Getting a tattoo - advice needed

[mojocho]

Very nice story behind the tat!

Mine was about 3 hours. I think i cried for about 2 hrs and 45 minutes of it. The other 15 minutes was when he and I were taking a couple of smoke breaks together. Then he'd get ready while i started to whimper. i think the outline was more painful than the shading. The outline felt like he was just slowly slicing me over and over again.

But you have to realize I cry when I bump my little piggy and cried during Charlotte's Web. So it's all relative.

SOunds like you've really done your homework. Good luck and hope to see the final work!

[Scruit]

Are you sure you want a rose on your arm for the rest of your life? How many people would like their Barbwire, Tasmanian Devil, Dolphin, Weird Verse, Stars, Japanese Lettering, Tribal, Footprint, Rainbow, or Marvin the Martian removed.

Read the backstory. Yes, this is a forever decision. I've wanted it for 10 years, and I still do. I will never stop missing my mother.

[Scruit]

DONE!

It came out perfectly. Rev.Dice at Sweet Baby Octane added his artistry to the concept and I liked what he did so we went ahead with his improved version of my original concept.

The pain was much less than I expected. The only sucky bit was when he was shading over the bit of the scapula that forms the hard bump you feel on the top of your shoulder on top of your arm. Also, the outside of the arm was fine but the leaves that wrapped around the front and back of my arm were more painful. I was able to continue a light conversation throughout it all so it really wasn't bad at all (the conversation really DOES help take your mind off the pain).

Some areas felt like burning, some felt like the needle stick you get when you get a local anesthetic in your skin. Afterwards it felt like a bad sunburn. Been 2 hours now and the sunburn feeling has gone.

[jester3681]

Looks awesome! Wait till 3am when you wake up after rolling over onto it. I woke myself up several times a night after I got my back done.

[Scruit]

Looks awesome! Wait till 3am when you wake up after rolling over onto it. I woke myself up several times a night after I got my back done.

I'm gonna be sleeping in the recliner for the week!

[Helmutt]

Oh, and my next tattoos after this are going to be on my elbows. On the left it will say; "Here comes" and on the right it will say; "the pain"

Telling you first hand, elbow has to be the WORST compared to any other part of the arm. At least it was for me. Once he started laying ink, it was one freaky ass feeling! You will squirm for sure. It hurts like he's hammering into your funnybone. I have a full sleeve and will take the underarm over the elbow ANY day.

Get that shit on the outside of your forearms so they can read it on its way in to slam their nose or eyesocket

Awesome work! Looks great man. Just wash it 3 or 4 times a day and keep a light coat of A&D ointment (or Tattoo Goo) for a few days and then lotion after that. You will be healed up in a week or so. Once it starts flaking, it will itch so just keep the lotion on it. DONT USE ANTIBIOTIC CREAMS, it will want to draw the ink out and could blotch it up

Edited September 17, 2012 by Hellmutt

[Gixxus Christ!]

Just make sure you wash the plasma off it 3 times a day with dial or some similar anti-bacteria soap, cuts down tremendously on scab thickness.

[KZ900]

...

Edited November 13, 2012 by KZ900

[snot]

Wow! Awesome job...

[BadTrainDriver]

Very pretty!

[Gixxus Christ!]

That is some fine work man, you should be proud.

[magley64]

congrats...

[Pokey]

Very nice!!!! And Aquaphor is the ointment of choice for most shops, put a light coat on and don't go crazy with it. When it starts to itch, resist the urge to scratch, and only use your soapy hand to clean it in the shower.

[slingingchic]

Looks good!

[slingingchic]

Very nice!!!! And Aquaphor is the ointment of choice for most shops, put a light coat on and don't go crazy with it. When it starts to itch, resist the urge to scratch, and only use your soapy hand to clean it in the shower.

I used Arbonne body conditioning oil 100% natural and it keeps ink vivid that shit is awesome and healed in no time flat!

[jester3681]

I used the Eucerin lotion that comes in a little tub for my most recent two - used fragrance and additive free Curel for the other ones. I liked the Eucerin better, but you had to put it on three times a day (sometimes more) but I felt like it protected the skin a lot better. But hell, you're just about healed by now...

