When you plan for getting inked, tattoo infections is certainly not among the things to consider. But just imagine that after getting your dream tattoo you end up with infected skin. Don’t fret over this!

Having a very real possibility, this is something which calls for your attention. So whether you've already got tattooed, or are just thinking for it, you need to be aware of the problems which might arise. Among all the things to learn, the first and foremost one is to- how to know it is infected or not?

How to Spot an Infected Tattoo?

If your find a rash or red, bumpy skin around the freshly made tattoo, it indicated toward something not going right. While in some cases, the skin can become irritated due to the needle, but there are chances that your body is rejecting the new ink. Usually, it can take few days for such symptoms to appear.

Here is list if signs which you must not overlook:

• Pus coming out of your skin
• Red lesions around the tattooed area
• Areas of hard, raised tissue
• Fever
• Feeling waves of heat and cold
• Swelling around the inked surface
• Abnormal shivering

Once you have spotted any of these, get started with the treatment to avoid further complications.

How to Treat Infected Tattoos?

Here are some useful steps to follow to heal your infected skin along with medical assistance.

Cleaning Wound: Even if this seems to be disturbing, you cannot miss on it. Being necessary to impede the growth of infection, you are required clean your skin at least three times in a day. After cleaning, ensure to dry the infected skin using a clean paper towel.

Keep Away From Sun: The harmful UV rays have nothing good for your skin. In the same queue, you must avoid exposure to the sun after getting tattooed. A fresh ink is more vulnerable to ultraviolet rays and can be prone to burning. Keep it covered and protected. If you have already spotted an infection, make sure you don’t expose it to the sunlight at all. After it is in perfect shape, you must apply sunscreen on daily basis. Don’t choose tanning lotion or some other chemical filled product, especially during the recovery process.

Resist Scratching: Your tattoo can get itchy even if it is not infected. It is due to the natural healing process. But scratching the same can lead to infection. Hence, it is essential to resist that urge to scratch. For this, it is recommended using an over-the-counter topical anesthetic like NumbSkin cream. The same has been used before getting a tattoo to make it painless. And now you can use it later to get relief from intense itching. Of course, it prevents scratching and infection.

Let It Breathe: Though it is advised to keep away from flaunting your new design initially, yet you must expose your wound to some fresh air. This has to be done on a daily basis. It is important for the injury to receive plenty of oxygen to let speed up the recovery process.

Try Ice Therapy: This will help soothe itchy and swollen skin. Plus, it will act as a therapy to minimize minor redness. In this case, you need to be little more careful and be vigilant while placing ice to the wounds. Direct application might not be great idea. So just wrap an ice cube in a damp cloth and use the same to dab the affected area.

So, tattoo infections do occur. This guide was to help and educate people about the risks of infected tattoos, how to identify, and treat them. Share it with your friends.