I got this done on New Years eve and it ended up be a 12 hour session. I have other tattoos , my other only ever were 4-5 hour sessions. This was slightly infected around day 6 , Im on day 12. I know it is going to need extensive touching up. My husband used this artist for a sleeve and calf piece. He has had no issues , in fact he got his sleeve completed 5 days after this tattoo I’m having problems with and his looks a hundred times better with less healing time and a 9 hour session. I was initially air drying this( stupid) and that along with catching a cold AFTER the tattoo I have ended up with this. I layed on it around day 4 at night by accident. I used aquaphor up to day 3 and then switched to lubriderm until day 7 as instructed. I have since switched to an antibacterial spray and coconut oil and then patting excess off . Im using the cocout oil because anything else seems to saturate the scabs and leave the more ” healed” parts dry . I also noticed pus that wouldn’t stop when using the lubriderm. I have washed it and moisturized it three times a day since I got it. My real problem is I can’t walk, if feels like a burn on top of someone repeatedly punching me in my thigh. I know 12 hour sessions are not uncommon. Im just wondering what I can do to speed up the healing so I can walk properly without being in severe pain. I can’t stand for more than 3-4 minutes without having to lay back down on my couch. I have only found one other experience close to mine and I’m guessing a lot of this tattoo was overworked from what I read, me getting sick right after didn’t help either from what I gather. I don’t believe this is an allergy reaction as I haven’t had issues before. I don’t fault the artist, I said I was good for more time when really I should have stopped at the outline. Towards the end my leg just felt like a piece of steak with a bone in it. I couldn’t feel the center of the tattoo because the tattoo was numb at that point. I just think I shouldn’t go that long because my body can’t take it.

Like I said , this is the 12th day and aside from the horrible scabbing, the not being able to walk or sleep for very long is a major concern for me. I would love minimal scarring and minimal screwing this up but mostly I just want to walk, Im pretty sure this thing is completely screwed. I know it’s going to need work, if that’s even possible because I can tell the color has come off with then scabs in the shower. When I pat them dry the scabs are coming off with the paper towel.I started antibiotics yesterday ( 5 day Zpak) because I still have the cold going on for 9 days. I don’t know if this will help but I also am massaging around the tattoo with clean hands to try and promote blood flow, my thinking is it will help the area since I am having to lay down so much. This is my first post so I hope the pictures work. Any tips for healing is much appreciated. Thanks

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Photo 3 of 5 from s

Photo 4 of 5 from s