Tattoo Flu. What is it?
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What is tattoo flu?
It doesn’t happen to everyone or every time. What happens is - because your body undergoes pain for a long time (for some people it’s a 7h session, for others it is 3hours) it uses all the resources to cope with it and eventually it affects your immune system. Pain from being stabbed with needles increases adrenaline in your system. After some time your immune system response to the whole procedure as a threat and sends out white (blood) cells ‘leukocytes’ so they can fight a potential infection. As leukocytes count increases in your system it will cause you feeling nauseous, feverish or feeling cold. Hence why it’s called ‘tattoo flu’.
APRIL 2025
Will I get tattoo flu?

It is impossible to predict because very person’s body and immune system is so different! However there is a big chance you can prevent it if you take few precautions:
-have a full night sleep the night before
-make sure you have a big healthy breakfast that morning that has a good combination of carbs and proteins.
-take some paracetamol before your tattoo session (only if you are NOT allergic to it). Paracetamol helps your body to deal with an inflammation and pain too.
  • stay away from alcohol the night before. Alcohol thins your blood and increases count of leukocytes and can affect the healing of the tattoo badly.
Always advise your doctor about medicine you want to take!
Can I prevent a tattoo flu?

It is impossible to predict because very person’s body and immune system is so different! However there is a big chance you can prevent it if you take few precautions:
  • Have a full night sleep the night before
  • Make sure you have a big healthy breakfast that morning that has a good combination of carbs and proteins.
  • Take some paracetamol before your tattoo session (only if you are NOT allergic to it). Paracetamol helps your body to deal with an inflammation and pain too.
  • Stay away from alcohol the night before. Alcohol thins your blood and increases count of leukocytes and can affect the healing of the tattoo badly.
How long I will feel sick for?

Tattoo ‘flu’ can last from few hours up to couple of days. Longer than few days is an exception and if it does turn into proper flu/cold it is a sign that your immune system was most likely very weak before the tattoo session. You may feel very weakened next day and have some other simptoms:
  • headache
  • feeling cold
  • nuaseous and in some cases people experience diharea too.
However there are few symptoms you have to be weary and not confuse a tatto infection with a tattoo flu.
Symptoms of the infection are: skin on your tattoo and around it is very hot next and the following day; it is very sensitive to touch and tattoo may get discolloration or pass. If you are not sure if you have an infection or tattoo flu - please get in touch with your tattoo artist or doctor ASAP!
Read our article about tattoo infection
Not sure if your tattoo is infected?
Click below
Read about infection
10.12.2021
In conclusion
In conclusions tattoo flu is a common thing and usually will be fixed by resting, healthy meals and some paracetamol or ibuprofen!
Please advise your doctor if you are not sure if you can take paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Happy inking!
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