[Scruit]

The lighter areas (red/rose) are peeling like bad sunburn but they don't hurt at all.

The darker areas (black/stems) are all scabbed over.

I'm letting the peeling/scabs come off naturally and I've been wearing workout shirts since the tat was done so clothing doesn't rub on it.

The artist said I'd have to avoid swimming/running/martial arts for a week. I still have two days of healing before then so I'll send him a pic and get his feedback before I get back into those activities.

[Pokey]

Too dry, you need some lube on that.

[snot]

^+1

[Scruit]

That was taken right before the morning wash / moisturizer.

[Hoblick]

Looks great!

[Scruit]

Dunno what happened today, but the scabs all started to fall off all at the same time. I didn't pick at them - just my usual washing routine - I have a spray bottle of weak antibacterial soap (20% dial gold / 80% water) and I spray the tattoo until it it is wet enough to start to drip/run, then I spray my hand until it's soaked. Then I wipe VERY softly with the goal of not disturbing the scabs/peeling skin. Then I rinse by cupping lukewarm water in my hand and pour it down the tattoo to rinse the soap off - takes about 10 handfuls. Finally I blot dry with paper towel. I do this 3 or 4 times a day.

Every other wash, I moisturize with lubriderm - rub it in trying to not disturb the scab/peeling skin, and then blot up the excess.

Today each time I wash I've found loads of tattoo-color scabs - they've been flaking off during my extremely gentle washing, so I guess it's their time. Yesterday I could only see a couple of missing scabs - today about half the scabs came off and the rest are hanging by a thread.

Last night:

Now:

(The skin looks red here - it's the lighting - when you look at the skin with a human eye there's no redness at all)

Edited September 23, 2012 by Scruit

[jester3681]

Don't freak out - mine did that - may just be our skin type. I'd have the entire thing "peel" just before it was more or less healed. Keep moisturizing, but if you're like me, at this point the "open wound" portion of your tattoo progress is over. I'd say it's like a sunburn now, care for it as such.

Incidentally, my first tattoo (on my bicep) didn't do this as badly, for whatever reason. My second one (much larger, on my back) was the first one to really peel completely. I was scared shitless the whole thing came off since I couldn't see it.

[Scruit]

Don't freak out - mine did that - may just be our skin type. I'd have the entire thing "peel" just before it was more or less healed. Keep moisturizing, but if you're like me, at this point the "open wound" portion of your tattoo progress is over. I'd say it's like a sunburn now, care for it as such.

Incidentally, my first tattoo (on my bicep) didn't do this as badly, for whatever reason. My second one (much larger, on my back) was the first one to really peel completely. I was scared shitless the whole thing came off since I couldn't see it.

The darker colors scabbed and the lighter colors are peeling like sunburn. Underneath the scabs, the new skin i silver and some of it is also peeling like sunburn. While I was using aquaphor the scabs were soft/wet to a point where I had to be very careful when patting-dry for fear that the scab would disintegrate.

Since stopping the aquaphor the scabs have been dry/hard. The tat has lots of long lines and the long scabs were cracked into smaller pieces by the normal movement of my arm, and just today the act of carefully rinsing just washed most of the scabs away. I didn't feel them coming off, so I'm sure they were ready to come off.

Rev.Dice has been great with my aftercare - I've been sending him pics and hes been tweaking the aftercare where needed. I'm going back to running tomorrow, but I'll wait until the scab/peel phase is 100% done before going back to swimming/karate/jujitsu - I'm sure nobody wants to get covered in my scabs! I'm like pigpen right now - skin and scabs all in a cloud around me...

[jester3681]

Yeah, fro me, even my biggest stuff was more or less healed to the touch in about a week. It was still tender for two, maybe three in some places, but you should be ok to swim and what-not once the scabbing is more or less done. Just be sure to was the chlorine off with water and mild soap, then moisturize, moisturize, moisturize - I can't say enough good about Eucerin. I think it gives just the right about of moisture, but you have to apply frequently.