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Post your tattoos
- Thread starter Nino
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Dechaios said:I see... damn... I'm tired of it already. I wanna go do stuff outside, or get back to working out... but making sure this comes out it's best is my top priority at the moment.
What the other poster said, about 2 weeks is normal. There is lots of different advice out there about how to care for your tattoo during the healing process. Me personally, I wash mine 3 times a day with unscented soap (Dial gold bar or some such) and put Aquafor on it to keep it moisturized for the first 3 days. Also wrap it at night with plastic wrap and scotch tape for the first 3 days to sweat out the excess ink, and also to keep it from getting on sheets. After that I use some type of unscented lotion for the rest of the time. Idea being that if you keep it moisturized that it heals faster and scabs less. I got lazy on the last one I did and slacked off almost completely and it healed fine so it depends on how much it itches and how OCD you are about it.
I know a lot of people that do absolutely nothing to their tattoos during the healing process and theirs look amazing. So I think you'll have the same results, it's just your comfort with the itching since you shouldn't pick at them at all.
It has not itched at all! Very little pain or anything like that. I was washing mine first couple of days but it feels like if I keep washing it, I could wash the scab off and I'm scared of that-- I just want it to naturally dry up and fall off without my exposing the new skin underneath it too soon. I don't even get it wet in the shower at all. I can tell on the parts of the tattoo where the artist didn't go over it again and again the skin is already starting to flake/peel a little but I'm still not going to touch it. Do you think it is important to moisturize? Do I have the complete wrong idea about how to treat the scab? I just figure it's a natural casing that protects the raw skin beneath and it will crust away when the time comes.andycapps said:
When could I possibly start working out again? Maybe going for a run or whatever. The tattoo is on the underside of my forearm.
Dechaios said:
Like I said, it just all depends on who you talk to. I've always taken the route of keeping mine moisturized and most of the people I know do that as well. But then you have the others that don't do anything and theirs turn out fine. So it's up to you. Keeping it moisturized does tend to skip that scabbing phase and go to the peeling phase a little faster, IMO. I do think it'd be a good idea for you to wash it though, at the least.
As far as running, As long as you're not moving the skin in the area you got tattooed you should be okay. Just no swimming or anything until it's healed. Did the artist you went to give you any aftercare instructions?
ChiTownBuffalo
Either I made up lies about the Boston Bomber or I fell for someone else's crap. Either way, I have absolutely no credibility and you should never pay any attention to anything I say, no matter what the context. Perm me if I claim to be an insider
I am on jiujitsu hiatus for another week or so.
This is on their site and what it said on the instructions she gave to me...andycapps said:
Tattoo Aftercare Instructions:
Gently remove bandage 1-2 hours after procedure.
Wash tattoo using clean hands and antibacterial pump soap, such as Dial or Softsoap.
Pat dry using a clean paper towel and allow to airdry.
Let it breathe.
If needed, massage a very small amount of fragrance-free lotion, like Curel, onto the tattoo.
Most Important Factors in Healing a Tattoo:
Cleanliness (Never touch with dirty hands.)
Allow it to breathe.
Light moisture.
Protect it from the sun.
No additional trauma to the skin.
No water logging or soaking in a bathtub or swimming in a pool.
So yeah it said "if needed, moisturize"... also it says to wash only after you got it so that's what I did for a couple days. I suppose I should wash it again though. But I've been following these instructions pretty closely otherwise.. especially about keeping it from the sun! Maybe I'll try a little moisturizer tonight and see how it feels.
I really appreciate your advice, man. Thank you.
natethegreat409
Member
They are not as fragile as you think they are. I have them all over, and here is what I do in terms of healing one.Dechaios said:
I wash it twice a day with Dial anti-bacterial soap. I put an ointment on it called Aquaphor. Put a small amount onto your hand and rub it into the tattoo. Dab off excess with a paper towel. Avoid direct sunlight/tanning beds. I find that sweating does not do anything to it. Don't soak it in a bathtub or pool, that WILL pull ink out. I've seen it done with my own tattoo. When drying your new tattoo, do not rub it. Just pat it dry. Do not itch or pull off scabs or dying skin.
Generally, the only thing that will happen during the healing process is loss of some ink, which can easily be fixed by having the piece touched up. My friend does touch ups for free, but some artist will charge you for it.
Good luck man, and I hope you love your piece!
If you have anymore questions ask. I work in a tattoo studio doing paperwork and cleaning, and my best friend is a tattoo artist. So if I can't answer, I will surely ask him.
I do like the exact oppisite of what andy does. I leave the plastic and guaze on three to 24 hours after the works done. I wash it with warm water let it breathe and use unscented lotion to keep it moisturized. If you get work done on your upper body its best to sleep with a cotton shirt on that way you don't stick to your sheets or blanket.
