Older tattoos may be raised due to scar tissue Thicker lines, and more pressure applied during tattooing, can cause some scarring. It's nothing to be concerned about, but it can sometimes raise up, and this is generally caused by changes in body temperature or weather conditions, as well as general health.
One of the most common problems associated with tattooing is allergic reactions to the tattoo pigments. Itching, bumps, or rashes can occur days, months, or even years after the initial tattoo. These reactions need to be treated with a topical steroid ointment.
A tattoo can become raised for a number of reasons. The most common factors that can cause tattoo raising are allergies, tissue damage, certain weather conditions, poor healing and rough tattoo artist work.
It's common for new tattoos to feel raised for no reason. Over time, it will heal, and the raised feeling will go away. In some cases, it can take weeks or even months for your skin to return to normal. Still, there's no reason to be concerned.
Allergic reactions to red tattoo pigments happen most often. If you're having an allergic reaction to your tattoo, you might get a rash that's red, bumpy, or itchy. These symptoms can crop up in the days after you first get your tattoo or can appear months or years later.
Because tattoos breach the protective layer of the skin, skin irritation or a full-blown condition can develop months, years, even decades after the initial tattooing process.
Sometimes your immune system thinks the pigment in tattoo ink is a threat and sends cells to the area to fight it. These cells clump together around the tattoo and create nodules which are called granulomas. If you see them, talk to your doctor.
Most of the time, tattoos remain raised for seemingly no reason at all. This is more common in newer tattoos, and as they get older, they normally settle down within several months to a year.
This makes it pretty much impossible to cover up. Attempting to cover these tattoos up will result in a tattoo that's placed on top of another one. This can make things look much worse than they originally were. For raised tattoos, your only option would be to have them removed by a professional.
Older tattoos may be raised due to scar tissue
Thicker lines, and more pressure applied during tattooing, can cause some scarring. It's nothing to be concerned about, but it can sometimes raise up, and this is generally caused by changes in body temperature or weather conditions, as well as general health.
To improve your condition and prevent unnecessary contact with the tattoo, it is advisable to apply ice to the swollen area. The swelling is normal and should disappear within a week without any lasting damage to the appearance of the tattoo. If it doesn't subside after a few days, contact your doctor.
But doctors want people to know that tattoos could give you an infection, maybe even 15 years after you got the tattoo.
"Even years after getting the tattoo, some people can develop lumps or bumps at the site as a reaction to the pigment in the tattoo," Marchbein explains.
Treatment of granulomatous reactions to tattoos has variable success. Topical or intralesional corticosteroid injection or laser ablation may be beneficial; however, these treatments may cause areas of hypopigmentation or scarring within the tattoo. Some reactions may resolve spontaneously.
A tattoo machine's stroke, (some call it “throw”) is the distance the armature bar(part of the coil tattoo machine) travels from its most upright position to its most down position. In rotary machines, the stroke describes the distance of travel needed for one rotation.
The stronger the magnetic field, the more likely the tattoos are going to be a problem and could cause skin discomfort. If you need an MRI, you may want to ask for a lower-strength MRI machine because that may lessen the chance of skin discomfort or burning.
So, the question still stands: will my tattoo age over time? Definitely, your tattoos will age. But don't let this deter you from getting your next ink done, whether it is your first time or your hundredth time doing so.
Lyle Tuttle, a big-name tattoo artist, told the San Jose Mercury News that as your skin changes as you age, so too will your tattoos. They can stretch and sag as your skin does, wrinkle, of course, as your skin does, and sometimes even become a less clear, blurrier image.
Because your body considers tattoo ink a foreign object, your immune system will most likely have a reaction to it. This reaction typically manifests itself as a red, bumpy rash on the skin. While there is nothing dangerous about this rash, it's important to keep the area clean and moisturized.