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Tattoos And The Prevention Of Infection

By: Mike Wamoult

A tattoo is essentially a wound when it is still fresh and due to the bruising experienced during the process of getting it, the skin will usually release a fluid that creates droplets on its surface. Minute blood particles would also be present in this fluid and when the fluid dries up they end up looking like tiny black specs on the surface of your tattoo. Now all this usually happens when you do not disturb the tattoo and the bruises. The fluid then dries along the surface together with the particles and tends to forma scab. Over a short period of time the skin would heal but if you interrupt or disturb the process you might end up having to cope with an infected tattoo.

Minimal damage would more or less meet with a rate of healing which is proportional to the amount of moisture that the tattoo is exposed to. A number of healing ointments can be used to promote the needed atmosphere required for the tattoo to heal and these ointments include: Bacitracin Zinc, A & D Ointment and Petroleum. Petroleum found in all these products tends to mean that air or water will not penetrate the skin surface, what this then results in is the best healing situation.

When your tattoo is completed there is no oozing and the surface of the skin is more or less dry, when a petroleum product is applied then droplets of fluid will start to appear due to the fact that the body is producing exudates. Exudates are required in order to create an atmosphere that tends to promote rapid healing of wounds. A wound that is maintained in a moist environment with exudates tend to have a lesser rate of infection than a wound which is dry.

Initially it was believed that petroleum would cause the ink to leave the skin but it is now known that is not true. The constant application of antibacterial is not necessary to avoid infection. Antibacterial products actually interfere with the wound healing process. Ointment applying and plastic wrapping for the shower or sleeping for a few days will help protect the tattoo under adverse conditions.

Sometimes for various reasons a tattoo will become infected. If any of the following symptoms are present after having a tattoo it is possible that yours is infected and you are going to have to heal an infected tattoo. Increased pain, swelling, redness, heat, or tenderness around the tattoo, red streaks extending from the area, pus coming from the wound, swollen or tender lymph nodes, or fever are all indications that an infection has occurred.

Infection usually starts at the tattoo and the usually clear or clear-yellow fluid which tends to drain from an infected tattoo may change to creamy yellow, brown, or red or look or start to smell like pus. It is also possible for infection to occur deep inside the wound without any signs on the surface. However pain and swelling may develop and this will be a definite sign that you have to heal the infected tattoo.

In certain other cases, the skin over a tattoo could heal but an infection could still reside in the depths of the wound thereby creating more serious situations such as an abscess. Neglecting to take care of this abscess properly may result in it becoming septic and infecting the whole body.

Antibiotics are usually needed to heal an infected tattoo but a doctor might also recommend blood tests as well and suggest that the infected tattoo be kept as dry as possible. Water tends to affect healing tattoos adversely.

Article Source: http://www.articlemanual.com

About The Author: Get your tattoo without risk and pain with our Tattoo Report. I reveal all the tattoo aftercare tips you need for your new tattoo. Go to www.tattooyork.com right now before we wise up and decide not to reveal these tattoo tips.



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