All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors.
However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through links in this article.
Healed tattoos, even ones that are years old, can feel itchy seemingly out of nowhere.
Getty Images
But none of mytattoosare exempt from the itch.
Why do my tattoos itch?
That’s just one of the reasons tattoos can cause perpetually itchy skin.
“This helps to explain why scars and areas of skin injury in general become itchy.”
“Tattoos are a break in the skin barrier,” Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologistMona Gohara, MD, says.
Can you be allergic to tattoo ink?
As Dr. Palm points out, an allergy to certain inks is another common reason for itchy tattoos.
An ink allergy is usually characterized by itchiness and a few other things.
Keloid scars are handled a little differently.
“The tattoo will flatten and become less symptomatic, but several treatment sessions may be necessary.”
In short: Tattoos are going to cause a skin reaction, whether they’re old or new.
That’s just a fact of life.