Lionheart1827
Member
Got this done recently. I don't really mind if people don't like tribals, I like the way mine came out.
nastynate409 said:
Well, I do have a question. Do tattoo artists like working on designs from scratch following your ideas/directions (like those instances where they don't have what you want in their catalog and have to draw it themselves)? Or they'd rather have you give them at least some sketch?
PumpkinPie
Banned
MCX said:
Why are you even in this thread if you don't like tattoos?
Dechaios said:
As for this, basically I had the tattoo done when I was 18 or so (I'm an old man of 24 now), I pretty much rushed into it and although it seemed like a good idea at the time, on reflection it was silly. About 6 months after I had it done I was feeling rough and then found out I had quite a serious illness, last year started to think about the tattoo more and more and thought about my arm brandished with something that does not reflect my lifestyle at all now.
I would definitely get another tattoo (I most likely will anyway) but it'd have to be something more serious and well thought through.
Good advice, thanks very much! Yeah I love my tattoo already, it's awesome. I'm actually surprised at how ballsy I was to get my first tattoo on my forearm.. such a revealing place(it is of good size, too).nastynate409 said:
I may pick up some aquafor or some kind of moisturizer after talking to you guys, seems pretty useful. I'll keep washing it and keep it out of the sun for sure. I've also been patting it dry like you said. I don't know if the artist I had does touch-ups for free but if there is any missing detail I'll ask her to touch it up when I go to get my next tattoo in a couple months and I'll see what her personal policy is on it.
Right now is great since I'm unemployed at the moment and can just laze around taking care of my tattoo, but how do you deal with healing a tattoo when you have a job and you've got heavy clothes over the tat all day? Just asking because I wanna plan out when I get my next design.
Thanks to anyone who is giving me advice
beje said:
The artists that do mine like to have me give them an idea and then they draw it up. Sometimes I'll send them a picture or a tattoo I found and ask them to come up with something like it. They definitely do tattoos for people that are out of flash books, but I've never gotten one of those and those usually aren't the tattoos that they "like" to do.. But not every artist is the same and some of them are in it just for the money and could care less what they're doing.
Zeke said:
:lol See, everyone is different. The body is an incredibly resilient thing and capable of healing itself pretty easily, so you could probably do jack-squat to your tattoos and it'd be fine.. It's really just the comfort in the healing and how much willpower you have to not scratch it, or whether you'd scratch it in your sleep when you're not conscious of it.
But yeah, some people wrap theirs the first couple days at night, some don't. I pretty much only do it to keep it from staining my sheets and to get the drainage process over with ASAP.
Dechaios said:Good advice, thanks very much! Yeah I love my tattoo already, it's awesome. I'm actually surprised at how ballsy I was to get my first tattoo on my forearm.. such a revealing place(it is of good size, too).
I may pick up some aquafor or some kind of moisturizer after talking to you guys, seems pretty useful. I'll keep washing it and keep it out of the sun for sure. I've also been patting it dry like you said. I don't know if the artist I had does touch-ups for free but if there is any missing detail I'll ask her to touch it up when I go to get my next tattoo in a couple months and I'll see what her personal policy is on it.
Right now is great since I'm unemployed at the moment and can just laze around taking care of my tattoo, but how do you deal with healing a tattoo when you have a job and you've got heavy clothes over the tat all day? Just asking because I wanna plan out when I get my next design.
Thanks to anyone who is giving me advice
Curel inscented works great I'd go with that
natethegreat409
Member
My friend does not like having to draw from other people's minds. Too often does he hear, "I dunno what I want, I just want you to draw me something unique." People don't realize how much pressure that puts on him. He likes to work from a sketch, so he has some starting point. If you bring in something, he will generally give it his own touch and style, unless you really want to stick to the exact image that you brought in.beje said:
Most of the time someone will come in and ask for something, and I will find something similar in the catalogs. Then the artist will work with that image to meet the customers needs. Whether that is combining images, or adding stuff.
I had a woman come in a few weeks ago and wanted 2 of her poodles tattooed on her.... She did not bring the poodle or a picture and tried to explain what they looked like. He simply could not do that. It was an absurd request.
However, all the artist up there do like drawing ideas up, but normally it's specific things. Like my friend loves drawing up Christian tattoos. If you bring him some ideas about Christianity, he will love drawing them up. However, bring in something else, and he won't enjoy it as much. The other artist up there loves doing horror stuff. Everyone has their taste, ya know.
ChiTownBuffalo
Either I made up lies about the Boston Bomber or I fell for someone else's crap. Either way, I have absolutely no credibility and you should never pay any attention to anything I say, no matter what the context. Perm me if I claim to be an insider
Yeah it all depends. I mean, they new guy I have now, I've been working with him on a piece, and he and I throw back and forth alot of ideas. But as long as you are thorough and give enough guidance, good artists can come up with something great.
