question: Why do fully healed tattoos rise sometimes?
comment: It can have to do with the type of needle that was used, how deep it was used/pressure, combined with your particular skin. Some artists’/types of tattoos get raised for me when I’m stressed or hot, but most of mine never raise. The one that is most annoying for me was done by an apprentice, and I later learned a lot of people who got tattooed by him at that time also had that issue. It’s not harmful or bad, just annoying.
passages: The diagnosis is clinical. Amalgam tattoo can be distinguished from other causes of localized oral pigmentation because it does not change significantly in size or color, although it may appear to slowly enlarge for several months after the initial implantation of the metal particles. Some amalgam tattoos appear radio-opaque on radiographs (i.e. they show up on x-rays), although in many cases amalgam tattoos have no radiographic features since the responsible particle(s) of amalgam are very small even though clinically the area of discolored mucosa is much larger.
   The amount of ink that remains in the skin throughout the healing process determines how the final tattoo will look. If a tattoo becomes infected or the flakes fall off too soon (e.g., if it absorbs too much water and sloughs off early or is picked or scraped off) then the ink will not be properly fixed in the skin and the final image will be negatively affected.
   Amalgam tattoo usually occurs on the mandibular gingiva, often in an area in which a apicoectomy ("root-end filling") with amalgam was carried out. After the gingiva, the alveolar mucosa and the buccal mucosa are the next most common sites, although any mucosal site in the mouth is possible. It is painless, and appears as a blue-black or grey discolored macule on the surface of the mucosa. The borders of the tattoo are variable, and may be well defined, irregular or diffuse.
  
  Section::::Causes.
  
  Amalgam tattoo is caused by implantation of amalgam into the tissues. It may occur in several ways:
   Occasionally, when a blood vessel is punctured during the tattooing procedure a hematoma (bruise) may appear. Bruises generally heal within one week. Bruises can appear as halos around a tattoo, or, if blood pools, as one larger bruise. This bluish or dark blurry halo that surrounds a tattoo can also be attributed to ink diffusion or 'blow-out'. Commonly mistaken for a hematoma, this discolouration occurs when tattoo pigments spread out into the subcutaneous tissue beneath the dermal skin layer, and may be caused by ink being deposited too deep in the skin.
  
  Section::::Other adverse effects.:Burden on lymphatic system.
   Hypopigmentation is more commonly observed in darker skin tones. It is more likely to occur with higher fluence and more frequent treatments. Sometimes lighter skin exhibits hypopigmentation after a series of treatments. Allowing more time between treatments reduces chances of hypopigmentation. Since it is more likely to see hypopigmentation after multiple treatments, some practitioners suggest waiting a few additional weeks, after a few sessions. Usually treatment stops until hypopigmentation resolves in a matter of months.
   Over time, the amalgam particles embedded in the soft tissues corrode. Macrophages take up the exogenous particles, and the silver in amalgam leads to staining of collagen fibers.
  
  A similar appearance can be caused by implantation of graphite (e.g. from pencil leads), and is sometimes termed a "graphite tattoo", although this is less common than tattooing with amalgam.
  
  Section::::Diagnosis.
   A variety of medical problems, though uncommon, can result from tattooing.
  
  Medical workers have observed rare but severe medical complications from tattoo pigments in the body, and have noted that people acquiring tattoos rarely assess health risks "prior" to receiving their tattoos.
  
  A recent case report also showed that tattoo pigments migrate into lymph nodes. These can show up on some types of medical scans as tumors. One woman was given a complete hysterectomy only to find out later that the lymph nodes contained tattoo pigment.
  
  Section::::Other tattoo inks.
  
  Section::::Other tattoo inks.:Glow in the dark ink and blacklight ink.
   Some pigment migrates from a tattoo site to lymph nodes, where large particles may accumulate. When larger particles accumulate in the lymph nodes, inflammation may occur. Smaller particles, such as those created by laser tattoo treatments, are small enough to be carried away by the lymphatic system and not accumulate.
  
  Section::::Other adverse effects.:Interference with melanoma diagnosis.
  
  Lymph nodes may become discolored and inflamed with the presence of tattoo pigments, but discoloration and inflammation are also visual indicators of melanoma; consequently, diagnosing melanoma in a patient with tattoos is made difficult, and special precautions must be taken to avoid misdiagnoses.
   BULLET::::- Ink rubbing: Tattoo ink (or another sterile coloring agent) is rubbed into a fresh cut to add color to the scar. Most of the ink remains in the skin as the cut heals, and will have the same basic effect as a tattoo. As with tattoos, it is important not to pick the scabs as this will pull out the ink.
   BULLET::::- "Stenanthium gramineum" – eastern featherbells - eastern + south-central United States from eastern Texas to Florida north to Michigan and Connecticut.
  
  BULLET::::- "Stenanthium leimanthoides" – pine barren deathcamas - eastern + south-central United States from eastern Texas to Florida north to New York
  
  BULLET::::- "Stenanthium macrum" – Gulf Coast, from Texas to Florida
  
  BULLET::::- "Stenanthium occidentale" — western featherbells, native to the Pacific Northwest, the Klamath Mountains in northwestern California, and Western Canada.
  
