Red tattoo pigments cause the most reactions, particularly those made from mercury sulfide (cinnabar). Hypersensitivity reactions to pigments used to make black, blue, purple and green tattoos are much less common. The components of tattoo ink are difficult to determine and undergo changes with time.
Even if you get inked by a licensed tattoo artist and follow the aftercare, your skin can react in weird and unexpected ways. Some reactions happen immediately. Others take weeks or years to appear.
If you're having a reaction, here's what may be happening and what you can do. What causes reactions to a tattoo? Tattoo allergies are often caused by ingredients in tattoo inks, such as pigments, dyes, or metallic substances. Infected tattoos or allergic reactions can cause problems long after you get inked.
Learn how to spot signs of infection and other issues. Allergic reactions to a particular pigment can manifest in several ways including allergic contact dermatitis and photoallergic dermatitis. Subsequently, tattoo ink or pigment allergy reactions can be classified as acute inflammatory reactions, allergic hypersensitivities, and granulomatous, lichenoid, and pseudolymphomatous types of reactions.
Tattoos can trigger allergic reactions, infections, or skin conditions like eczema and keloids. Learn the symptoms, causes, and treatment options. Explore our guide on tattoo ink allergies, covering identification, treatment, and prevention strategies.
Manage and avoid allergic reactions to tattoo ink. Tattoo allergies occur when the immune system reacts to certain pigments or ingredients in tattoo ink. It can cause redness or other color changes, swelling, itching, and small, pimple.
Reactions vary in severity, with certain ink colors more frequently associated with adverse responses. This article explores ink composition, immune mechanisms, and why different colors elicit varying allergic reactions. Tattoo ink allergies are one of the more common tattoo healing issues, although most cases are minor.
It's important to know that not every skin condition that results from getting a tattoo, is an allergic reaction. It's common for people with a new tattoo to experience inflammation (redness, swelling, and irritation).