by Paul Lines

Created on: January 22, 2008

The body art of tattoos is not a new phenomenon, restricted to those who want to make a statement against society or seen to be making a commitment to a particular person, organisation or social group. In fact, the art of tattoos has been practiced for centuries. Nevertheless, it is only in recent decades that the medical profession has begun to raise concerns regarding the health implications of having a tattoo. Among these concerns is the issue of allergic reaction.

Due to the fact that the very purpose of having a tattoo is to create a permanent body image, the ink used has to penetrate the skins protective layers otherwise, as we shed skin regularly, in time the tattoo would simply disappear. However, this level of skin penetration, breaking what can be regarded as our protective shield, brings with it an element of risk. One of the major areas of risk is the potential to have an allergic reaction to the foreign bodies that are being injected into the skin, in the form of the inks being used to create the final image.

Most people who have a tattoo will experience an inflammation around the area of the design. However, this results from the physical effect of the process of puncturing the skin and is not strictly an allergy. Furthermore, it tends to clear up naturally within two to three weeks.

The main sources of an allergic reaction to tattoos is linked to the various colour pigments that are used to create the image, each of which can contribute to different types of allergies, depending upon the chemicals that are used to create that colour. The important thing is to be able to recognise the symptoms so that you can ensure the correct treatment can be received. Allergic symptoms to tattoos can be detected by either a change of appearance around the area of the tattoo or varying levels of physical discomfort.

With regard to the change manifestations of allergies, these can include an increasing reddening of the skin; red streaks that extend from the tattoo itself or an unnatural discolouration, for example, the normal coloured skin may begin to darken. In addition to these signs, you may notice liquid escaping from the area or that there is an unusual odour. In some cases, the allergic reaction may also cause an outbreak of eczema in and around the area that has been tattood.

In terms of physical discomfort, in addition to an increased level of pain, the allergy suffer might also experience a swelling of the area, fever or swollen lymph nodes. Another painful sign of a potential allergy, which is particularly prevalent with the yellow pigment, can be recognised by it being found that the tattoo area is sensitive to direct sunlight, for example, when sunbathing on a beach.

If any of these symptoms occur after having a tattoo, it is important that medical advice is sought so that the appropriate treatment can be provided. In most cases, this treatment will be relatively straightforward and should resolve the allergy problem reasonably quickly. However, it has to be recognised that, in extreme cases of allergic reaction, the treatment might be as dramatic as requiring removal of the tattoo. To limit the possibility of the harmful effects of an allergic reaction it is recommended that, before the tattoo work is started, you ensure the artist carries out an allergy test. Whilst not conclusive, this will at least provide some measure of comfort.

http://www.emedicine.com/DERM/topic512.htm

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