How Can You Tell If a Tattoo Is Infected? (2025)

A tattoo infection occurs when a person gets a tattoo, and it becomes infected due to small wounds on the skin. Although proper sterilization and care can reduce the risk of tattoo infection, it still can occur.

Tattoo infections may be mild, but if left untreated, they can become dangerous and lead to serious health consequences.

Signs of an Infection

Post-application swelling, pain, and redness in the tattooed area are completely normal. However, othersymptoms can appearat the site if an infection occurs. You can tell that your tattoo is infected if you experience the following:

• Pus coming from the area
• Shallow ulcers or a scaly rash on the skin
• Raised bumps on the skin that can present with or without pus
• Excessive redness or warmth around the tattoo site
• Pain or swelling that worsens in the area
• Painful, hot skin that drains a gray liquid, which can be a sign of tissue death in the area

In addition to localized signs of infection, systemic signs of infection can occur, such as:

• Fever
• Chills
• Sweats
• Shaking

Tattoo Infection Causes

A tattoo infection can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or another pathogen that gets into the small wounds made by a tattoo gun. There are several ways that this can happen, including:

• Contaminated needles or ink
• Not cleaning the wound properly after you get the tattoo
• Poor hygienic practices at the tattoo parlor

Tattoo Infection Stages

When an infection develops after a tattoo, it goes through various stages. While these stages aren’t medically defined, they can help you get a better sense of how the infection will progress over time.

The stages associated with skin infections after a tattoo include:

• Stage 1: A dull pain and tenderness in the area develops.
• Stage 2: Swelling, warmth, and redness occurs.
• Stage 3: The initial symptoms worsen, and redness expands over the span of hours or even days.
• Stage 4: Small papules or bumps begin to form and, in some cases, break open, releasing pus.
• Stage 5: Ulcers and other skin lesions begin to appear and, in some cases, tissue death can occur.
• Stage 6: Fever, chills, sweats, and shaking begin, because the infection has made its way inside the body.

Complications

If the infection goes untreated, several serious and even life-threatening complications can occur, such as:

• A fatal increase in pressure in the abdomen, known as abdominal compartment syndrome
• An infection of the blood
• Inflammation of the inner lining of the valves and chambers in the heart
• A collection of pus in the muscle that moves the hip joint
• Lung tissue death
• Toxic shock syndrome, which occurs when bacterial infections of the blood spread toxins to organs
• Septic shock, which is dangerously low blood pressure caused by the body’s extreme reaction to a present infection

Treatment

Both viruses and bacteria can cause a tattoo infection. Additionally, individuals may react to the dye, which can cause various reactions that require treatment.

While there are aftercare measures you can take to reduce the risk of infection, once an infection has set in, it is best to seek medical care. It is unlikely an infection will clear on its own. Avoid putting anything on an infected tattoo unless instructed by a healthcare professional.

Antibiotics are typically prescribed for bacterial infections. The duration and strength of the antibiotic will highly depend on how far along the infection is and where it is infecting the body. A provider may choose to use oral or IV antibiotics, depending on the severity of the infection.

Other treatments depend on what type of ink was used. Some conditions with red dye are treated differently than with black dye.

For example, topical corticosteroids may be used for a reaction with black dye tattoos. Topical corticosteroids are contraindicated in red dye tattoos and need to be administered systemically instead (e.g., oral or IV).

In some cases, viral infections that a person acquired through tattoos cannot be cured.

Some examples of possible viral infections that can be contracted via tattooing include:

• Herpes simplex virus (HSV)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Rubella (German measles)
• Molluscum contagiosum (viral type of poxvirus)
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Hepatitis B and C

These viral infections cannot be cured but can be managed with medications. Treatment will vary.

Prevention

Preventing a tattoo infection requires practicing good aftercare and choosing the right parlor. If you want to get a tattoo and avoid infection, look for a licensed tattoo artist and a well-reviewed parlor.

Getting to know the tattoo artist and visiting the tattoo parlor before getting the tattoo is a good way to determine whether they are practicing safe tattooing.

That said, even the cleanest and most hygienic tattoo parlors can have unopened ink that contains bacteria or other pathogens. Roughly 10% of new inks will contain bacteria, which is out of the control of the tattoo parlor and artists.

Because of this, proper aftercare is the best way to protect yourself against infection. Proper aftercare involves:

• Always washing your hands prior to touching the tattoo to avoid any transfer of bacteria or other pathogens
• Removing the bandage one to two hours after getting the tattoo
• Using a liquid antibacterial soap to wash the tattoo
• Using paper towels to gently dry the tattoo after washing
• Moisturizing the area with a small amount of scent-free moisturizer one to three times per day for at least two weeks
• Wrapping the tattoo in plastic wrap the first night while sleeping
• Avoiding rough or irritating clothing for the first two weeks following the tattoo

Summary

All tattoos come with a risk of infection because they are open wounds. If an infection does occur, it will likely present with symptoms such as swelling, redness, pain, ulcers or a rash, and possibly fever or chills.

If you notice any signs of infection, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Your provider can examine the area, diagnose the infection, and prescribe treatment, most likely antibiotics.

To prevent a tattoo infection, go to a reputable artist with a clean parlor and follow the after-care instructions carefully.