Getting a fever after a tattoo might seem a little scary to you, and might want to stop you from getting one done. But you need not worry as it is completely normal for a newbie.
Getting inked can be a complex process such as designing, placing tattoos, the tattoo procedure, and the following tattoo aftercare.
Aftercare does not involve only taking care of the tattooed region of your body. The trauma caused in your body can also affect your body and make you sick.
Your immune system has to be strong enough to combat anything to protect your body and it can be done by using tattoos as weapons.
We’ll provide you with some of the important things you should know regarding the fever after a tattoo, how to handle it, and much more. Ensure you read till the end.
Is it normal to have a fever after getting a tattoo?
After getting a new tattoo it is normal for you to catch tattoo flu or feel feverish particularly if it is your first tattoo.
However, it is not necessarily a sign of a virus or any serious infections on your fresh tattoo.
Indeed you might experience a bad skin reaction from the tattoo ink injected into your body to create a tattoo, the flu is more common for persons who are just creating their first tattoo or just getting a new tattoo on another part of their body.
One of the major reasons for feeling sick after your tattoo appointment is that your immune system is working to repair your skin.
Tattooing often leads to a lot of trauma in the skin and can cause a lot of stress on your body and brain before getting one, particularly when it has to do with the pain factor.
The stress and trauma that are associated with tattooing can weaken your immune system. It takes time before your immune system gets back to normal and fights any other possible viruses in you.
The feeling of sickness becomes even more evident for you when you already have a weak immune system. However, that doesn’t mean you will keep experiencing the flu symptoms after every tattoo.
Once your body starts adjusting to the tattooing process, you’re less likely to catch the flu or feel sick after you go in for another tattoo appointment.
How Long Does A Tattoo Flu Last After Getting Your Tattoo?
The tattoo fever or tattoo flu as it’s fondly called by some individuals may last for a few days once your body starts the healing process.
Although the open wound can take up to 2 months to heal fully, however, a tattoo flu should not exceed 2 weeks.
Note that if you find out that the fever or tattoo flu symptoms persist after a few days to a week and there is still no improvement in the healing tattoo process, you should consider booking a tattoo appointment and seek professional advice from a reputable tattoo artist to prevent infections from occurring around the tattooed region.
It is also very vital that you should seek professional advice from either a healthcare practitioner or a qualified medical practitioner.
When is Fever From a Tattoo Unusual?
If you discover that your fever is taking longer than usual, maybe it’s already been more than 2 weeks, then you should be concerned, as this might be a result of your immune system’s battling an infection brought on by your tattoo.
These infections might be a result of :
- Unclean tattoo studios or tools
- An ink that contains toxic materials
- Inadequate follow-up procedures
Everything You Need to Know About Tattoo Flu
A mild fever (around 100°F or 37.8°C) for a day or two after getting a tattoo is possible, but it’s not necessarily normal. It can be a sign of your body’s immune system responding to the injury of the tattoo needles and working to heal the area. This is sometimes referred to as “tattoo flu.”
However, a higher fever, especially if it’s accompanied by other symptoms, could be a sign of an infection. Here are the causes, symptoms, and remedies for tattoo flu:
Causes of Tattoo Flu
Several needles are frequently used throughout the tattooing process, and they are put continually into the skin.
This will lead to the creation of trauma, and stress on the body as well as the individual’s brain.
Your body was designed to respond to any form of stress and trauma by healing itself and battling against it, so how it responds and begins to handle this is important.
The outcome of this reaction can end up occurring in several ways, and one of these ways might be a fever.
This is why the bulk of people who get a fever after getting a tattoo are sometimes referred to as having “tattoo flu.”
However, you should not brood about it too much as it is just a normal reaction from your body.
Tattoo Flu — Symptoms
Some of the tattoo flu symptoms listed below can be mild and vanish within a few days after the visit to the tattoo parlor.
However, they should not be taken lightly as they can constitute medical problems for you when they are fully infected, most especially any form of tattoo-associated skin reaction.
The common symptoms of tattoo flu you might notice once tattooing is fully done by your tattoo artist include swelling, unusual trembling, sweating, chills, inflamed skin, redness, discomfort, and fever.
Most times they are often caused by the presence of rash and the intense swelling of the open wound.
How can you handle tattoo flu?
If the symptoms continue after a few more days and seem to worsen, the next thing to do is seek medical attention to get treatments and get rid of any kind of infection, fever, and illness.
Ensure that you securely process the healing of your tattoo by following the tips below.
Don’t stay dehydrated, ensure you take in a lot of water. It also hastens the fast cure of your tattoo.
Eat a proper meal before visiting any tattoo parlors as you will need your strength to endure the long sitting hours while you get an injection of ink on your skin.
Can you get sick from getting tattoos?
Yes, you can.
This can occur from an allergic reaction to the tattoo needles after sitting for a long session of getting tattoo ink on your body.
It’s pretty normal for you to feel sick and more pain after you get a tattoo procedure done for at least more than a day
Due to the pain and trauma often complained about even by those who have relevant experience in the field of getting a tattoo in multiple states.
If you are just getting a new tattoo for the first time, we recommend that you discuss it with your tattoo artists so they can give you an orientation such as the aftercare routine, how to drink plenty of water, and other known conditions that are related to tattoo.
We know you might be full of anxiety and get scared of the risk of getting a skin infection however it can still be done and watch as your tattoo heals totally.
Any sickness associated with the skin sample as a result of getting a tattoo done requires seeking medical help
Examples of such infections include blood diseases, soft tissue infections, and white blood cell deficiency.
FAQs — Tattoo Flu
Why do I feel sick after a tattoo?
You feel sick because your immune system is doing all the hard work in fighting all sorts of infections or even more aggressive infections that would have occurred while the tattoo gets ready to start healing. The white blood cells were intended to help avoid any health circumstances or sickness from happening.
Can you get sick from getting a new tattoo?
Yes, you can. Especially if it’s your first time getting a tattoo from a tattoo artist. However, it also depends on the individual’s body and how they can adjust to the tattooing process.
I have had surgery before, can I still get the flu?
In rare cases where the individual has undergone surgery, it is very important for the person not to skip medications such as antibiotics and others recommended by his doctor. Note that it is a permanent scar so extreme caution should be taken so as not to open the wound again when getting that part of your skin in ink.
There might be reactions such as itching, faint rash, and high fever in some severe cases of tattoo flu.
How do I know If my tattoo is infected?
The most obvious indication of your tattoo being infected is seeing pus pouring from the tattoo location.
So it is advisable that once you perceive something of such, you reach out to your medical practitioner for assistance and guidance.
Conclusion
It’s a normal thing for you to get a fever after your tattoo is inked on your body, but what matters is how you react to it and also ensuring you follow the aftercare service.
You can also get help from an experienced tattoo artist or any wellness professional to assist in keeping your tattoos safe.
