Tattoos are a whole culture. In ancient times, they were an attribute of the upper strata of society, then they began to be made in the army and prisons, and today they can be found among many people of different races, sex, beliefs and worldviews. But tattoos are not so safe. In addition to the risk of contracting infections, there is also such a problem as a tattoo allergy . But not everyone knows or remembers her when they visit a salon. It must be recalled that a tattoo is a wound that is applied by a master to a person’s body. The body can respond to this wound in different ways, including an allergic reaction. To avoid negative consequences, it is recommended to monitor your well-being after applying the tattoo.
Causes
There is no such master who will guarantee that after drawing the person will not have allergies. The main cause of negative reactions may be the pigment that is used. It may appear when a tattoo is made , an allergy to paint , where poor quality pigment is used, which includes toxic paraphenylenediamine. It often causes an allergy of the so-called delayed type. When a substance enters the bloodstream, it can manifest itself even after a few years, so it is not recommended to contact with such a substance. Today, underground dyes continue to use dyes with the addition of mercury and metals. Often the master himself prepares the pigment from the base and powder. It can sometimes be mistaken in proportions, which provokes allergic reactions.
Allergy to red and yellow pigment
The most common is currently allergic to red and yellow tattoos . This is most likely due to the content of cadmium and cinnabar in them, which makes the paint bright. This also applies to tattoos that are performed by henna. Yellow tattoos contain cadmium sulfide. When sunlight falls on them, a reaction occurs that causes an allergy in the form of redness and swelling.
An allergy to a temporary henna tattoo is also often observed. Today it is very fashionable to make such tattoos on the sea. Children whose immune system is weak are especially affected by allergic reactions . Also so-called aerotatu are very widespread today. Although in practice, the appearance of negative reactions was not observed, because all the dyes in this case are hypoallergenic. But the development of reactions is due to the use of local painkillers. Of course, allergies to tattoos do not always occur. But with some reactions there can be painful sensations, and removing pigment from under the skin is a problematic task.
Test
If a person decides to get a tattoo, they are recommended to take a test to see a tendency to allergies. To do this, two small dots of pigment are applied to the skin, which is used for drawing. This test is carried out in the presence of a physician, since reactions can be very different and unpredictable. The reaction is observed for about four weeks. If during this time there were no allergic manifestations, you can proceed to tattooing. In order not to be allergic to a tattoo, treatment will be discussed below, allergists recommend not to contact with irritants that can provoke negative reactions. It can be, for example, cream, sea salt, lotion, etc.
Symptoms
An allergy to a tattoo may not occur immediately. Most often, it occurs already in the third procedure. The main signs of negative reactions are:
- allergic dermatitis;
- swelling and itching near the picture;
- difficulty breathing as a result of laryngeal edema.
Thus, redness of the skin appears, a rash and peeling may occur, ulcers and blisters form. Very often there is a red rash, accompanied by peeling of the skin. Many people confuse immunity reactions and a phenomenon such as an allergy to a tattoo . In the latter case, the negative manifestations are more intense, the wound begins to itch, blisters appear. There may also be a runny nose, burning in the eyes, coughing and lacrimation. Such manifestations may be weeks after a visit to the salon.
Signs of a Color Tattoo Allergy
Often an allergy to tattoo ink, the treatment of which will be discussed below, can occur even after a year. This is due to the sensitivity of the pigment to temperature changes. If the drawing was applied in the summer, when the weather was cool, and next year the air temperature increased significantly, the pigment may show a reaction and cause allergies. It can provoke the formation of scars and scars, changing the appearance of the picture. If the above symptoms occur, you need to seek help from a doctor. This must be done without fail, since the allergen under the skin often provokes intoxication of the whole organism, the first signs of which are high fever, headache and malaise.
Treatment
There is currently no way to completely eliminate the allergen, except to remove it. Therefore, an allergy to a tattoo will disappear if this tattoo is eliminated. But this procedure is very expensive, after which a scar remains. The maximum that can be done is to reduce the manifestation of a negative reaction. For this, antihistamines are used. In advanced cases, hormonal preparations are prescribed, in addition to which there are herbal baths and compresses. No need to hope that the allergy will pass over time, because it can manifest itself even after a few years.
Drug treatment
Many already know if there can be an allergy to a tattoo . With its treatment, there is no need to take systemic drugs, but with the appearance of a runny nose and cough, these drugs can be used. As antihistamines, Suprastin, Loratadin and others are often used. Ointments, glucocorticoids with antibiotics help well in this case. Prevention of secondary infected wounds that remain is also recommended. They can provoke the development of purulent ulcers. For this, use Pimafukort, Futsidin or Oxycort.
Treatment with folk remedies
If you are allergic to tattoos, what to do will tell folk recipes. A good effect has a decoction of chamomile. It heals wounds, soothes inflammation. To do this, bags of grass are brewed in one liter of water and left to infuse for half an hour, then cool. This broth makes lotions and compresses for the night. In the same way, use a decoction of sage or a string.
Prevention
To prevent allergies to tattoos, preventive measures must be taken. As you know, the best prevention is to refuse a tattoo. But there are ways in which you can check allergic reactions. To do this, you must visit the salon a few days before the planned procedure, having learned from the master the composition of the paint and its brand. It is recommended that you think carefully and remember whether there have been allergies to household chemicals or cosmetics with the same ingredients before. You can also ask to apply several points on the skin and observe the reaction. Caution should be exercised in dyes that have fluorescent qualities. They look gorgeous, but often provoke negative reactions of the body. It is very important to carry out preliminary skin testing for allergies. Although they will not give a one hundred percent guarantee, since side effects may occur after a month. It is recommended to use high quality ink without metal and mercury, cadmium and chromium, as well as nickel.
Foreign studies
Foreign experts conducted a lot of research, as a result of which it was possible to detect the smallest traces of compounds in dyes with black pigment that are on sale. These compounds are composed of soot and coal, which is not encouraging in the tattoo culture, since some paints destroyed epithelial cells and even DNA, provoking the development of cancer. But these tests were carried out on those black inks that have the highest concentration of toxins. The use of such inks provoked the development of allergies in seven percent of people. But still, it is necessary to first recognize the brand of ink, their composition, as well as an individual reaction to their components.
Thus, whether or not to get a tattoo is everyone's business. It is recommended only to pre-test for the presence of allergic reactions in order to further avoid the appearance of many negative phenomena that affect health.