Hey everyone! I’m new to this forum and got my first tattoo last Saturday (the 26th). I have some questions/ concerns I thought someone might be able to help me out with. I apologize in advance for the long post but I am very worried.
First, let me go through the instructions my tattoo artist gave me:
– wait 2-4 hours before removing the bandage (which I did)
– wash with unperfumed soap (I’m using Dove) two to three times a day, NO SCRUBBING (which I am doing)
– start to use ointment (Afterinked) on Monday, very little to make a thin layer, 2-3 times a day after cleaning it and letting it dry for 10-15 minutes; pat dry (which I am doing)
– DO NOT PICK SCABS (which I am certainly NOT doing for fear of bad consequences!!)
Here is the tattoo after I removed the bandage (click to enlarge):
I have been following my artist’s instructions exactly as she gave them to me. Sunday/ Monday I began to get a hard crust-like coating over the letters. I made sure not to fuss with it or pick at it, only washing it very gently… no scrubbing, only putting soap on and washing it off with my clean hands (no cloths).
I am starting to become concerned. As the hard, crust-like top is flaking off (I am not pulling it off), the tattoo underneath is not only fading (which, as I have read, is expected as the skin is healing), but it LOOKS like my artist has missed some spots. The little card my artist gave me as I left the parlour said that yes, sometimes they miss spots (they are only human, after all) and will gladly touch up anything missed – but that there is a big, noticeable difference between a missed spot and a scab picked.
I swear on my life I have NOT picked any scabs. But my tattoo is looking blotchy (e.g. white patches) and the ends of the Q and the R don’t seem to be filled in completely. And the little triangles seem to only be outlined, not filled in at all, but I have no way of knowing if she actually DID fill them and then these white blotches appeared.
I phoned the parlour this evening and my artist was not there. I spoke to another guy and told him that I got my tattoo last Saturday and that I see white dots/ patches. He asked me how often I am using my ointment – I told him 2-3 times a day, as my artist told me and as the aftercare card which that parlour gives to its clients directs. He said this is too often (WTF? Why publish this on your cards then?) and that I should only do it once a day. He asked me, “Do you have little white dots like pimples?” I said to him, “I can’t see up close since it’s on my upper back, but I don’t think they’re pimples.” He just repeated that I should do the ointment only once per day until Monday, and kind of rushed me off the phone.
I don’t know what to do. The logical thing is to just wait until it heals and then go for a touch up, right? But I am scared that they will insist I have not been taking care of my tattoo properly and charge me an exorbitant amount of money to fix it. Also, would my artist be offended if I go in saying that she missed spots?!?
Here is a photo of it now (click to enlarge):
It looks more awful in the photo than it does physically, but maybe this gives some indication. There’s a lot of dry skin left to peel, and there is still a bit of the crusty black left on the Q.
Can someone tell me what’s happening here? Did my clothes rip off scabs or something??? Is this what it looks like when scabs have been pulled off? How could they have come off when I did not pick them? I really mean it when I say I made sure I did not touch this tattoo unless I was cleaning it. I have followed everything I was told. Is this irreversible? Will it cost a lot to touch up? This tattoo means quite a lot to me and I want it to look good, especially as it will be with me forever.
Thank you!!
– Leah
You should be able to fix all of that with some shading and line work by an artist who isn’t a 5th grader. This is really poor work and to be honest I think I would ask for my money back IF everything you are saying is true. Go out and find a good artist and BEG them to unfuck this holy mess! And next time make sure you research your artist before they put needle to skin.
not trying to be cruel but this is really bad.
I’m being completely honest here – I haven’t picked anything. I guess there’s a chance that my shirts might have interfered with the healing but I would totally admit my own fault if I had been picking at it. I’d have no reason to – it hasn’t been itchy or bothersome at all.
The place was recommended to me by my cousin whose tattoo came out beautifully, but I found out that a different guy did his tattoo. I wasn’t really given an option as to who would be doing mine, the owner just kind of placed me with someone. The artist was really nice, she’s been tattooing for seven years, her other work looks great I thought she was wonderful and the tattoo looked fantastic when it was first done… now I’m not so sure… it does look so much worse in the photo than it does on my back right now though!
One thought I had was to go to my cousin’s brother-in-law – he is a pretty good tattoo artist, but we live kind of far and he is very busy with his tattooing and his night job, which are the reasons why I did not go to him in the first place. But, on second thought, I should not have to go to him and expect his charity because we know each other well. I should be able to go to the place at which I was tattooed and get the corrections done, yes?
I don’t know much about tattoo etiquette. The card I was given states that any missed spots will be gladly touched up, but that touch ups due to mis-care will not be done free of charge. How do they evaluate this “mis-care”? What if they just say I didn’t take care of it to make extra money? Can anyone tell me if it looks like I’ve been treating this badly? Maybe the fabric of my clothes??? Should I have left the bandage on longer? Use different soap? But surely the other tattoo artists (who have been doing this for many, many, many years) will have enough conscience not to rob me blind?
