2023-06-21 11:24:11
What then do they suffer from? “You can see that the tattoo is going to swell. It itches and hurts. You can also suffer from calluses and wounds. The pigments remain in the dermis. That makes the reaction so incredibly annoying and often chronic. The ink has nowhere to go and continues to cause a reaction there. Very annoying, because it is constantly present.”
The laser
“I have been researching for years which substance exactly causes the allergic reaction,” Sebastiaan shares. He has his suspicions, but no concrete evidence yet. “What I often see is that people suffer after being in the sun. And especially on the unprotected parts of the body, such as the forearms and legs.”
What is also striking is that people knock at the outpatient clinic just after a tattoo removal. “The laser used for this shatters the pigment. This can actually trigger an allergy. But that is not always the case.”
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Therapy
Especially in the case of permanent make-up, which is often applied to the lips and eyebrows, it is annoying when things swell. In that case, the treatment of a tattoo ink allergy is often done with local remedies. “We often try to control the reaction with tablets. They do have side effects. But if it is so visible, you want to get rid of it as soon as possible.”
Hope is also not lost for people who get an allergic reaction elsewhere on the body. “You have to understand that an allergy is an overreaction of the immune system. This can be controlled with creams (such as corticosteroids) or ointments. If this does not work, we can also administer the active substance by injection. And if that doesn’t work either, it’s up to the patient’s wishes how we proceed.”
For example, you can undergo a special laser therapy. “We do this with a CO2 laser. Only one treatment is required under local anesthesia. The laser removes the red pigments from the tattoo. Please note, this is not the same as the laser they use for tattoo removal. If you suffer from an allergic reaction to tattoo ink, I do not recommend ‘normal’ tattoo laser removal either.”
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Infection vs. allergy
For the time being, it is not possible to know in advance whether you are allergic to tattoo ink. “There are no reliable allergy tests for it. In addition, allergies can develop many years later. In such a case you would have to wait years for the results of an allergy test. That is not realistic.”
Before you run to the Tattoopoli, it is good to know the difference between an allergy and an infection. The two have a number of similar symptoms, such as itching and pain. “An infection develops within one to two weeks. In that case you mainly suffer from scabs, pain, wounds and pus. An allergic reaction takes a little longer and mainly causes swelling.”
Pay attention
It is impossible to predict whether you will ever become allergic to the ink in your tattoo, but you can take precautions to avoid infection. “Go to an artist who has a certificate from the GGD and works according to the hygiene guidelines. This reduces the chance of infections. You have to consider that the skin is punctured 1,000 to 3,000 times per minute during tattooing. If the ink is not hygienic, it increases the risk of infection.” Sebastiaan also sees that people with certain skin diseases are more likely to suffer from their tattoos. “Psoriasis can cause the skin to flare up at the tattoo site.”
The interesting thing is that at the Tattoopoli they look beyond the skin. “Sometimes we find a system disease, which causes other underlying problems. People come to us from all over the country. They sometimes have to drive a bit for it, but are often ready after one day. We take a serious look at the problem so that we can provide proper explanation and care.”
If you want to know more about a tattoo ink allergy or if you have other tattoo-related questions, you can visit the website of the Tattoopoli: www.tattoopoli.nl.
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