Hi all,
I have searched the web, high and low, for an answer as to what i should do for raised/itchy tattoo and everyone seems to respond to the posts online with similar situations but no solution.
My wife and i had our honeymoon last week. We went to Jamaica. I have 2 tat’s. One is 7 years old the other is just about 3 months old. The newest one is a half sleeve with black, yellow/gold, red and green. its healed quickly and was done really well. I have read online that red and yellow can have reactions. The latter specifically if exposed to Sun. I am sure you can see where i am going with this. Anyway, I am EXTREMELY neurotic about my ink and use 70 SPF SUNBLOCK (not screen). I applied it liberally before Sun in the morning, After swimming and any time I felt like the Sun was really beating down on me. Well, the SunBlock prevented a Sun burn or tan for that matter on my ink, but did NOT prevent the raising, bubbling of the yellow/gold and some green on my arm. I would be lying if i said its not freaking me out because it is. It seems common but again noone points ot a solution for this. Tattoos have been around for a long time. I find it hard to believe noone in internet land knows a solution or long term remedy for this. My greatest concerns are loss of color and this reaction happening again every time i am in the Sun. It is really itchy and feels in texture and itch like poison ivy under my ink.
I am really hoping someone has some good insight into this for me.
Thanks in advance.
an intro in the correct section would have been polite !!
providing that you are using sun bloc on the tattoo then there should be no real problem of it fading.
but unfortunately there is no cure for the raised area, it is brought on by heat and be extremely itchy, but remember that if you do itch it then you are wearing away the sun bloc you have put on there to protect it, this means it will get sun burn and start to itch even more..
yellows reds and white are a pain for this. some brands of pigment will react and some wont, but its also your skin as well, some peoples skin will react and some peoples wont….. you unfortunately fit into the “will react” catagory
sometimes it will stop reacting after a period of time but this might be a few months or a few years, its just going to be a case of living with it unfortunately
Right. i figured as much. My ink was not raised prior to the Sun so its really p*ssing me off that i have a permanent piece of artwork that i feel might be ruined due to not knowing my artists ink would react this way in sunlight. I mean this is really unavoidable. I have reds, yellows, green, purples in my other tattoo that are totally fine, so clearly its the yellows this other artist used that is the problem.
I did not scratch and would never scracth my tattoo. i dont even scratch when its totally healed. Like i said i am neurotic about this stuff and really protective which is why i am really frustrated at this situation.
I mean who uses 70 SPF sun block? I do and still had a problem. is there any natural product you recommend for preventaion of this? maybe to keep the skin healthier? i use Fragrance free Lubriderm almost daily. Clealry that didnt work.
Side question…after a tattoo heals is it ok if you use somethign with fragrance. Like Burts Bee’s ‘After Sun Lotion’? Its 99.5% natural but does have fragrance…just curious.
so noone has any feedback, suggestions? i cant be the only person that has had this issue. Most of us cant remain out of the sun for our entire lives. Thankfully right now i am in winter and dont have to worry about this for 6 months, but am still open to ideas on how to care for an already healed tattoo. I want to do everyhting possible to avoid this situation in the future.
i just bought some all natural hemp oil from the Soap Peddler. Saw that on a post. Sounds like a good product. All natural with no waxes or anything.
Well, I was going to offer one, but since you’re gonna be a dick about it, fuck off pal. Listen to Outlaw in any case. Dude’s a reputable and kinda awesome artist anyway.
Love. Peace. Metallica.
Hi
In response to your question there simply is no cure for the condition.
Tattoo ink is actually solid pigments in a suspension fluid which is held in place by scar tissue – uva causes the skin tissue to react which can irritate scar tissue and a already mentioned certain pigments such as red can include pigments that range from mildly toxic (irritant) to outright poisonous.
If you are lucky you may get a purely synthentic pigment (cadmium free) but again your body may reject it to a certain extent.
I suffer the same with my ink when I use steamrooms or stay out in the sun.
The only things that I can suggest are;
Ice packs over the affected area helps reduce the swelling.
Use a small dosage of ibruprofen for the swelling (med conditions allowing).
In extreme cases a small course of anti-histamines might help.
All of the above are simply relief givers but nothing permanent as yet that I can find or have seen.
Depending on how well the scar tissue forms over the period of a year+ will depend on how often you react as the body is constantly trying to force the pigment from your body (hence fading) the excess irritants my get removed over a period of years.
As to your side question fragrances should be avoided as they often contain alcohol that can irritate an open wound. Also try to avoid anything with petroleum over 45% base (none to 25% is best) as can also lift ink.
With regards to other’s opinions….
Many people here are from around the world so we have peaks as to when ppl can fit an answer.
Also Outlaw is a professional artist who knows his shit and which is why many of us non-professionals may not have responded as the answer he has given is very accurate and is not trying to push a snake oil cure-all as many sites are wont to.
Take Care
matthew
KnightHawk…. I think when i get responses like ‘nah, Outlaw already responded’ as my ONLY response i have a right to want to have another opinion. is Outlaw the only artist on this forum? I would think not, but i am new so maybe he is. At any case, Knighthawk youre the one being a dick and btw Metallica sucks and have for years, so i don think i would trust your opinion anyway.
For the record, i have nothing against Outlaws feedback. It was insightful but also kind of stating what i already knew. I know the deal with the ink and reactions its all over the web. What I am looking for is a solution to stop the itching and make the puffiness go down ( if one exists). Something i cant find anywhere on the web because all people talk about is aftercare as it pertains to new tattoos not existing ones with problems.
Based on Sherav’s feed back (thank you) it doesnt really sound like anything exists to help ease the irrtation. 1% Hydracortisone made by Aveeno did nothing. It seems time will only tell. hopefully for the better as well.
I appreciate the feedback from those who helped and offered their experiences and knowledge…
Thanks Aussie.
yea, tough not to be anxious about this. I am stoked with my ink and its with me for life so i certainly hope the puffiness subsides. My main concern is getting it under control and hoping it never happens again. When its all puffy it just looks like the ink is going to burst right out of it. Very nerve racking experience.
People talk about spot testing but that doesnt even seem reasonable as a spot test isnt going to be a good gauge as to whether or not the elements (sun, sweat, heat etc) are going to play a factor or not. It kind of sucks. i mean you spend a lot of money on a tat and in my case anyway it covers the entire top part of my arm. Just really annoying that it’s reacting the way it did to the Sun.
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