Example, I want something very traditional. Sailor Jerry-esque. Which my artist is down with, he suggest some slight variations taking ispiration from Jose Posada's work, which I was unfamiliar with at the time. But it looks and works great.
Example, I want something very traditional. Sailor Jerry-esque. Which my artist is down with, he suggest some slight variations taking ispiration from Jose Posada's work, which I was unfamiliar with at the time. But it looks and works great.
ChiTownBuffalo said:
Nice, everything I'm getting is traditional, so I can relate to that. Your artist should check out some stuff by Leroy Minugh, I believe. He was a traditional tattoo artist out in LA and tattooed for years.. My artists have a couple of his books with his drawings in it and some of them are incredible if you like traditional/old school. I'll probably get something inspired by one of his drawings soon.
beje said:
I've gotten a couple of piercings and I think those are a little easier simply because they're over with as soon as the needle goes in. With the tattoo it's going to be painful for the 1-3 hours you're getting it. It also depends on how heavy handed your artist is, how many times they go over what they already did, and where you're getting the tattoo.
andycapps said:
Well, I'd rather have some pain for 1 to 3 hours and then forget about it just to get it cleaned/moisturized than the 3 nightmarish weeks I had to suffer with a swollen lip, a long-ass bar I was continuously biting while having lunch and pain everytime I touched the area around it. And that happened being completely strict with all the hygiene measures I was advised to undertake.
krypt0nian
Banned
beje said:
Depends on the artist, but if you do some research, you can tell who has the stuff and who is a hack.
I gave Miles Maniaci at Deluxe Tattoo in Chicago two pics:
and let him do his magic to get this:
Zeke said:
So far my worst is my stomach. 3 hours of getting tattooed there by a guy that is super heavy handed, and actually moves really fast. The whole time was just excruciating, but especially when he got close to my sternum and got on that a little. I think I left a puddle of sweat on the table after that one. :lol
I hate the question when people see my tattoos when they ask if they hurt, of course they hurt. It's a needle poking into your skin many times a second. :lol Getting tattooed sucks, it's the result that gets people addicted and coming back for more. I don't think it's unbearable in the least, but it's not painless. Just don't be whiny and ruin the experience for other people in the shop. You'll also probably get made fun of by your artist as soon as you walk out if you're carrying on about it. :lol
Will be getting this on the top of my arm just below my shoulder in the next few weeks. I have recently been getting very interested in the man himself aswell as evolution so I would love to have a small tribute to him.
In the future I would love to get one of something representing Carl Sagan.
In the future I would love to get one of something representing Carl Sagan.
oxrock
Gravity is a myth, the Earth SUCKS!
Although I do indeed like dragons, that's not really what it's all about. I've always felt as if within me is is an overwhelming reservoir of untapped potential. In my tattoo it's finally clawing it's way up to the surface.
*edit* Cropped to reduce enormous size.
natethegreat409
Member
I hate piercings, so I say if you can handle a piercing you can handle a tattoo. I have my nipples pierced and my junk pierced twice. Piercings just stay sore for so much longer than a tattoo, and if you accidentally tug on it, it hurts so much.beje said:
As for going to work with a new tattoo, like I said, tattoos aren't as fragile as everyone makes them out to be. I use to get a tattoo and then go to work that night. I worked on an ambulance too, so I was moving and sweating, but I never had a bad result because of it. Just take care of it like normal, and try to avoid rubbing it against stuff, but don't worry too much about it. Clothes aren't going to hurt your tattoo. The only bad result I ever had was getting my feet tattooed on and then wearing combat boots the next day. It rubbed a lot of the ink out, but I knew it was going to happen. The tattoo was done as a joke, and I was not worried about it.
Patrick Bateman
Member
ohhthegore said:Here's mine I just got finished
Wow, that looks really great!
sullytao said:Will be getting this on the top of my arm just below my shoulder in the next few weeks. I have recently been getting very interested in the man himself aswell as evolution so I would love to have a small tribute to him.
In the future I would love to get one of something representing Carl Sagan.
You just recently got interested in the subject/man and want to get a tat for it?
Smh.
Do me
yourself
Also, why not get something that looks cooler. That sh*t is ugly. Get Darwin's portrait if you do decide you wanna go through with it.
ImperialConquest said:
By recent I mean year or so not just last week lol. It was before christmas that I decided that I wanted that design.
