Types and Symptoms of Tattoo Infections
There are various types of tattoo infections but the major ones are:
- Bacterial infections: sepsis [1], erysipelas [2] and cellulitis [3] are caused by the presence of bacteria either in the instruments used for the body modification or if the tattoo is left open to these germs and these infections can be life-threatening.
- Superficial infections: this type only affects the outer layer of the skin, such as impetigo.
- Viral infections: There are some types of infections from viruses including herpes simplex virus [4], rubella, human immunodeficiency virus [5], human papillomavirus, etc.
To know when a tattoo is infected, there are signs and symptoms to take note of, such as:
- Swelling and pains of the tattooed area.
- Warmth or hotness around the area.
- Chills and fever.
- Redness or rash around the infected tattoo.
- Pus coming out of the tattoo.
- Abnormal shivering.
- Purulent drainage.