Tattoo infection: a complication to avoid
Did your tattoo get infected? Maybe you didn't take care of it properly or the tools used by the tattoo artist weren't perfectly clean. The only solution is to go to the dermatologist and get him to prescribe the right medications to clear the infection away. In short, the tattoo infection is one of the very annoying things that could happen to ruin your day but it is not the only one. Watch the video and discover all the others!
Various tattoo techniques: from ritual to trendy fashion
There are three techniques most used to make tattoos: the Samoan method, the Japanese one and the American one. A very old technique is the Thai one, today a little less widespread. The Samoan technique is the most painful and is not practiced in Italy. The operator uses a kind of comb made of bones and shells with many needles, up to 20, tied to a wooden handle. Then with a stick he hammers the "comb", immersed in a pigment made with vegetable ash mixed with water and oil, to penetrate the skin. The operation has the character of a rite performed to the sound of songs and drums; often some collaborators help the tattoo artist, keeping the skin on which he has to work tightly stretched. The Japanese method, called Tebori, is less violent, but quite painful. The tattoo artist uses bamboo tools, to which needles are attached that penetrate the skin obliquely. With just one hand, the operator stretches the area to be tattooed and keeps a brush soaked in dye, with the other he inserts needles into the brush with which he penetrates the skin.
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By hand or with an electric machine
Black ink in many Japanese tattoo shops is still applied manually, although electric tattoo machines are already widespread. Undoubtedly the one done by hand, the irezumi, is unique and no non-manual tool can hold its own. The American method, thanks to an electric machine with needles, does not cause pain. At most, the customer may experience an annoying, slightly irritating sensation. Precisely because of this absence of pain, this method is the most widespread also in Europe. In the most ancient and traditional cultures, the tattoo had value instead precisely because it was associated with the endurance of suffering. The electric machine we mentioned looks a bit like a gun. The principle of its operation, which makes the needle move through electromagnetic coils, is the work of Edison, although it was only later used to inject ink under the skin by O 'Reilly.
The magic tattoo or SakYant belongs to the Thai method, related to Buddhism. The themes are religious and were carried out by Buddhist monks also on themselves. They used a pointed rod soaked in pigment slid through a brass tube, giving life to designs pierced by various points one behind the other, not by a continuous line.
Tattoo infection: use proper precautions
The colored pigment goes into the dermis, the second layer of the skin, and the tattoo can be seen through the first layer, that is, the epidermis. The tattoo remains fixed forever in a person's body, precisely because the cells of the second layer are much more stable than those of the first. Over time it can only discolour a little. Immediately after getting the tattoo, you will experience a normal painful sensation in the area. However, care must be taken not to confuse it with an onset of infection. If the environment in which the tattoo was performed was not perfectly sterilized and so were the tools used and if the operator is not professionally qualified and has not complied with all the hygiene rules envisaged for this practice, in this case there can always be a risk of an infection. Also, if you choose to get a tattoo, you will have to faithfully follow the instructions for perfect care of the work, in order not to run the risk of complications.
Symptoms of a tattoo infection
By catching the first symptoms of a tattoo infection, you can quickly run for cover and avoid major complications. First of all, before undergoing a tattoo it is good to do the Patch Test, to check if and which allergies you suffer from.If a tattoo in the first week in which it was practiced, is not treated adequately and protected from any inflammation, it can be seriously damaged and, even more serious, can also quickly lead to a serious infection. If there is an infection in progress, you will notice inflammation and swelling on a part of the tattoo or on the entire tattooed surface. The outline of the drawing usually turns red, the colors are no longer bright and tend to become dull, the part begins to swell and ache. If you see pus or increased swelling in the tattooed area, you should first contact your tattoo artist to have them examine the status of the tattoo. Another symptom of infection is a fever. After a tattoo, the temperature should be checked often, because, if there is any, fever is not a symptom to be underestimated and it is good to consult a specialist, who will probably prescribe an oral antibiotic. For less relevant infections, which at most can cause mild pain, itching and swelling for a few days, local drugs are used, applied only on the infected part, which do not act systemically and have fewer unwanted side effects. Complications may concern skin or systemic infections, allergic reactions, various types of dermatitis. Obviously, those with a deficient immune system are more prone to both allergies and infections. Furthermore, it must be considered that the practice of tattooing itself weakens the protection of the skin, making it more vulnerable to dermatitis and various infections. In the event that the instruments have not been properly sterilized or disposable needles have not been used, the risk of contracting infections becomes very high. During their work, the tattoo artist should wear sterile disposable gloves, wash themselves with an antiseptic cleanser and use sterile swabs.
