Almost all individuals admitted feeling the urge to scratch their tattoo.

Tattoos are most prone to itchiness when fresh, but, this can occur at any stage of the recovery process.

No matter what the reason, one must never touch their tattoo, let alone scratch their tattoo – especially in case it has not healed completely. No one wants damaging the overall appearance of the tattoo along with the surrounding skin, right?

The following write-up specifies the major causes of itchy tattoos, and a few effective ways to treat them. Please check it out right now.

Causes

• Normal Healing

A tattoo is a wound. After all thousands of needles insert the skin repeatedly to form a tattoo. It is natural for the skin to swell, to work on keeping infections at bay, and to repair itself. When the skin tissues start overcoming trauma, they experience itchiness.

• Allergy to Pigment

The experts offering tattoo Surfers Paradise said some people are allergic to the pigments used in the tattoo ink. They have immense itching along with bumps and redness. It is hence necessary to conduct a patch test beforehand. The tattoo pigments usually are made from plastic dyes that not everyone can tolerate.

• Ink Contamination

It is possible to experience itchiness when the ink used for tattooing is contaminated. People are at risk even when the ink bottle is declared sterile by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration). So a patch test is mandatory.

• Infection

Tattoos expose deep-seated layers of the skin – epidermis and dermis. During the first couple of weeks, they are most vulnerable and may get infected if not taken care of. If a tattooed skin does become infected, one will have itchiness along with redness, pus discharge, chills, fever, etc.

• Pre-existing Skin Disorder

If a person has a pre-existing skin disorder such as psoriasis or eczema, he/she is unfortunately not the ideal candidate for tattooing. It is possible to have a flare-up for the first time after getting inked.  Beware of red itchy patches!

Treatments

• Cool Compresses

Cool compresses have acquired widespread popularity probably because it can soothe itching and reduce swelling without any side-effect. Still ask a doctor before applying compresses on new tattoos.

• Moisturise

If the tattooed skin is both itchy and dry, it may just need moisturising. For old tattoos, invest in a thicker lotion preferably having cocoa butter. Stay away from products that have artificial colours and scents.

For the new tattoos, ask the artist about how to keep them moisturised. The medicated ointments are great since they have no caustic chemicals. Some people also slather aloe vera gel, coconut oil, and other essential oils.

• Draw Out Ink

If the ink is the sole cause of itchiness, there is no other option than drawing the ink out. Laser removal involves inflicting tiny pulses of intense laser beam on the skin to break down the ink particles.

As evident from the aforementioned discussion, itchy tattoos can have multiple causes, but thankfully almost all of them are curable. The top Gold Coast tattoo artists said meeting doctor is necessary if one suspects infection.

Itchiness is a common reaction but do not neglect if it is accompanied by abnormal shivers, fever, waves of cold and heat, intense inflammation, red lesions, pus, and raised hard tissues.