Many tattooed people face infections and pimples on tattoos while it’s healing, and there needs to be a proper discussion on this issue in the tattooing community. As the years pass, tattoos are becoming popular among people from all walks of life. They reflect your personality. But their healing process is time-consuming and requires proper care. Even after complete care, you may run into trouble and get pimples on a tattoo. Moreover, the proper guidance for how you can get rid of tattoo pimples and their prevention are also mentioned below.  

Generally, pimples on a tattoo are a nuisance, but it is normal, just like how you get pimples on other body parts. They can appear anytime, whether your tattoo is old or new. However, fresh tattoos are more vulnerable to infections than old ones.

How To Treat Pimple On Tattoos Completely:

If you want to treat pimples on tattoos completely, the hands-down best solution is to visit a dermatologist. Once you visit the doctor and discuss your problem in detail, they will advise you on an applicable routine and aftercare plan. If you keep following the guidelines given by the medical doctor, you will see the most effective and significant treatment for acne over tattoos. 

However, there are some fundamental protocols and guidelines on how to treat pimple on tattoos:

• We all strongly desire to touch the itching skin, but it’s not a good idea. Especially when you have pimples on a healing tattoo, you must avoid touching your skin with untidy hands or objects. This would allow the skin to heal in the natural order without any forced itching or skin rupture due to touching the tattoo with the hands frequently. 
• Dermatologists advise a few gentle and easy-on-healing skin cleansing products. You should opt for those gentle cleaning solutions for acne over tattoos and avoid using anything harsh, toxic, or chemically active. This would ensure that you don’t go through unnecessary pain and suffering while cleaning your tattoo, and the healing is also easier. 
• While the tattoos with pimples are healing, some people make the mistake of using tattoo ointments and balms on the skin. According to most dermatologists, when there is acne on a tattoo, the first goal should be the healthy recovery of the skin, not the vibrancy or colors of your tattoo design. So, use the prescribed antibiotic cream on tattooed skin as advised by the tattooing expert. There’s always the option to revisit the tattoo artist after the acne heals for color retouching. But if acne infection increases, it will not only destroy your tattoo idea and design but also cause significant damage to your skin and overall health. 

Meaning Of Tattoo Pimples

When a newly inked tattoo is exposed to damp and unhygienic conditions, infection, inflammation, and allergic reaction start forming in the tattooed skin region. Eventually, pimples and swollen skin start to appear on the inked skin. This phenomenon is called tattoo pimples.
There can be multiple reasons for the tattoo to develop pimples. Overusing aftercare, the underside of cleansing products, harsh and untidy environmental conditions, and a person’s weak immune system can also lead to tattoo blisters or pimples.

Tattooing On Acne:

The most frequently asked question among the tattooing community is, “Can you tattoo over acne scars?”. Some people try to avoid reasoning and give a one-word statement, which is not helpful for general people. The factual information is that tattooing on acne is not impossible, but there are many complications and details you should know about. So, once you have all the information regarding acne and tattoos, you can easily decide which way you would carry on. 

Following are a few very important points regarding tattooing on acne:

• It’s the professional ethics of tattoo artist to inform their client about the possible risks, challenges, and complications that can occur once they get a tattoo over pimples. Once you are fully informed via a tattooing expert, you can further discuss it with your loved ones or other reliable sources to make the final decision. 
• The most common risk and complication with tattoo on pimples is that it usually leads to infection. The basic reason for acne is infection under the epidermal skin layers. So, needling tattoo ink into the infected skin makes it more sensitive to infection and health risks. 
• Moreover, the tattoos on acne can delay the healing time and cause additional pain and suffering to you. The pus or infected skin tissues and blood vessels already cause enough pain and inflammation. Now, combine that with the healing pain of tattoos, which is usually unbreakable and irritating for most people. 
• The best way is to ask your dermatologist and tattoo expert, “Can you tattoo over acne scars?”. Once they have allowed you, then you should proceed or else wait for the acne-prone infection to end on the skin. 
• Even if you are persistent enough to get a tattoo on pimple skin, then at least make sure to follow the aftercare advice given to you by your doctor or professional tattoo artist. Following their advice would reduce the chance of major infection and help you achieve more successful results once the tattoo heals. 

Why is My Tattoo Raised and Fix 

Another related question is why is my tattoo raised. According to most tattoo experts, if you have a raised tattoo, there are several reasons. Mostly a raised tattoo is divided into two main categories. Fiesta is a healing tattoo; these are usually swollen and raised. Other ones are old and already healed tattoos; they are rarely raised. 

Any unfortunate situation, injury, or infection can cause swelling on your skin, leading to a raised tattoo. Each type of raised tattoo demands a separate healing procedure. If your raised tattoo is healing and new, let it run naturally. Keep the skin cleansed; it will flatten and seem normal after healing. If your tattoo is old and yet raised, you should immediately consult a tattoo artist or medical expert. They would properly analyze and let you know what’s the reason for inflammation. Then you can use related aftercare products to heal it. 

