Heightened sensitivity from tattoo?

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  Dec 30, 2007 7:50 AM GMT

  So, I got my first tattoo in May of this year ('07) as my 18th B-day gift from my father. (He just paid lol) It's about 6 inches tall and about 1 inch wide and runs vertically down my spine in the small of my back. Anyway, it healed normally, never had unusual dryness or anything, just the normal stuff. But now, my back has become REALLY sensitive! Some shirts bug me in ways they've never done so before, my whole back itches sometimes, not just the tattooed area, and even light pressure from a person touching that area seems way different. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this from their tattoos? Do you think it's because of the location of the tattoo?
  
  Thanks guys

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• GQjock
  
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  Dec 30, 2007 12:05 PM GMT

  Sounds like it might be two things that could be going on
  ... first and this would be temporary if this is what it is - you might have herpes zoster commonly called shingles
  it is the same virus as chicken pox but it becomes dormant in the body and comes out along the spinal nerve roots causing sensitivity and itching
  the other thing that it might be is an irritation of a superficial nerve from the tatoo itself
  this is more permanent since nerves are very slow to heal
  either way have your doc take a look

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  Dec 30, 2007 4:24 PM GMT

  Got a tatt myself, about a year old. Sounds like GQjock is administering some good advice on your potential problems. Good luck and be sure and let me see what you got sometime!

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  Dec 30, 2007 4:27 PM GMT

  It may be a host of things. You should not be feeling and residual soreness or itching from getting the tattoo. However, everyone reacts to the inks in different ways. I sometimes get skin irritations on my tattoo. When it do it looks like I am having a small breakout with small pimple-like bumps. They usually do not itch terribly, but that is likely from the location of your tattoo. If it is on your back, you may be more sensitive, especially if that area dries out, as you cannot reach it with moisturizing lotion.
  
  Some color inks are more sensitive than others, especially red. Often people have slight allergies to the chemicals in the inks. I would take a benedryl and makes sure you don't have anything more than some minor, infrequent irritation.

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  Dec 30, 2007 4:53 PM GMT

  I never felt anything past the first few days of getting mine. 7-8 months is a long time to be feeling sensitivity - definitely have a reputable doctor check it out.

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  Dec 30, 2007 8:07 PM GMT

  thanks for the advice guys! maybe i'll ask my dermatologist next time i see him. I don't think it's anything viral or shingles or anything like that. it's never red, i never get bumps or dryness. it's always been completely fine. but today is one of those days. my whole back itches whenever i sit back in a chair. i think it might be nerve related. yuck. i hate doctors...

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  Dec 31, 2007 4:40 AM GMT

  Go see the person who did the tattoo, they may have more information. You can also try to use stuff like A&D ointment which will stop the itching. Inks can mess with body composition sometimes which is why women shouldn't get tattooed while pregnant, your body releases chemicals in response to your pigment being dyed by the ink, so it may just be temporary if those chemicals are still around. Though I still recommend speaking with the tattooist.

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• zenny
  
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  Dec 17, 2010 7:03 AM GMT

  i got mine done on the side...about 3 months ago, i can feel that its a little more sensitive than before.

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