During the first week or so, stay away from hot or chlorinated water. This means that you don’t want to hop in the hot tub or swim in a pool right after being tattooed.
Avoid the sun for the first couple of weeks with a tattoo or simply make sure the area is covered and not exposed to sunlight. After the site is healed, the tattoo can tolerate some sun, but it’s a good idea to use sunscreen. The sun can fade the tattoo.
Possible Problems with Tattoos
Infections – If you are not vigilant in the care of the tattoo area (and sometimes even if you are), you may experience an infection. You do need to see a doctor. He or she may offer ointments or prescribe a series of antibiotics.
Allergic Reactions – Though it’s unusal for patients to react to pigments in the tattoo ink, this can occur. As more colors are added with different pigment components, chances for reactions increase. It’s also possible to develop allergies to tattoos after many years, so if the tattooed area is looking or feeling odd, visit a doctor.
Granulomas – If you see raised knots around the tattoo, then you may be developing granulomas. These are unsightly nodules but can be removed. Some ear piercings also develop the same type of knots. Fortunately, these conditions are rather rare.
Tattoo Removal
Though most people get a tattoo thinking that they will be forever happy with the body art, that is not the case. Estimates are that approximately half of all tattoos will be reworked or removed at some point.
Reworking a tattoo is easier and much less expensive than having one removed. If you put a name on your arm or selected a pattern that not longer suits, you may have the patterned covered and redesigned to give a different look.
Tattoo removal is costly and rather painful. It often takes several sessions to totally remove a tattoo, and most removals leave some level of scaring. Removal techniques are improving, but the costs are going up. Expect to pay at least $1000 to have a typical tattoo removed.