Best Treatment of Pimples on Tattoo

We have talked a lot about the pimples on tattoos, why they are caused, and how we can prevent them. But there is still a specific question unanswered; what is the best treatment for a pimple on a tattoo? But don’t worry; we also researched and found the answer for two different healing levels. Yes, you heard it right; there are different treatments for tattoo pimples based on the healing phase of the skin.

Fresh and Healing Tattoo:

1. If your tattoo is fairly new and still healing, you should mainly avoid using harsh chemicals on the skin to prevent acne on tattoos.
2. Chemicals like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid should be avoided because they dry the tattooed skin abnormally. That does more damage than benefit and slows down the healing process.
3. Instead of using harsh chemicals, you can use clean water at a lukewarm temperature with an antibacterial soap.
4. Remember to softly tap dry the tattoo with acne and use a soft towel to pat the skin.

Healed and Old Tattoo:

1. Older and healed tattoos are not as sensitive as healing fresh tattoos, so there are many more options to tackle acne on old tattoos.
2. You can use an anti-acne cleanser or other products that contain a safe amount of salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
3. Ask a doctor to advise you of suitable acne cream or ointment while tattoo pimples heal.
4. If your medical experts allow you and you don’t have allergies to any of them, you can try aloe vera gel, tea tree oil, essential oil supplement, etc.
5. These natural products would help you keep the skin nourished and moisturized for faster healing of tattoo skin.

What’s Tattoo Bubbling 

Tattoo bubbling is simply a phenomenon in which a healing tattoo has a layer of scab and becomes moist. Keeping your healing tattoo too much into the water during swimming and showering can turn the dry scab into a moist surface leading to tattoo bubbling. But you don’t have to worry as it has a simple solution to fix. 

Cure for Tattoo Bubbling

• If your tattoo is bubbling, you should dry and reduce moisture as fast as you can. Avoid being too harsh, or it might worsen the condition. 
• Once you gently remove extra water from the skin, let it stay in its natural condition. Please avoid using any aftercare product on it for a few days. 
• Once the scab loses its bubbly appearance and returns to its dried-out condition, you can treat it as your tattooing expert prescribes. 

Causes of Tattoo Pimples

Pimples on tattoos may appear due to several reasons. Some of the most common causes of tattoo pimples are discussed here to help you discover the reason for your problem.

Exposure to the sun

Increased exposure to the sun can cause blisters, rashes, and pimples on your tattoo. The incisions made on the skin during tattoo making are not healed properly. Therefore, during bad weather, high exposure to UV rays from the sun may delay the healing process and lead to pimples on the tattoo.

Clogged pores and acne problem

Acne is mostly developed when the sebaceous gland in the skin produces excess sebum. The sebum moisturizes the skin. But when produced in excess amounts, it can trap dirt particles and bacteria and clog the skin pores. Fresh tattoos become highly prone to pimples when interacting with these infectious agents. In addition to that, you can also get pimples on your tattoo if you already have acne issues.

Extreme changes in blood chemistry

Increased adrenaline levels lead to high blood pressure and a change in your body temperature. The internal disturbance in your blood chemistry leads to harmful effects on your external appearance. All these changes in your body disturb the tattoo’s healing process and lead to a pimple breakout.

Excess use of ointments

Our skin requires proper care that can be provided by applying different skin-care products. However, excess use of ointments on tattoos provides a suitable environment for the bacteria to grow on the epidermis. This also leads to inflammation and pimples around and on the tattoo.

Moisture

It is advised to keep the new tattoo dry during the healing process. We all know it is mandatory to moisturize the skin, but if you over-moisturize the tattoo area, it becomes more prone to bacterial infection. This will lead to the tattoo’s discoloration and contribute to acne and pimples.

Immune system

Tattoos can trigger the immune system of your body. The tattoo ink is considered a foreign particle, and the body starts its action against it. This can cause skin irritation, bumps, redness of the skin, and pimples. Moreover, if you get a tattoo in unhygienic conditions, then it can also cause bacterial infection on the tattoo.

Allergic reactions

The ink of the tattoo may cause an allergic reaction in your body. Your skin may be allergic to the components used in ink. This leads to skin inflammation and redness of the skin. Moreover, wearing tight clothes or covering the area with dirty bandages may trigger an allergic reaction. All these factors collectively cause pimples on a tattoo.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Conclusion

Pimples on a tattoo are normal and can easily heal through the body’s natural defense system. Do not let the pimples or blemishes destroy your tattoo, making it patchy and faded. However, if you efficiently follow the aftercare, the chances of getting pimples are near zero. But if you do not take proper precautionary measures, you must face this problem. Anyhow, if you get pimples, use proper methods to get rid of pimples on the tattoo.

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