I just got my 3rd tattoo last Wednesday on my right underside forearm and everything seemed fine for around the first 3 or 4 days. Then Tuesday night at work I washed it and the skin split open in a few spots and it was just pus underneath. A day or so leading up to this I kinda had some questions about the way it was healing but my second tattoo healed up fine and I don’t even remember how the healing process went with my first one. But that night I didn’t think that much of it so I just kept going with my aftercare. Then a day or so later is when skin split and the questionable areas weren’t so questionable anymore. I asked to leave to go to the hospital since it was about 4am but I couldn’t leave work so I waited til I got off the morning to go to an urgent care.

They said it was cellulitis and prescribed me Cipro. But I run plastic mold presses at my work and either all the fumes of plastic and other BS in the air or when I poured a bucket up it had some oil and stuff all over I and hit my 3 hour old tattoo that wasn’t covered, yes I know dumbass move on my part. Either of those is the culprit for my infection.

But anyways I’m just wondering what else I should do to care for it while it’s infected other than just taking the meds, like showering(I know I’m supposed to keep it dry), can I give it a very light wash? Any ointments I can use? I’ve got A+D Prevent and Aquaphor and lubiderm as far as lotion goes. I can’t really find any answers suitable for me anywhere. Any suggestions are appreciated. I just want it to heal as well as it can cuz I’m sure it’s gonna look wrecked when its heals with the skin splitting open like it did. I’m pretty pissed at myself for not being careful enough.