So it's said you can have an allergy to tattoo ink...but can you DEVELOP the allergy after having had one for almost 2 years??

I hadn't ever had much of any issues with my tattoo until recently, two years later. It's been puffing up, so that the tattoo is raised, it gets itchy, it burns, and the ink is starting to look leaky.

I can't figure out what's going on...allergy is the only thing I could imagine, after having had it two years already...

Any ideas?

Hi, it is very common for this to happen,I have 3 tattoos and on occassions the complete outline of the tattoo will rise and get itchy,my are many years old.Part of what happens is that your body chemistry is always changing and at times it sees the ink as a allergin and releases histamines in that area and it will rise up and itch much like hives, also blood pressure changes,to much sun and hot baths/showers can cause it,even cold weather in some,remember it is scar tissue and will be more sensitive than other areas on the body.I talked with several artist and they say it's very common especially in yellow, red and indiago blacks and it depends on how deep the artist went.Use a bit of anti itch ointment cream on it but no the ink is not leaking out it's just part of the histamine effect. Try to recall what you were doing or ate before it happens, usually there will be a connection