Start here · Essential guide
Allergies and Skin Reactions to Body Art: An Overview
A plain-language overview of the main kinds of skin reactions to tattoos and piercings, why they deserve attention, and when to involve a doctor.
Safety and Care
Allergies and Reactions
Skin sensitivities, allergies and when to see a doctor.
Contact Dermatitis Around Piercings
How irritant and allergic contact dermatitis differ around pierced skin, what they tend to look like, and why a doctor is the right person to sort them out.
Fainting, Anxiety and Needle Fear
Why some people feel faint or anxious around needles, what is happening in the body, and calm, practical ways to prepare and to speak up before body art.
Medications, Blood Thinners and Body Art
Why prescription and over-the-counter medicines can affect bleeding, healing and infection risk with tattoos and piercings, and why to ask your doctor first.
Nickel Sensitivity and Body Jewelry
What nickel allergy is, why it shows up with jewelry and piercings, how material choice can matter, and why a doctor can help confirm the cause.
Patch Testing and Allergy Questions for a Doctor
What patch testing is, how it works in general terms, when a doctor might arrange it after a tattoo or piercing reaction, and what to ask at the visit.
Pigment Reactions in Tattooed Skin
A general explanation of how skin can react to tattoo pigment, including early and late reactions, why they are hard to diagnose, and when to see a doctor.
Sensitive Skin, Eczema and Psoriasis
How sensitive skin, eczema and psoriasis can affect decisions about tattoos and piercings, what questions to raise, and why a doctor's input comes first.
Related topics