Tattoo infection and bacterial or viral pathogens
Symptoms also depend a lot on the responsible microorganism and the degree of infection. In addition to swelling, pain and redness, blistering, itching, fever, pus discharge, pain in muscles and joints, nausea and vomiting, and widespread malaise can also occur. Another type of infection is impetigo, which involves blisters filled with yellowish brown fluid. It is an infection that mainly affects children for other causes. When the blisters rupture, a liquid leaks out which then forms scabs. It brings itching, sometimes fever and a feeling of being unwell. Bacteria or viral pathogens can cause tattoo infections. The most affected in this type of infections are Staphylococcus aureus and non-tuberculous mycobacteria usually linked to the use of contaminated inks or non-sterile water. Viral viruses involve the hepatitis B and C virus, HIV, herpes simplex and others and the primary cause is usually the use of non-sterilized instruments. In the case of allergic reactions, antihistamines can be taken. If you believe it is a more serious infection, bacterial or viral, to identify the type of pathogen.
Latest recommendations for tattoo infections
Always wash the tattoo area with soap, after carefully sterilizing your hands. A lack of hygiene especially in the first few days after having the tattoo can lead to complications. Remove the film left by the tattoo artist on the tattooed area, pay attention to its cleanliness, always keep it dry, apply moisturizers to avoid itching. Do not hesitate to consult the dermatologist, if clear symptoms of infection appear. Complications can occur, even with contaminated inks and dyes or causing you allergic reactions. Some are allergic to molecules, the haptens, found mainly in red, blue and green inks. Antihistamines reduce the manifestations of non-serious allergic reactions, such as a rash and red wheals around the tattooed area. The stress suffered by the skin, when the needle pierces the skin several times, weakens it. The needles create small lesions, convenient holes for bacteria. The healing takes about ten days, but do not consider the tattoo completely healed for fifteen days. A large tattoo increases the chance of getting infected. Avoid getting too much in the sun or getting tanning beds; avoid getting wet in the sea or in the pool for at least a month and a half (the water in swimming pools and shared showers above all could expose you to attack by microorganisms). When you go to sleep, wear socks and gloves to avoid the risk of scratching your tattoos, scratching yourself. Contact with air can accelerate healing, as long as you are in a clean place; never rub the tattoo, use only neutral soap; pay attention to dust and animal hair. Those with diseases that can be transmitted through blood should not undergo tattoos, they should not get tattoos also so as not to infect others.
Tattoos in history
In the Roman civilization, tattoos, called stigma, were practiced. They were practiced only on slaves, criminals and gladiators. Then they also began to tattoo the warriors of the army as a symbol to identify them and to recognize them in case they became deserters and the same happened also for the slaves so that they did not try to escape. The tattoo was a sign of discrimination for small groups, such as the Thracians, who got showy tattoos. The nobles wore no tattoos, even if it is said that the ferocious and insane Caligula punished to brand them with infamy even important characters and the high nobility to humiliate them. Emperor Constantine forbade the tattoo on the face, created in the image and likeness of the Lord, of fighting slaves such as gladiators or workers in the mines, allowing it only on the lower and upper limbs. The Church with Pope Adrian I, in the eighteenth century banned all types of tattoos, considering them connected to superstition and paganism.
