Speaking of Tattoos... Healing question?

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odusgolp
odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
in Chit-Chat
I have a foot long cello of sorts tattooed on my thigh for about 1.5 years now. Where the black ink is deeper/thicker, it has started peeling again, bleeding and pushing out some ink. It's raised and puffy. This has only been the last couple weeks. Has anyone else had this happen so long after getting a tattoo?

My dr. said I could be allergic to that ink, but even if they tested for it, there's nothing they can do about it. So... it is what it is, but I'm curious.

Replies

  • ♥Faerie♥
    ♥Faerie♥ Posts: 14,053 Member
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    I really wish I could help you, but have never heard of anything like that, especially after 1.5 years!
    Did it heal completely when you first got it?
  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,305 Member
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    that's a huge bummer. i'm sorry, i never have had any trouble with that. i can call my artist if you'd like ...
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    I've heard that an MRI can harm a tattoo.......grasping at straws here, I've never heard of anything like that either. Ink is coming out of it? :noway:
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    I really wish I could help you, but have never heard of anything like that, especially after 1.5 years!
    Did it heal completely when you first got it?

    It did! It's been perfectly fine until just a couple of weeks ago. I need to get a touch up, but now I'm hesitant. Although what I need touched up is the color, not the black... It's just so odd to me, though.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    I've heard that an MRI can harm a tattoo.......grasping at straws here, I've never heard of anything like that either. Ink is coming out of it? :noway:

    Little bit... there was a line on my sheets my leg was stuck to in the morning *LOL* That happened right after I got it too, but stopped as soon as it healed.
  • ♥Faerie♥
    ♥Faerie♥ Posts: 14,053 Member
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    I would agree, it is very odd, especially if its actually bleeding a bit. Maybe you could go back to where you got it, since you are wanting colors touched up, and see what they say about it, maybe they have seen this before......
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Weird. Have you had a dermatologist look at it? Just to make sure it's not hiding a melanoma.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Weird. Have you had a dermatologist look at it? Just to make sure it's not hiding a melanoma.

    Yeah, it was actually the Dermatologist that I went to. She gave me a hydrocortizone to help it calm down. My skin is super crazy sensitive as it is, so who knows.

    Not a bad idea to go back to my artist, though. I may just do that.
  • Pocket_Pixi
    Pocket_Pixi Posts: 1,167 Member
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    Some inks/pigments have nickle in them and a nickle allergy can take up to 2 years to show up after the tattoo is healed.

    My brother is highly allergic to nickle so my shop brought in special ink for him - but your Dr is right if it is an allergy to the ink there is really nothing they can do - I helped my brother research this before he went for his tattoo.

    That being said, it could be an allergy to something else. I have my feet do this and it turned out I was allergic to the laundry detergent I bought - sounds dumb.. I started treating my tattoos like they were brand new again and they healed ok - infact they didn't need touch ups which was surprising to me.

    You can always call the shop you had it done at or stop in and have them look at it.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Some inks/pigments have nickle in them and a nickle allergy can take up to 2 years to show up after the tattoo is healed.

    My brother is highly allergic to nickle so my shop brought in special ink for him - but your Dr is right if it is an allergy to the ink there is really nothing they can do - I helped my brother research this before he went for his tattoo.

    That being said, it could be an allergy to something else. I have my feet do this and it turned out I was allergic to the laundry detergent I bought - sounds dumb.. I started treating my tattoos like they were brand new again and they healed ok - infact they didn't need touch ups which was surprising to me.

    You can always call the shop you had it done at or stop in and have them look at it.

    Yeah... I didn't research... I am allergic to nickle *LOL* Who knew...
  • Pocket_Pixi
    Pocket_Pixi Posts: 1,167 Member
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    Yeah... I didn't research... I am allergic to nickle *LOL* Who knew...

    We only researched because he has been allergic to nickle since he was a baby - even trace amounts make his skin sorr. He has to paint the buttons on his jeans with clear nail polish about 3 times a month to make sure it doesn't contact his skin... jewlery has to be titainum or gold... and certified that there is NO nickle what-so-ever... he actually orders his belts off a website to make sure it has no nickle in it.

    You may just be having a reaction to something else though, my tattoos will flair up if I come in contact with things I am allergice to - lotion, laundry detergents etc.
  • Mkserpa
    Mkserpa Posts: 136
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    Sounds like an allergy to the ink. I've never had any issues with any of mine after having them done. Just the peeling in the first few weeks.
  • gymmouse83
    gymmouse83 Posts: 17
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    I worked full time in a studio and now part time and quality inks and pigments do not contain any sort of metals, these days they are all dermalogically tested and certified to be used and studios should have an ingredients list for each one with there studio documents (lisence) so I'd be very surprised if it was due to metals within the inks/ pigments. I have one on my lower back that raises and peels every so often (it's 10 years old now) and this is because I was 'chopped up', the guy who did it went in too deep and scarred me, skins natural reaction from time to time is to try and push it out when it has been put in too deep. From the sounds of it you may have been 'chopped up' and your body is trying to push out the tattoo as there's a foreign body there...unfortunately there's not alot that can be done, just look after it like a new tattoo until it's healed up again.

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