on my lower back and about 3 days later i broke out in a hive like rash all over my back moving down on to my butt and to my sides almost looking like it was going to go to my stomach... i just thought that maybe i was allergic the the cream i was using so i switched to a different one but it didn't really look any better.... so i went to the doctors... and they told me i got a contagous skin infection from the artist or the ink that they used.. but when i went back to the place and showed them they just said that i either put to much cream on at a time or not enough and let it dry out.. and that it wasn't that at all... i got mine done in march.. and my tattoo is reallly faded in spots b/c it leaked so much ink and it is still scabed in other spots... its been a month and its still not healed and i still have some bumps on my back... and i don't really know if i should believe them or my doctor but... some advice to you would be really check out the place you go to and the equiptment they use even if someone tells you they are really good and clean b/c my friends told me they were good and clean but it turned out maybe they were wrong.... so be careful and really do research on the place and if you do have a reaction go to the docotrs right away don't wait a week like i did,,,,,, Good Luck with it...

I got a heart tattoo 2 weeks ago and with in the past couple days noticed i was breaking out really bad around the area and my skin was slightly swollen. I have never had a reaction to a tattoo before, but i have heard that red ink is common to cause such a reaction. Also, if you have allergies to certain metals, like in earrings, you are more likely to have an allergic reaction to tattoos. I'm assuming that this will just go away with time.

if you are thinking about getting a tattoo don't get it in red because it can get really ugly like mine, specially if you have sensative skin, I also heard (after i got mine) that green can also do the same. So watch out.

I had a reaction to the green. Having the green in a sensitive spot doesnt help any. I think it might be slightly infected. I called my artist and told him that every time I shower or wash it, these certain green spots keep like getting gucky and sliding off. So he said not to get it wet a couple days and let it dry up. So I am doing that, and today it already looks better. Its a large and takes up half of my upper arm, so its still getting work and I just have to wait longer to go back and get more done. No biggie, i just hope its not infected, I dont have insurance either and hate when I do something wrong. I know for a fact its not the artist, they have been around 15 years, and are very clean and reputible...So I do believe it was me over caring for my tat..It happens, its easy to do..to much of this or that causes crap to happen...Oh well... If it does lose color I will get touch ups. He said with the healing process and scabbing I am doing I will more than likely need touch ups on the green. Btw its 4 Lily flowers with some tribal peaking out in a couple spots..Hope yours turns out okay! marie

Although "red syndrome" DOES exist it is very rare....never heard of green syndrome...probably the aftercare or after the fact contamination of some sort...unless it was an artist error which you seem to think it was not...TAz

I recently got my second tattoo, and a few weeks after, developed "red reaction." The tattoo looks great, with the exception of the areas that are red. There are ways to find out if you might be allergic to certain ink. Once you pick out your studio, design, and main colors, you can ask your artist about the compounds in the ink. Red green and yellow are usually the ones people develope allergies too. Once you know the compounds in the ink, you can then go to a dermatologist and get tested. Usually its metals that people are allergic too, but everyone is different. If you do develope an allergy, again, going to a dermatologist can help! And usually the tattoo can be saved. It might sound like a lot of work, but Id rather have great looking tattoos.

If you get reactions from ink, taking otc Benadryl can help. Don't buy the generic....buy name brand. Caution- can make you sleepy. Also, for raised reactions,scarring, or to aid in skin healing there's this stuff called "True Tamanu Oil" . You buy it at health food stores. It's in a dark blue bottle. It has mad anti-imflammatory properties and calms the skin down beautifully... It's pricey, but heals the skin like nothing else in this world. Take Care~ Tima

Tima...thanks for the suggestion about Tamanu oil....that stuff is great...hard to find and pricey but great!....I was turned on to Tamanu oil when I was working in Hawaii and was amazed at how the stuff heals things so rapidly...I found later that it is also used on feet prior to the "firewalking" exhibitions...interesting!!!... Anyway thanks for the info Tima!!!...T

Hello, my advice to you about tattoos and reactions to them is reasearch the artist, look at his/her portfolios, perhaps sit in on one of his/her sessions to scope things out and get a feel for what is going to take place if and when you decide to go and get inked. I can not stress enough to be sure the artist uses sterile and clean equipment, and that the studio itself looks clean. As far as reactions to tattoos go....I have had two of them and they were both from red ink. The tattoo itself becomes puffy,scaly,scabby, itchy, ooozy, painfull, and downright miserable. BUT...red reactions are uncommon. If you request a small bit of the red ink in a hidden area you can test and see if you are allergic to the pigment. I sure do wish I had!!!!

Besides metals, be careful if you are allergic t some types of food color... red dye #8 is used in food as well as some inks. The likelyhood of a reaction is very low though.

Good post, Heather and sound advise but be forewarned, not all clients are comfortable with a stranger watching so that may require a bit of prior notice. As to your suggestion about spot testing, that too is a good idea but in my over 40 years of tattooing I've never known anyone to ask or do it, but, I'm sure it could be done and arranged as any competent Tattoo Artist should understand your concern. Personally, I've never had a dye/pigment reaction but then too I've always been extremely cautious about what pigments I use, unfortunately there are some who will try anything new and there's the sad fact that there are tattoo products out there that are crap, including 'tattoo colors'. I also strongly suggest that you make sure you go to a Studio that's been around awhile and check their 'street rep', be careful, do your 'homework' before getting a tattoo. By the way, Heather, sorry to hear you had 2 such reactions, do you happen to know what pigment/brand was used...Doc

wish i would have read this stuff a month ago. I had my third tattoo, an anklet with blue and pink coloring. The morning after I had it done I literally almost could not stand up let alone walk...it was horrible. My ankle and foot were huge and a week ago I noticed a little bump on the back of my leg. I figured it was an ingrown hair or whatnot... What ever it is, hurts like a MF and my leg is still throbbing. Funny though, Only one of the pink flowers (there are 3) reacted this way. Good luck. Monica