  BULLET::::- "Stenanthium tennesseense" – southern Tennessee
   Not all nipple-areola tattoos are successful. There is a chance that the tattoo could get infected just as any tattoo can. In a study from 1988—1993 of 103 patients who received nipple-areola tattoos, 5 patients reported getting an infection, 1 patient reported getting a rash, one reported getting slough, and 19 patients had to have their tattoo touched up due to the pigment diminishing from the tattoo through the healing process.
   A traumatic tattoo occurs when a substance such as asphalt or gunpowder is rubbed into a wound as the result of some kind of accident or trauma. Coal miners could develop characteristic tattoos owing to coal dust getting into wounds. These are particularly difficult to remove as they tend to be spread across several layers of skin, and scarring or permanent discoloration is almost unavoidable depending on the location. An amalgam tattoo is when amalgam particles are implanted in to the soft tissues of the mouth, usually the gums, during dental filling placement or removal. Another example of such accidental tattoos is the result of a deliberate or accidental stabbing with a pencil or pen, leaving graphite or ink beneath the skin.
   If necessary, the diagnosis can be confirmed histologically by excisional biopsy, which excludes nevi and melanomas. If a biopsy is taken, the histopathologic appearance is:
  
  BULLET::::- Pigmented fragments of metal within connective tissue
  
  BULLET::::- Staining of reticulin fibers with silver salts
  
  BULLET::::- A scattered arrangement of large, dark, solid fragments or a fine, black or dark brown granules
  
  BULLET::::- Large particles may be surrounded by chronically inflamed fibrous tissue
  
  BULLET::::- Smaller particles surrounded by more significant inflammation, which may be granulomatous or a mixture of lymphocytes and plasma cells
  
  Section::::Prevention.
   Section::::Laser removal.:Side effects and complications.
  
  About half of the patients treated with Q-switched lasers for tattoo removal will show some transient changes in the normal skin pigmentation. These changes usually resolve in 6 to 12 months but may rarely be permanent.
  
  Hyperpigmentation is related to the patient's skin tone, with skin types IV, V and VI more prone regardless of the wavelength used. Twice daily treatment with hydroquinones and broad-spectrum sunscreens usually resolves the hyperpigmentation within a few months, although, in some patients, resolution can be prolonged.
   Amalgam tattoo
  
  Amalgam tattoo is a grey, blue or black area of discoloration on the mucous membranes of the mouth, typically on the gums of the lower jaw. It is a healthcare caused lesion, is due to entry of dental amalgam into the soft tissues. It is common, painless, and benign, but it can be mistaken for melanoma.
  
  Section::::Signs and symptoms.
   In "Infinite Crisis," Mark becomes a member of the Society. He appears in Justice League of America #17 as one of a group of villains seeking to avoid being sent to the prison planet. 
   Section::::Perception.
   Section::::Laser removal.:Factors contributing to the success of laser tattoo removal.
   Section::::Laser removal.:Pain management during treatment.
   The amalgam tattoo is mostly found on the alveolar or gingival mucosa (however can sometimes found on the buccal mucosa) and is more commonly found in females and older patients. It appears as painless, blue/gray/black, nonulcerated, soft macule without any erythematous reaction surrounding it. The tattoos greatest diameter is usually less than 0.5 cm and some lesions containing larger particles may be identifiable on certain radiographs.
  
  Some patients exhibit a long-term inflammatory response and if so they may produce discoloured, small papules. The discoloured patch may enlarge over time in patients demonstrating a strong macrophage response
   A technique which helps to reduce the pain sensation felt by patients has been described by MJ Murphy He used a standard microscope glass slide pressed against the tattooed skin and fired the laser through the glass. This technique may represent a simplest and effective method to reduce the pain sensation when treating small tattoos.
  
  Section::::Laser removal.:Post-treatment considerations.
   In 2011, DC Comics rebooted the DC Universe as part of "The New 52". During the "Forever Evil" storyline, Tattooed Man appears as a member of the Crime Syndicate of America's incarnation of the Secret Society of Super Villains. In the aftermath of the Crime Syndicate's defeat, he was seen with its members when the Justice League apprehend them.
  
  During the "Heroes in Crisis" storlyine, Tattooed Man is shown as a patient at Sanctuary. He was among those killed when Wally West lost control of the Speed Force enough to unleash and explosive blast.
  
  Section::::Publication history.:Collected Editions.
   Tattoos made in a Russian prison often have a distinct bluish color (due to being made with ink from a ballpoint pen) and usually, appear somewhat blurred because of the lack of instruments to draw fine lines. The ink is often created from burning the heel of a shoe and mixing the soot with urine, and injected into the skin utilizing a sharpened guitar string attached to an electric shaver.
   Studies of various tattoo pigments have shown that a number of pigments (most containing iron oxide or titanium dioxide) change color when irradiated with Q-switched laser energy. Some tattoo colors including flesh tones, light red, white, peach and light brown containing pigments as well as some green and blue tattoo pigments, changed to black when irradiated with Q-switched laser pulses. The resulting gray-black color may require more treatments to remove. If tattoo darkening does occur, after 8 weeks the newly darkened tattoo can be treated as if it were black pigment.
   In the "Watchmen" sequel "Doomsday Clock," Tarrant is among the villains that attend the underground meeting held by Riddler that talks about the Superman Theory. He states that the Sanctuary place screwed up Mark Richards.
  
  Section::::Publication history.:John Oakes.
  
  The second Tattooed Man was John Oakes, the main character of the Vertigo series "Skin Graft: The Adventures of a Tattooed Man" by Jerry Prosser and Warren Pleece. Oakes first appeared in "Skin Graft" #1 (July 1993).
  