I just can’t understand. I did everything I was told.
But it really comforts me that it can be fixed. Thank you, Gsouder!
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
STOP. Do not go back to whoever did it, its jacked up because they suck, not because you wore a shirt. It takes a good bit to screw it up that bad.
Find a good artist. ask them for help.
In fact, find an artist, and ask us to review them first.
good luck
Oh, do you mean the darker part? That’s the scab naturally falling off I think… it’s kind of lifted off the skin a little bit but obviously I’m not going to touch it. But they’re not blobs of ink. Have a look at the original photo maybe?
I don’t really know where to go about this to be honest. I’m thinking that the other two guys who work at that place might be able to help me. They’re both in their fifties and they’ve been doing this for considerably longer than the woman has.
Should I try to find someone else immediately, or should I wait until it heals or something? I’m sorry, I am totally new to this. If I have to go immediately, I have to go back to these guys because they’re closest and I can’t make the trek into the city on a moment’s notice. But if I have time I might even speak to my cousin’s brother-in-law about it.
Step 1:
Let it heal for a month or so.
Step 2:
Find a shop that gives a shit about you and gives you the choice of picking your artist
Step 3:
Pick an Artist that looks, based on his/her portfolio, that they know what they are doing/
Step 4:
Talk to this artist and figure out you feel like they can do the job.
Step 5
Leave and repeat steps 2-4 at least one more time.
Step 6
Pick the best person you talked to.
Step 7
Go fix your tat and TIP VERY WELL. A lot of good artists will not be thrilled about unfucking someone else’s poorly done work.
Step 8:
Post photos and thank your new friends on that tattoo forum for sending you in the right direction, especially that really good looking Gsouder guy.
Oh, sorry,
Step 0:
STAY AWAY FROM FAMILY BASED TATTOO WORK! go payfor it. you get what you pay for and most, not all but most, of the time people who “know someone” know a hack that will make it worse than it already is. Do your research, pay for the work and enjoy a great tat. Besides, if your brother in law messes it up further. you are stuck with him for the rest of your life.
Step 0:
STAY AWAY FROM FAMILY BASED TATTOO WORK! go payfor it. you get what you pay for and most, not all but most, of the time people who “know someone” know a hack that will make it worse than it already is. Do your research, pay for the work and enjoy a great tat. Besides, if your brother in law messes it up further. you are stuck with him for the rest of your life.
LOL! Well I WOULD be paying for it… he wouldn’t do anything for free for me, he’s actually my cousin’s brother-in-law and not mine. Even if he offered for free, I wouldn’t let him. I trust him as he’s actually really good at what he does, and I have seen a lot of his work, and I have seen him at work. But like I said, our schedules don’t match. If anything I might discuss things with him, but I doubt I’d find the time to get him to do any work on me.
Thank you so much though… easy 8-step program to peace of mind! I was really frantic thinking that this might be irreversible. Now that I know that someone might be able to help me, I am glad. And I always tip well, so I definitely will in this case!!! Plus this is permanent and will be on my body for ever, and symbolizes something close to my heart – so I’m willing to spend extra money on it if I can get a good artist to fix this.
My number 1 concern is keeping it from getting infected… so far so good.
Thanks again! You guys have been so helpful!!
I don’t really know where to go about this to be honest. I’m thinking that the other two guys who work at that place might be able to help me. They’re both in their fifties and they’ve been doing this for considerably longer than the woman has.
Should I try to find someone else immediately, or should I wait until it heals or something? I’m sorry, I am totally new to this. If I have to go immediately, I have to go back to these guys because they’re closest and I can’t make the trek into the city on a moment’s notice. But if I have time I might even speak to my cousin’s brother-in-law about it.
my bad, i couldn’t tell
Hi
As Gsouder has stated the tattoo has been poorly executed and the ink is falling out.
This is due to either the skin being overworked so that the pigment does not hold and has been flushed out, or the artist did not go deep enough.
However based on the fill from the rest seems that the tattoo was overworked and they simply tried to pack too much ink into the tattoo by going over and over the same patch.
The main thing is and I cannot stress this enough…
It is not that bad and can be easily fixed.
I have seen thousands of tattoos and many much worse have been redone by a pro artist and really shine.
It simply needs a reline and reshade by a pro artist. Give it 6 weeks to heal (the surface may heal on top in 2 but below the skin will be raw for upto 6 weeks) and it is a really simple job to fix up.
Yes many tattoos need a touch-up but we are talking small spots that is simply work by somebody who is starting out – so go to an estb pro.
Do not be embarrassed they will have seen much worse.
Take Care
Matthew
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