I recently had a tattoo I got 8 years ago redone. I am having the worst possible reaction to it. 2 Days after I developed a raised red rash all over the tattoo and surrounding area. Tat shop said it was the cream ..I didnt use any cream! Then they said they had no clue. I then used benadryl cream on the entire area which took care of some of those bumps..but I have now developed a rash and hives all over that wont go away. I am feeling very ill. Having temps..sick to my stomach. My daughter had one done that same night by the same person and she isnt reacting! I can only wonder If i am reacting to the green dye in mine! That seems to be the areas that are the worst as far as bumps go. Anyway..I'd love to hear if anyone knows if i will adjust to this or if i should see someone about having it removed! I cant take much more of this~

I got my first tattoo the other day and soooo happy with it.Its a trible vine butterfly on my back. But the day after getting it done I got really bad headaches and dizziness and low blood pressure. Apparentley I had a hypersensitive reaction to some of the coloured ink. 4 days later I heaps better. The tattoo is great...

I just got some new work done about 5 days ago. The Artist is a Friend of mine. And no this was not a home made gun. I smart enough not to do that. ANYWAY, The Tattoo is mostly Red and it looks like the skin is rotting, The black work is fine. I've had Red work done before in other places. I can't figure what I'm doing wrong in my care, Or my body is having a reaction? Any words of advise. It's the HORDE symbol for those that know WoW.

I recently got a tattoo on my right arm and the purplish red color in it is raised. The rest of the tattoo is doing just fine, yet this part is itchy. I have used benadryl cream to help aleviate the itching yet the it is still raised. This is not my first tattoo, and the others have red ink in them as well,however this is the only one that is affected. I would love some help on how to alleviate this problem. I wonder if this is a allergic reaction or what.

Hi. I got a tattoo about a week and a half ago. It has red, blue, light blue, and yellow in it. The light blue and yellow seem to be healing fine. The light blue and regular blue is still peeling somewhat. The red is half puffy and the blue is also half puffy and some spots are lighter than others. It is also a bit more sensitive in the puffy areas. When I say puffy, it's probably just noticeable when I look closely because I know that is not the way my skin is naturally. Anyone know why this has occurred or if it might get better?

i was wondering about reactions to tattoos. if you have a reaction and the tattoo swells up, does it go away? take medication? did you have to use an epi-pin? I am interested in getting just a black tattoo with no colors, because of allergies.

i was wondering about reactions to tattoos. if you have a reaction and the tattoo swells up, does it go away? take medication? did you have to use an epi-pin? I am interested in getting just a black tattoo with no colors, because of allergies.

i got a piece of 3 hibiscus flowers and tribal that starts on my foot and works it way up to my calf done in early June. one flower is pink/purple one is yello/orange and one is maroon/red. the maroon/red one started scabbing and oozing right away no matter what i did to it and now the red is fine,but the maroon around the outside has never healed and almost looks like your feet look if they are really calloused. It is always dry and flaky no matter what I put on it, and I went to the gal that did my back and she said that I won't be able to get it covered up, because it has never healed, and she doesn't think that it will.

A little info concerning Dee's question about epi-pen use. Epinephrine is used to treat life threatening anaphalactic reactions involving swelling of the airway. It constricts blood vessels and reduces swelling. An Epi-pin will not reduce inflammatory reactions at the tattoo site.

i recently got my third tatoo. no problems with the first or second. my third one was the biggest a red heart with blue wings and a yellow flower. i used neosporin on it which i did not use before and got a burning and intense itching all over. i kept using it for the week and the burning and itching grew worse along with a scab over the heart. i got small red bumps all over. i quit using the neosporin and it went away but the scabs took out my ink. its been 2 weeks since i stopped using the neosporin and the tatoo is healed but the small bumps go away then appear in differant areas. i was told it was a reaction to the neosporin and it would take a while to heal. ive been to this tatoo shop for all of them. i dont think this has anything to do with the ink. but do not put neosporin on a tatoo use a and d. i was told neosporin causes a reaction with the tatoo ink. i wish i had known that before i used it. i have to be retouched now but i have to wait for the rash to go away.

I have a silly question .. feel stupid asking but Im a newbie in the tattoo world. Im 45 yrs old and have always wanted a tattoo and well finally got one last saturday!! Its small and adoralbe and I love it!! I got it on my wrist, 3 hearts (red & Black) Since then I have had major stomach aches and chills and well flu like symptoms. but they have lasted for 7 days which seems rather long ... am i being paranoid or could this be a reaction to my new tattoo?? HELPPP any words of wisdom would be much appreciated :)

I have a silly question .. feel stupid asking but Im a newbie in the tattoo world. Im 45 yrs old and have always wanted a tattoo and well finally got one last saturday!! Its small and adoralbe and I love it!! I got it on my wrist, 3 hearts (red & Black) Since then I have had major stomach aches and chills and well flu like symptoms. but they have lasted for 7 days which seems rather long ... am i being paranoid or could this be a reaction to my new tattoo?? HELPPP any words of wisdom would be much appreciated :)

I have a silly question .. feel stupid asking but Im a newbie in the tattoo world. Im 45 yrs old and have always wanted a tattoo and well finally got one last saturday!! Its small and adoralbe and I love it!! I got it on my wrist, 3 hearts (red & Black) Since then I have had major stomach aches and chills and well flu like symptoms. but they have lasted for 7 days which seems rather long ... am i being paranoid or could this be a reaction to my new tattoo?? HELPPP any words of wisdom would be much appreciated :)