Rockysmom, Hi,
Cheers for your reply:) It’s not itchy and the doc wouldnt give me antibiotics as he felt I didnt need them!!!! It’s really a pain in the arse and depressing it has reacted like it has and I shall be sure to keep you all posted, just hope it wont take too much longer to heal as been 2 months now!!:(
Kind regards – Karen
Hi Karen,
Cheers for your reply and glad to hear other people have had a similar reaction, in a nice way of course!!! I’ve kept it clean since having done as best I can and can only assume it must have got infected whilst still in Thailand before I returned to the UK???? Lets hope it doesnt take too much longer to heal as been 2 months now since I had it done and it’s really getting to me now!!! Will keep you posted!
Cheers
Phil;)
Hi
I have had a good look at the photo and I have seen this problem before. First of all I need to stress I am in no way medically qualified and would recommend seeing a dermatologist if the problem continues.
Ok the tattoo looks like you are having pigment reaction.
This can be caused by 2 things;
1. An infection that has seeped into the skin during the healing process. The extent of infection can result in blood poisoning in the extreme or swelling, scarring, or cellulits which is a bacterial infection of the skin (which is actually an organ outside of the body).
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/214222-overview for more info on celluitis.
2. The second and more rare is pigment rejection caused by the content of the pigment. This can occur when the pigment contains a foreign body such as bone black, charcoal, zinc etc or a solid (can be microscopic) lump which has got trapped into the scar tissue and the body is constantly trying to reject it by peeling and forming a raised scar tissue to stop the foriegn body (pigment/ink) from travelling any further into the bloodstream or body.
You want my opinion for what it is worth you have irritated scar tissue and yes they can be known as a keloid.
A keloid(s) is scar tissue that is made up of disorganized cell structures meant to close breaches in skin tissue.
This means that I cut you open with a ragged edge the depth of the wound is uneven so the cells have to build up or stretch to seal the wound. If you have a tattooist that has gone too deep and or the depth of tattooing is uneven in the puncturing can result in that effect on your arm.
The scar tissue is inflamed and has become fibrous as it is trying to stop the infection/foreign body from spreading any further.
So yes white ppl can get keloids but is is individual dna that dictates how swollen they become.
Ok as for treatment 🙁
Put simply there are no easy options.
The first is surgical removal with a scalpel (cutting it off) this would prob require skin grafting and should only be considered as the ultimate last course of action. Laser is unsuitable probably as there maybe solid foreign bodies in the pigment that would remain after the carrier solution and scar tissue has broken down.
A scalpel would be the only way to ensure it was all out.
In all seriousness you could consider the surgeon doing it in a form of scarification of the shape were you to pursue it.
The other option is to play the waiting game.
I recommend this as your body is pulling through and will eventually force enough pigment out for the skin to settle. This however can take months or even upto 2 years.
Meanwhile here is what I suggest;
Moisturise the area daily with non-scented or vit e cream to keep the skin supple and help the scar tissue from tearing.
Maintain anti-oxidants in your diet your body is under a lot of stress with the tattoo – plenty of green tea will help your liver cope with the toxins.
Was it twice a day and keep it clean and away from animal saliva (or human saliva)
No body fluids on it.
To relive the swelling ice packs will also help.
If you get any pus, increased swelling, discolouration, funny smell, bruising, red lines, loss of sensation, burning etc go straight back to your dr.
Take Care
Matthew
Hi Matthew,
First of all sorry for the late reply to your last message. Secondly thank you once again for some very useful information, be some of it a tad worrying!
Truth be told the thought of any surgery on what is my first ever tattoo is very depressing and disheartening and fingers crossed I wont have to go down that road:(
Well after no joy or help from my docs I have taken my own action and got some antibiotics. Fortunately my wife runs a dental practice and she has a number of patients who are doctors. She asked them which antibiotics would be used treat my condition and was told which one to use. Fortunately my wife had this antibiotics in stock at the dental surgery as they often prescribe antibiotics for dental/mouth infections. So starting as of yesterday I am now on a 7 days course and I really hope this will clear up the infection????
Should this not work then I have no alternative other than to seek the help of a dermatologist. The only problem being convincing my GP to make the referal, bareing in mind my GP has told me to just leave it!!! I shall cross that bridge when I come to it!
Anyway, I shall post an update at the end of the 7days of taking the antibiotics.
Thanks again for the info;)
Phil
Seems like an allergic reaction to the pigment. Vaseline and all the creams you have mentioned are not recommended for tattoo aftercare as they contain petroleum products which slow down the healing process.
