Can You Tattoo Over A Mosquito Bite?

It’s summertime, and that means mosquito season is in full swing. For some people, a bite from a mosquito is nothing more than an itchy annoyance.

But for others, a mosquito bite can lead to a, much bigger problem – an ALLERGIC reaction. If you’re one of those people with a bad reaction to mosquito bites, you may be wondering if you can get a tattoo over the affected area.

You should not tattoo over a mosquito bite. Just wait a few hours and the allergic reaction and swelling should go away and then you are GOOD TO GO! Tattooing over a mosquito bite (or any bug bite) raises a ton of issues and concerns so its best to wait till its healed.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of tattooing over mosquito bites and help you decide what’s right for you.

Can I Tattoo Over a Mosquito Bite?

While it is generally safe and most tattoo parlors will not refuse to tattoo over a bug bite. However there is always a risk of infection, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Tattooing forces tattoo ink and other contaminants DEEP into the skin, which can cause irritation and inflammation. If you have a mosquito bite, it’s best to wait until the skin heals before getting a tattoo.

Lets now take a look at some of issues that may arise if you plan on getting a tattoo over bug bites.

BTW here’s another post on “tattoo scab came off and no ink underneath” that you might like.

4 Reasons Why You Should Not Tattoo Over A Mosquito Bite

• May cause infections
• Swelling might make it difficult for the tattoo artist
• Once the swelling comes down the tattoo might look different
• Scratching (due to itching caused by the bite) might mess up the tattoo after its done

Lets take a look at each of these in more details:

Infections

Some mosquitos may carry viruses or parasites and if one of these bad boys bite you have a good chance of getting infected and will fall seriously ill. You will not be able to get the tattoo done if this happens.

Plus on one knows exactly what’s happening under your skin and ink when mixed with the infected area might also cause problems.

Scratching

Alright say you got a tattoo over a bite.

Mosquito bites causes the infected area to itch, the more you scratch the more your skin inflames. So now, if you start scratching your fresh tattoo on the infected area it will likely remove the top layer of your skin prematurely which will certainly mess up your tattoo causing patchy areas.

Swelling

Most of the time bug bites causes the infected area to SWELL. This makes it a bit harder for the tattoo artist to properly work on it.

After the the swelling goes away the tattoo might even look different and UGLIER because it was done on raised skin and when it comes back to the normal size the ink concentration on particular spots might change making the tattoo look different.

Are Mosquitoes Attracted To Fresh Tattoos?

Mosquitoes are attracted to fresh tattoos because of the increased levels of carbon dioxide that the body emits. Carbon dioxide is what attracts mosquitoes to humans, and since tattoos are a wound, they emit more carbon dioxide than the surrounding skin.

Additionally, mosquitoes are ALSO ATTRACTED to lactic acid and sweat, both of which are present in higher concentrations on skin that has just been tattooed. So if you’re looking to avoid getting bit by mosquitoes, try to avoid getting tattoos in areas that are likely to attract them—like near your neck or face.

Bottom Line

So, can you tattoo over a mosquito bite? NO you definitely shouldn’t! We just explored some of the most common reasons why you should not do it.

No one wants an ugly tattoo or worse an INFECTION! So please wait till the bug bite is fully healed and swelling has gone down.

Check out the video to help speed up the healing process: