Tattooing can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but the process of getting inked can also be very painful.
When your skin is penetrated with needles, it hurts like crazy, which is why getting a new tattoo may cause you to feel extreme discomfort and pain.
Even if you have received excellent care from your tattoo artist, not everything they did will have led to a perfect result.
That’s because there are many things that can happen when your body reacts strongly to a new stimulus.
This article covers everything from common causes of swelling after getting a tattoo, how to reduce the appearance of swelling once it has occurred, and useful home remedies for reducing the pain and itchiness that accompany swelling in a new location.
How long does tattoo swelling last
Swelling after a tattoo can last anywhere from a few days to a week or more.
If your artist applied a preservative solution to the area, the swelling can last up to a month or longer.
However, if you have received good care from your artist and taken proper care of your newly inked skin, most swelling should dissipate within two weeks.
A few factors that contribute to how long it will take your tattoo to heal are how deeply the ink is placed, previous health conditions, and the type of ink used in the tattoo.
Normal tattoo swelling
Some of the factors that can contribute to tattoo swelling include the following:
· Patches created by bleeding or leaking ink.
· Scar tissue.
· Redness, irritation, and crusting caused by allergic reactions to the chemicals used in a tattoo studio.
· Scars from previous tattoos
· Increased water retention caused by a new location on the body that is more susceptible to running,
such as on your face or scalp.
Swelling after tattoo on leg
Swelling is one of the most common reasons for people to feel pain and discomfort after getting tattooed on their legs.
In fact, according to a study from the University of Amsterdam, two-thirds of people who get tattooed experience swelling as a result of the tattoo process.
When your skin is penetrated with needles, it hurts like crazy, which leads to significant swelling in the area where you were getting inked. The swelling can be caused by different things, including:
– Infection
– Blood clots
– Changes in blood flow due to stretching and pressure applied to your skin during the tattoo process
– Scar tissue formation
– Redness and inflammation
If any of these are happening, they can lead to swelling after a new tattoo. Luckily, there are many ways
you can reduce the appearance of this type of swelling (and even eliminate it altogether) without having to visit a doctor or use prescription drugs or creams.
Swelling after tattoo on arm
One of the most common reasons your new tattoo on your arm will cause you to feel swollen is because of how it was applied.
When an artist applies a tattoo, they use sterile needles and ink that won’t cause allergic reactions.
But there is still a chance that the needle can get stuck or come too close to a blood vessel, which could lead to swelling.
In addition, some people are just more sensitive than others when receiving a new tattoo.
Another reason for swelling after getting a new tattoo is natural body processes like blood flow and wound healing.
Blood flow can cause raised red lines on your skin from where the needle penetrated your skin.
This redness and irritation from blood flow generally subside in 2-3 days if nothing else causes it to persist.
If this process does not resolve itself, speak with your doctor about what steps you should take next for treating the issue.
Tattoo swelling forearm
The most common swelling after getting a tattoo is on the forearm.
This is because the area between the elbow and wrist is close to blood vessels, which increases the risk of developing complications.
Other areas that are prone to swellings include the lower leg, foot, hand, and neck.
When it comes to reducing tattoo swelling on your forearm, take care of yourself by staying hydrated and avoiding new stimuli in that area.
In some cases, hydration may be enough for you to prevent swelling from occurring altogether.
But if you’re experiencing extreme discomfort or pain with your tattoo, be sure to visit your local doctor for treatment options.
For those who want more than just hydration as an option for reducing their tattoo swelling, there are many home remedies that can reduce pain and itchiness from a new stimulus.
Some home remedies include applying honey or aloe vera gel directly to a spot where you are having pain or itching as well as using rice water packs to help moisturize dry skin in that same location.
