How often do tattoos cause keloids?

Question

I had a mole removed a few years ago & when it was healing it caused a keloid to form. I want to get a tattoo on the back of my shoulder sometime in the near future, but I really don't want another keloid. I have heard from some people that have keloid-prone skin that tattoos won't usually cause them, but other people say that it's risky. I asked a tattoo artist & he told me that tea tree oil will get rid of keloids if one does occur, but it hasn't helped me yet.

Should I risk it?

Answer 1

I am a CCMA

Are you sure what you have is actually a keloid?? Did it itch and hurt when you got it??? They usually are large... Are you sure it is not a raised scar from the removal of the mole??

The reason I am staying this is that tattoos do not cause keloids

My mother has a full body suit and she has  a lot of moles on her back and tattooing has NOT made them worse or caused Keloids...

Answer 2

This is a difficult question to answer because people who keloid are all very very different.  I had 2 keloids from ear piercings. I had both surgically removed, one came back twice, the other never recurred.  I also have a tattoo which has never had a keloid-like reaction.  I do however know a young man who also keloids (far worse than mine) and his tattoo did end up developing a keloid after some time. It looks really really bad and is quite large.  I personally will not risk another tattoo as the needle piercing my skin may cause me to keloid this time around.  Think long and hard before you do this because no one (not even the tattoo artist or doctors) can predict if a keloid would develop.  Best of luck

Answer 3

I have three tattoos and I never  got a keloid before.