Hi everyone,
I recently got my first two tattoos, I am new to this, am not experienced and my question may sound silly, sorry if it does! I am rather paranoid about how it is healing, I really do not want to ruin it as it was expensive and has alot of personal meaning attatched to it. It has been five days since I have gotten them and they started to scab about two days ago, nothing too bad, what I expected. However a tiny little bit in the corner came off one of them and took all the colour with it. Then yesterday with my other one, I’m pretty sure the scabs came off prematurely and it looks rather grey and faded, quite faded actually. I’m kind of stressing myself about it as I’ve heard once the scabs have come off it is pretty much ruined. Now I have not picked at them at all, I touch them ever so gently when I have to when I use soap and lotion, so I am not sure what I have done wrong? The people who I got it done with offer a free touch up, so I’m hoping they can fix it up? However I’m scared of damaging it further and am worried that the same thing might happen after the touch up?
Thank you to anyone who responds!! 🙂
That sounds pretty normal and that the ink isn’t fully in the skin maybe?
Are you using some sort of cream on it? I use Bepanthem nappy rash cream and this keeps the tattoo moisturised and helps it heal.
I’d say give it about 3 weeks and keep cleaning it and moisturising it then go back to the tattooist who did it and show them it. They’ll be able to do any touch ups and you can tell them your concerns then.
I hope this helps
Thanks guys,
It is hard to take a photo of it as my camera isn’t particularly good and my tattoos are rather small kanji characters and it’s hard to see the details of the strokes well. So does this happen fairly regularly?? I have been using a cream, but the Bepanthem one sounds interesting. Do you know if it has petroleum in it? Also how much would the artist be able to touch up?
It is not really grey in the outline, its grey on some of the strokes. I’m hoping the colour comes back stronger, however some parts of it came out a really nice deep black ,yet some strokes still have that dull grey colour. Perhaps I should just wait a bit more .
Sounds perfectly normal to me.
When the tattoo is fresh, some of the ink is sitting on the surface of your skin, trapped in that dry plasma layer (or whatever it is) so that when it peels, that surface layer of ink comes away and leaves the “real tattoo” underneath which looks faded and pale to start with in comparison.
As mentioned above, the colour develops more strongly as it further heals.
Like everyone said it is most likely normal I got paranoid with my first large tattoo as well. Give it another 4-5 days. Keep it clean put lotion on twice a day but don’t over do it. If it still looks that way after that, you may have to wait until its a month or so old and have it touched up. It’s nothing to worry about.
It’s been 10 days now, however I think my tattoo may be nearly over the healing period. Saying that, I don’t know that much so I could be wrong! Nothing new has happened in the last 2-3 days, no itchiness, no peeling, no change in its appearance. It looks the same, with the faded bits and blotchiness. I was told by my artist it takes 2 weeks to heal up so I’m close to that mark now. Looks like I will be needing a touch up. From the posts here, it sounds like there is still a possibility of it clearing and brightening up, so I hope it still does. Just in case though, what should I do next time? after the touch up? Last time I was told to just wash it and apply lotion regularly, no ointment. I’m thinking of trying the bep ointment? My skin is really sensitive and fragile so I’m thinking I might need a little something extra for the healing process. Do I use it just like a lotion or use the ointment intially then switch to a lotion after the main healing/scabbing process?
Thanks for everyone’s advice so far
This is good advice. It really takes a good 6-8 weeks before its all healed. Don’t get any touch-ups until at least after this period is up. Remember this: When a tattoo is applied to a person, it is basically a procedure that creates an open wound. If you had a small incision in your skin done by a doctor tomorrow, would you cover it in lotion? No, you’d keep it dry so it can heal. Some people swear by lotions, creams, etc., but whatever you put on it, do the least amount you can manage. The more goop you put on it, the longer it can take to heal and the more damage you can do in the meantime. The lotion is great for that period of insane itchiness that happens 3-5 days after application.
That gray, milky film that covers the tattoo is normal. Its the skin healing and growing over the tattoo that was damaged during the process. If you put some lotion on and it darkens and clears up, you know you are good to go. And any artist worth their salt will touch up their work for free (I still gave my guy a nice tip for his time, I want to make sure he does great the next time. I take care of him, he takes care of me!).
Post pics if you can, don’t worry about quality. We’d al love to see them!
Alright, I managed to get some pretty decent photos and have uploaded them in an album on my profile. One of them is a lot better than the other, just some spots in some of the strokes are thinner, and the end of one of the strokes came off, apart from that it looks good. The other one looks a lot worse in my opinion and especially on the right side of it and the bottom of it is strange and kind of blotchy and faded. Maybe I am looking into it too much, but at least you guys can have a look and share your opinion :). Also when I put lotion on it, or get it wet it doesn’t get any darker, just stays the same.
They don’t have any cool meanings like love or hope! They are just my grandparent’s names (I’m Japanese). Two very important people to me.
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Hi! First post. 😀
I’ve had the same effect despite the use of bepanthen…
Does anyone know if this product is any good?
http://www.detria.fi/en/products/tattoo-tatuointi-en
I’ve heard a lot of good things about it, and not just from the advertisers. 😛
Use after inked!
http://www.afterinked.com/locations/locations.asp
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