This tattoo is now 11 days old. If you look at it, it’s now in the milky layer stage and is mostly covered with that milky layer of skin. The blue and green portions of the star, however, are scabbed.
I guess I’ve been told by friends perhaps I was over-moisturizing. The scab came off in the shower, perhaps because it was too moist from lotion/water? Perhaps before it was ready?
It left me with what you’ll see in the first picture. It looks like a hole/pit where the scab was.
Someone said that area looked overworked. There are also bubbles, perhaps a reaction to the ink?
Those are my theories! I’m terrified of having an ugly tattoo! I know they can touch it up, I just don’t want it to scar and be hideous! I quit applying ointment or lotion a couple of days ago. Today, I was all set to go to the doctor to make sure it wasn’t infected and to the shop to show the artist, but it looked a bit better and has re-scabbed and the green and blue portions are now also turning milky.
What do you guys think?
How long until this milky layer and itching are gone?
This is my first tattoo and I really liked it when I first got it! I don’t want it to be ruined!
I am now expert but it looks like he has tattooed you with a fork.
Looks kinda like he has gone too heavy?
I fear you will lose some of the colours where it looks deep and scabbed.
Your not meant to get it wet really.
Someone more experienced with tattoos can give you some advice that’s better than mine!
It definitely looks like the artist was really heavy-handed. If you have bubbles, it means there is moisture trapped under your skin, which is a result of over-moisturizing. A reaction to the ink would present differently (e.g. hives, redness, itchiness). For future reference, if the tattoo starts scabbing, stop using moisturizer as you are only going to make the scabs soggy.
I agree that over moisturizing was a problem and now I know for my next tattoo.
The outside of the whole star, but primarily the “arm” of the star that is red and black has been red since I got the tattoo. It seems most people say redness goes away within a day or two, but today was the first day my redness wasn’t too bad.
Is my tattoo going to heal okay and look okay after, possibly, a touch-up?
I don’t want it to have ugly scars in my tat!
I went to one of the most reputable shops in Pittsburgh, they always win best tattoo shop awards and the artist I got actually owns his own shop elsewhere, though I was just a walk-in. However, he wasn’t very friendly and gave me no information on the aftercare verbally, just a small sheet of information.
When will this milky skin be gone so I can see what it looks like?
The guy who did my first tat is a fantastic artist, but he had a shitty attitude about doing such a simple tat and he was heavy-handed to start with. The end result was that he actually dug out a chunk of flesh on one line. It took quite awhile for that to heal up well enough that I could get it touched up, but since the guy was 2.5 hr away, I didn’t even bother. It’s honestly not even noticeable unless you get down and stare at the tat. So my point is, don’t worry about it. It’ll eventually heal up and you can get it fixed.
I completely agree…this tattoo doesn’t look right. It really does look like he’s dug in too much.
I’d go see a couple of different tattoo artists and ask what they think about it because, in the end, they’ll know more than we do (apart from those who are tatoo artists). You can then get a general idea of what they think because one person may not be right!
Good luck
Winged Angel,
Thanks! I visited another tattoo shop and they couldn’t believe my artist did this. They know of him and his shop and know of his experience (30 years!) Crazy.
He also gave me no verbal aftercare instructions, despite knowing this was my first tattoo. Just a little internet printed sheet so my over-moisturizing was a common mistake, IMO.
Scabs are finally coming off now, day 17 I think. Now, I have a few pits in the green and blue areas that will need touched up when they smooth out, hopefully without too much scarring.
I’ve been thinking about something though.
The guy “readied” his area before we entered. When we entered he asked where I wanted it. It’s on the back of my ankle/lower shin area. I told him it was my first tattoo and I was nervous and he kept telling me it would hurt real bad there and he’d rather do the inside of my ankle. He was very adament (sp?) and seemed mad when I told him I knew where I wanted it and if pain was my only concern, I’d deal wth it. I think part of this may have been due to the position I had to lay in, in a chair not made for it.
Do you guys think his “machine” wasn’t set up for tattooing that part of my body? It was a late evening/last tattoo of the night type of situation. It’s getting better, but he disgusts me. Or is my body just THAT DAMN SENSITIVE?
