Rani V. Ramachandran, M.D. M.P.H | Aesthetic Medical Practice

Viral warts and tattoos

What are viral warts and how do they happen?

1. Warts are small, harmless growths caused by viral infection.

2. Warts develop due to unhygienic conditions or because of contact with other people who are infected.

3. The warts are caused by a viral disease known as HPV or Human Pappiloma Virus.

4. Transference of the infection can be either direct (from person to person) or indirect (through objects or substances such as clothing, bedding, especially from hospitals).

5. Swimming pools and bathrooms are some common areas, which spread warts, especially if the skin has been softened and comes in to contact with rough surfaces. Once the infection has penetrated the skin, spreading of the infection can occur by scratching, shaving, traumatization of the skin, such as piercing at the location of the skin where the infection is present.

6. If someone had already been infected, there is more likelihood of the warts reoccurring.

7. Occurrence of the HPV is likely in children from ages 2-12 years and in both genders of the human race.

8. The infection can regress anywhere from 3 months to 2 years, depending on the nature of the viral infection. There are several strains of the HPV which can co-exist and interact.

9. The time taken by the warts to clear out depends on the strain of virus infecting the skin, the host’s immune system, and extent and duration of the warts.

Will Warts affect Tattooed Skin?

Yes, they will if proper care is not taken.

Tips to Maintaining Tattooed Skin

Skin tags, infections such as acne and viral warts can also affect skin that has tattoos. While it is easier to treat skin that has no artwork on it, treating a tattooed skin could damage the artwork. Therefore to ensure that your tattoos retain their beauty, follow these tips.

• . Before you embark on getting a tattoo or tattoos, and if it is going to be in a spot where there is hair growth, then get the area waxed by a professional, instead of allowing the tattoo artist to shave of the hair. When waxing is done by a professional, there are less chances of ingrowth of hair.
• . If a wart or acne is present at the spot where you intend to get the wart, first get it treated by a dermatologist. Do not get a tattoo especially if you have a HPV infection, as piercing or traumatization of the skin can cause the infection to spread even more.
• . If you go on to get a tattoo over the skin tag or wart, then the tattoo design will have a large skin tag or wart which could distort the image.
• . Prior to getting a tattoo avoid getting a sun tan as sun tans and tattoos do not gel well.
• . If you wish to retain the quality of your tattoo through the years, avoid the sun. Use a SPF 30 sun tan lotion. Exposure to too much sun can cause the tattoos to blur over time.
• . Do not bathe, shower or get your skin wet immediately after getting a tattoo, as your skin is still tender and is healing from the tattoo process and traumatization of the piercing. Avoid swimming pools and stay away from bathing in the sea, as the chlorine and salt in the water will wash away the colors from your tattoo.
• . Remember that the area where the tattoo has been affixed is still tender and is healing. Therefore do not scratch the healing skin, as your nails carry bacteria that could infect the raw, healing skin.