Hi, I am Nicole, and I recently got my 5th tattoo on the top of my foot. I got it April 12th so its 8 days old now. I have been doing all the proper after care and usually wash it about 3 times a day since it is on my foot and closer to dirt. I have read some thing online saying how foot tattoo’s are more prone to infection so of course now im a bit paranoid. It started to peel on monday after switching from the ointment to a moisturizer, and yesterday morning when I washed it in the shower I patted it dry then let it air dry while I got ready for the day and when I put it up to moisturize I noticed a clear liquid seeping out of a small spot on my purple star. So then I just decided to keep an eye on it. So throughout the day I noticed it getting a bit red around the star and my foot was swelling a bit though I was at a training course for the day so I was up on it a bit. As soon as I got home I washed it and switched back to my ointment (incase im allergic to the moisturizer) put my foot up and put on some ice to take down the swelling. It was looking better when I went to bed, and looks much better today, though there is a weird spot in my purple star. My yellow star also worries me cause the scab on it was pretty thick and now that it is starting to come off it looks rather red underneath. Im just wondering if you think it might be infection or just it healing. I dont mind having to get it touched up I just want to catch an infection before it ruins the tattoo. Thanks for the help and here is a link to pictures I took today of the tattoo.
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee81/munkeyingaround/Foot%20Tattoo/
Thanks reefdiver, I designed it myself its for my family. I come from a family of fishermen/women so the anchor and water represents that. And each star represents on of my family members colored with their fav colors, with the black ones being my nieces and nephews.
The redness I had seen around the purple star has gone away though it still has a weird spot. The yellow star is still sore and thickly scabbed like in the picture. I figure it’s sore because of where it is on my ankle.
Hi soreness and a bit of swelling are normal in the first few days and always best to keep an eye on it.
The key signs of infection are
Swelling that does not go down
Bruising or discolouration (that might also spread)
Red lines or what look like thin veins spreading from the tattoo usually feels hot and itchy.
Pus and oozing.
Looking at the tattoo it seems ok just might be a little overworked on the skin (to get the colour pigment in) making it tender and sore.
If you start getting the above sickness or nausea you need antibiotics asap otherwise ibruprofen and keep it clean and I am sure you will be fine.
As for feet infection – yes they are more prone because of the contact with bacteria (socks and trainers/shoes) but as long as you wash em gently it will be minimal.
I really like the tattoo and don’t worry about it – it is healing ok.
Take care
Matthew
might be bullshit Arni, but i got told this by a Tattoo artist and asked my doctor about it when i went to see him about my knee and he said it was true, the further away a open wound is away from the heart the longer it takes to heal
Doctor’s words not mine hehe might be bullshit i have no idea just saying 😀
Although blood-flow is marginally slower at the very ends of your extremities (in your fingers, for instance) than further in (on your upper arms, for instance), in healthy people the difference is not significant enough to make any difference in that regard. In the week and the elderly, however, blood flow may be restricted enough for this to be true…. but I doubt the OP is either weak or ancient 😀
That being said, it is almost certain that a wound on your foot will heal more slowly than, say, a wound on your chest, but that has nothing to do with the distance from the heart and everything to do with the area and it’s external influences like rubbing and poor hygiene. 😉
Looks fine in the pics, but 7 days of ointment?
I got the hot and itchy feeling from hives on the latest tat (reaction to ointment). No red lines though – know those well from when my wife got bitten by the neighbor’s cat. 😡
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