Discontinue any applications of these creams. Use a tiny amount of E45 for a week and see how you get on with that.
If that doesn’t work go see a dermatologist, or your GP about referring you to an allergy clinic.
Most GPs don’t have any knowledge on tattooing or piercing that is why you’re not getting anywhere with them.
I hope this helps.
I’ve been reading through the replies and posts and debating whether or not to bring this up (because I didn’t want you to think I was having a specific go at you Phil)… but when Mathew started talking about removal with a scalpel… I feel this may turn out to be one of those threads that (should in my opinion) be referred to long into the future… my point being:
If you are going to get a cheap tattoo in Thailand, you should be aware of the consequences.
I’ve lived and worked in SE Asia and have extensive experience in Thailand. I’ve seen many many ‘bamboo’ tattoos and I’ve never once seen one done in a truly hygienic way. Usually, the tattooer pulls needles from a cardboard box (no blister packs here!) and drops them into some alcohol for a moment… then he fishes them out with un-gloved hands and gathers them together in a little brush formation… he then wraps cotton thread (from a dirty old spool used by every other tattoo session) around them attaching them to a stick (many of these sticks are made from a chop-stick shoved into a bit from an old TV aerial)… then they light an old candle and drip cheap dirty paraffin wax all over the thread and smooth it out. More often than not, they will then tap the pointy edge of the ‘brush against a flat surface to straighten all of the needles into an even line. I have seen this done onto a steel counter top (which dulls the needles and creates burs which will microscopically rip open your skin) and I have even seen it done on the side of a grubby cigarette lighter.
OK now they have a dull and contaminated tattoo implement which they proceed to dip into cheap Chinese-made inks containing who knows what.
I should start a website just of all the stories and images I have seen and heard from people who got their bodies messed up from a cheap Thai tattoo – and the new craze with so-called bamboo tattoos is the real scary part, because everyone is going around saying “It’s not like a real tattoo… you don’t have to cover it up… it doesn’t scab… you can swim straight away… lets all go to the full moon party and swim in piss-infested water!”
Sorry Phil… I know there’s no way to convince you that this isn’t a personal attack on you… but I expect that this thread will get read a lot and I felt that I should put this out there.
I humbly remove my self from the soapbox.
-Wak
Hi
I should have worded my post better (thanks Wak – I have a tendency to think faster than I write 🙂 )
Surgical removal whilst an option – should be the last option you consider.
I put it there in case the tattoo was causing serious infection or pain where it would leave you no choice for the health of your body.
That said the human body is very tough and you maybe able to wait out the issue as the tattoo will keep peeling until the worst of the offending pigment is removed. However should the pigment not be removed and it continues to swell or cause pain then you have to consider removal.
It can be a long process but if it is not hurting you just keep it moist and look out for the issues mentioned. Then at a later stage you can always get it reworked by a pro artist.
Take Care
Matthew
Hi guys, right time for the latest update!!!
First off thank you again for yur input and advice as you guys on this forum have provided me with much more sound advice and assistance than that given from various GPs!!!!
Wak, cheers for the info and I appreciate what you have said and take that on board. All I will say is that my wife got a bamboo tattoo from the same shop the day before I got mine and her’s healed rapidly and has given her no probs, looking great at the same time. I guess I just got unlucky or the tattooist got careless when it was my turn!!!
Matt, once again cheers for the help, much appreciated.
Ok, well after a weeks worth of antibiotics sadly to say there has been no improvement, god damn!!!!!! So hasten to add I paid my 4th visit to the docs yesterday intent of coming away with a referal to a dermatologist. I have to ay the doc I saw this time around was the best and most helpful so far. Prob due to the fact she was young and knew some thing about tattoos as apparently her bro is covered in them from head to toe! Anyway she is going to refer me to see a dermatologist but has asked me first to go and visit a tattoo shop, show them my tat and see what they say? I did explain I have had some very good advice from you guys on here and posted a photo but she feels it would be beneficial for a tattooist to see my tattoo in the flesh. So I shall be doing just this over the next few days and will be updating the doc on Saturday.
So the waiting game continues but I shall keep you guys posted. Fingers and toes crossed this will eventually come to a satisfactory and painless closure and wont put me off getting another tattoo in the future???
Cheers folks:)
@
I repeat: :rolleyes:
be careful
don’t hit the infection,
do not sunbathe at first
and here’s another recommendation
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