Delayed reaction to tattoo ink can mimic cancer Doctors originally thought a 30-year-old woman's swollen lymph nodes were a sign of cancer, but they were a symptom of a tattoo reaction.

This “capture” and “recapture” process holds ink in place in the skin. But if your body has an allergic reaction to the ink, a red or pink thick, scaly area can form on your skin, says Ploch.

An unusual case of tattoo pigment hypersensitivity caused widespread lymphadenopathy 15 years later, but without a skin reaction.

“Think everything from sensitive skin, allergic reaction, scratching, a heavy-handed artist, placement, the density of design, and ink concentration,” she says.

Though any ink color can potentially cause a reaction, those with sensitive skin might want to be extra wary of red ink.