What’s happened isn’t your fault at all.
Where you want the tattoo shouldn’t matter…pain is pain. I have a small tattoo on the outside of my leg (just above the ankle) and it did hurt but my tattooist didn’t question it. At the end of the day, they’re getting paid for it and it’s not going onto their body. The fact that he seemed quite adamant that you shouldn’t have your tattoo in the place that you’ve got it is a bit worrying. Even if it was the end of the day, it’s their job and they should keep their standards up cuz it’s something that’s going to be with you for the rest of your life.
All tattooists should give you verbal advice and maybe a sheet to go with it (if they want). I was told that Bepanthem was the best and if there were any problems to go see them and go back after 2 weeks so they could see the progress and work out if it needed touching up. If he didn’t give you any advice then I’d avoid going back there and get it touched up at another shop with a really good reputation.
I’ve over-moisturised before and even with advice it happens so that’s not your fault at all. His machine should be up to tattooing any part of your body.
In my opinion, this guy sounds like a douche and I’d avoid him and warn others off. He’s clearly getting sloppy and a bit pissed off with his job.
I’d check out every other studio around you and just ask their opinions on what they think they could do with what you’ve got, go home, think about what each of them have said, think about what you felt about the studio and the staff and take a little bit of time to mull it over then go book in an appointment with one that you like. That’s what I did for my first one and I knew that where I go now was the place for me as soon as I walked in.
If you don’t mind me asking, where abouts in the World are you and what County (if you’re in the UK). Also, where did you go and get this one started?
Sorry for the length but I hope this helped.
Rosa
Thanks to the few of you that gave positive responses.
I appreciate it.
😀
Now, it’s been a month. I’ve spoke with a different shop with VERY nice tattooist and owner. They knew of the guy and couldn’t believe he did that because he is a very well known and respected artist.
I felt very comfortable with them and their advice which I have followed.
Today, almost a month later, I lost my last scab. 😀 Thank goodness.
The tattoo has smoothed out and is now flush with my skin. No more pits. There are marks in the blue and green of the star where ink is missing, but this can be touched up.
At the advice of the new shop, I will wait 3-4 months before getting that touched up. I think I will go to the new shop and simply pay for the touch-up rather than risk another, although free, digging of my body by the first shop, although they do have different artists I could go to.
It looks so much better guys! I feel much better about it.
Though, I will still be nervous for my next one and for the touch up!
Hey guys,
Can you all help me judge the COLOR work of this studio I may go to?
http://www.crayontattoo.com/index.html that’s their website.
Let me know which artist you think is good with vibrant colors.
I may go there for my touch-up and for a new tattoo.
let me know your opinions!!
ALSO, the artists who helped me with my tattoo healing, they told me my tattoo may stay milky/onion layer for quite some time, it still has that! Is it a bad idea to get a new tattoo before that onion/milky layer is gone? Will the healing of a new tattoo take away from the healing of the old one?
I don’t plan to get my touch-up for several months at the recommendation of an artist.
How long would you guys wait? He said 3-5 months. What do you all think??
THANKS GUYS! I’ll click THANK for anyone who helps to answer all these questions! 🙂
none of it really stands out to me and makes me say wow that’s amazing, i would say it was average though, not terrible, some of the stuff on those galllery pages is pretty dreadful which would worry me a little, and oddly a lot of the stuff in each of the three artists “colour” galleries seems to be very similar in terms of their techniques and colour choices, i dont know if they all went to the same school of tattoo and that was standard for them but just seemed a little odd, my personal opinion would be that the first guy on the far left when you select the artist gallery (i cant remember his name) seems to be the most consistant and has the least worrying line work, but i dont know if that is the general consensus with some of the more experienced members so maybe wait for another verdict on that one! lol
The longer you can wait to touch up any tattoo the better as it gives the skin more time to recover, however if you want to tattoo another entirely unrelated area at this point then i say go for it, it wont hinder the healing time of your current tattoo at all 🙂 x
You must be logged in to create new topics.