I was first going to go with his drawing of the tree of life but everytime I got the transfer thing on my arm I found that it just didn't do it for me. I then came across that design on the net when I was looking for something different and I thought it would look great. Best part about it is it can be small and still be perfectly viewable. I think the design itself is really cool aswell. Its simple yet it says plenty.
natethegreat409
Member
I think it's pretty disrespectful to Christians personally. Unless I'm totally misinterpreting things, it's a a spit in the face to believers. I'm not sure why exactly you would want to do that. True Christians, are very good people, and when I was not a believer I never wanted to disrespect them or challenge their beliefs. My beliefs make me feel good, and help me become a better person.sullytao said:
I'm not attacking you by any means, I have just seen this tattoo done before and I know why those people were getting it. It makes them no better than the Christians who berate Aethist. Two wrongs, don't make a right.
nastynate409 said:
Well, I see no difference from people that get religious imaginery tattoed. It's not like you're rubbing it in their faces, or them in yours for what matters.
Also, I don't know about the USA, but in the rest of the civilized world, believing in god does not automatically invalidates believing in science and vice versa, you know, all that thing about the bible being a huge tale written when people just didn't know anything about how the world and the nature worked, and that it doesn't have to be taken as a matter of fact, but interpretate the message of love from god and Jesus from it.
natethegreat409
Member
I think it's the tattoo itself that seems like a "jab". It's a play on a religious symbol itself. If you got a Darwin potrait tattoo on yourself, I would not think twice about it. But to take something that is a symbol of Christianity, and mock it, is insulting to some degree.beje said:
beje said:
Well it's definitely up to you what you get, but I see what nastynate is saying and I agree with him. I'm a Christian and it's not the part of getting Darwin himself tattooed on you, but the fact that the Icthus was a part of the early Christian church and a symbol that they used. So the Darwin/Ichthus is making fun of the real symbol and could be seen as offensive by some.
Nastynate, you should post some of yours on here.
natethegreat409
Member
I will have someone take some pictures of my work soon. Mine are on my ribs, chest, and back. Very hard places for me to photograph, but I will get a friend take some pictures for me as soon as possible for you guys.andycapps said:
I'm pretty private with mine. I'm not ashamed of them by no means, but they are personal things to me, that were done for reasons I don't really want to talk to people about. People always ask me what they mean.... Some have meaning, but a lot were done because I was having some serious emotional problems and I enjoyed hurting myself.
krypt0nian
Banned
I get what you guys are saying with the Darwin tatt, but pissing people off has always been a legitimate tattoo result.
Get what you want.
Get what you want.
OJdaKiller
Member
I like that MGS piece.
Figured I'd share my experiences with two different methods for aftercare of tattoos.
My first sleeve I was instructed to use "traditional" means to heal it. Meaning keep the bandage on for about 8-12 hours after getting the work done, wash it with antibacterial soap, other than normally washing it put nothing on it for four days, and finally put non-scented lotion it for about 2 weeks to help with healing (roughly every 2-4 hours). This method resulted in more color loss than I wanted, scabs/peeling for about a week, plus the four days of putting nothing on it other than washing it leads to it feeling and looking irritated.
The other method I'm using for a sleeve I'm working on now is, imo, MUCH better. After having the work done remove the bandage in roughly 4 hours. Wash it with antibacterial soap, always pat it dry (never rub) and apply a thin layer of Aquaphor for the first four days every 4 hours (obviously skipping when you sleep). After the 4th day, then you apply nonscented lotion to it roughly every 2-4 hours for about 2 weeks. This method has resulted in much, much faster healing times, much less color loss (really next to none), and of course, next to no irritation during the healing process. After roughly 15-20 hours of work, this method has resulted in no need for touchups, where as the previous method some touchup was necessary nearly after every session.
So in short, use Aquaphor. You can buy it at Walgreens (cost about 5-6 bucks). It makes a major difference!
Figured I'd share my experiences with two different methods for aftercare of tattoos.
My first sleeve I was instructed to use "traditional" means to heal it. Meaning keep the bandage on for about 8-12 hours after getting the work done, wash it with antibacterial soap, other than normally washing it put nothing on it for four days, and finally put non-scented lotion it for about 2 weeks to help with healing (roughly every 2-4 hours). This method resulted in more color loss than I wanted, scabs/peeling for about a week, plus the four days of putting nothing on it other than washing it leads to it feeling and looking irritated.
The other method I'm using for a sleeve I'm working on now is, imo, MUCH better. After having the work done remove the bandage in roughly 4 hours. Wash it with antibacterial soap, always pat it dry (never rub) and apply a thin layer of Aquaphor for the first four days every 4 hours (obviously skipping when you sleep). After the 4th day, then you apply nonscented lotion to it roughly every 2-4 hours for about 2 weeks. This method has resulted in much, much faster healing times, much less color loss (really next to none), and of course, next to no irritation during the healing process. After roughly 15-20 hours of work, this method has resulted in no need for touchups, where as the previous method some touchup was necessary nearly after every session.
So in short, use Aquaphor. You can buy it at Walgreens (cost about 5-6 bucks). It makes a major difference!