Hi Mike,

It’s really hard to say what an infected tattoo will look like until its fully healed as your skin is still repairing.

I really would try to not worry (as easy as it is for me to say) until around the 4th week when your infection will have died down and the scabbing stage will be over. You will then have a picture if any ink was lost during the infection and if you will need a touch up.

I had an infection in my forearm tattoo. Did a full session of 5 hours, it was super raw and also a coverup so the artist packed loads of ink in. The infection started healing the day after I started antibiotics, and I didn’t loose much ink, because I caught it early, which it sounds like you did too – so that’s great! Anyway, it looks a bit more faded because of the infection so I’m going for a touch up next month.

It happes to everyone. It could be any number of factors not just your artist and their studio. Even the most careful of people get an infection, especially if it’s a big piece.

Try not to worry, check it out on the 4th week and contact your artist letting them know you have an infection and they will more than likely give you advice and offer the free touch up 🙂

Hope it all turns out ok!!

Hi!

Sorry to hear you don’t like your tat 🙁

You’re probably going to have to go darker than the brown.. so probably black, but honestly the best thing to do is go to an artist you like and ask their advice. They may reccommend you go for a few sessions of lazer before they are able to go with a lighter colour.

Hi!!

I hope you have resolved this but in case anyone comes across this and notices similarities with their own tattoo:

I think this is infected. Oozy patches like this can indicate an infection and if left untreated with antibiotics could cause further infection and damage to the ink. I always hated bepanthan because of how thick it was when applying and it’s almost impossible to not drag your skin as you apply it. I always found it was really difficult to add a thin layer as all the artist suggests.

Most of my new tattoo artists have told me to never use bepantan and to switch to a tattoo specific lotion like hussle butter, tattoo goo or butterluxe. Butterluxe is my fav because it is so thin and slides onto the tattooed skin so easily.

Hope you got your tattoo resolved 🙂

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Hii!

Excess ink, plasma and gunk is totally normal from a fresh tattoo and can actually keep seeping this for 2/3 days after being under the needle. Artists suggest keeping tattoos wrapped in cling film at night for this reason because all the excess ink comes out of your skin and can get stuck to bedsheets.

If you think about the tattoo needle being loaded with ink and then shot into your skin a bit like when a needle to take blood goes in your skin, when the needle comes out so does blood. Punctures in your skin will leak if excess has been put in which is the tattooing process. Mix all the ink with petrolium jelly or moisturiser that help the needle glide over your skin you are bound to ooze plasma and ink for days.

I wouldn’t reccommend scrubbing a tattoo. Lightly wet the area by cupping luke-warm water in your hands and running this over the tattooed area. If it stings, this is normal but you may have the water too hot. Once the area is wet, take non-scented soap and lather up a small amount. Rub this over gently, using only the balls of your fingertips (be careful if you have nails not to scratch the area) and then rince in the same way by cupping. Try to get all the plasma off within the first 24 hours of being tattooed or it can form a really heavy scab.

Hope this helps (but my guess is this is a few days ago and you’ve probably resolved it) 🙂

Hi!

I have had a cover-up on my arm similar to yourself except my old tattoo was quite fresh but only line work.

My artist told me that once the ink settles I may be able to still see the existing tattoo underneith at no fault of my own or the tattooist. It’s hard for me to advise since I’m unsure of what you had covered up, the pigment of the ink, design and so forth and what is now over the top of the old tattoo.

I would highly reccommend waiting until it has healed and seeing how the new ink settles in your skin. A good artist would not want your tattoo to look unfinished, they want to make their clients happy – so I would ideally go back to the same tattooist for 1 more touch up. I don’t think many pieces should take more than 2 sessions to finish, unless we are talking a huge piece on the whole thigh or portion of the back.

With my coverup I have my 2nd session booked for March for a touch up as the old tattoo is still visible. I have asked the opinion of my friends and each of them cannot tell what I had covered up and actually tend to guess its hiding in a completely unrelated part of the design.. but to me, I can still see the old design. I lothed it so much that of course I want every single line to never be visible ever again.. it’s not how our brains work unfortunately. Perservere until the healing has finished and I’m sure it will look awesome, if not.. trust your artist to give it a 2nd go over.

Hope it all works out!

🙂

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