Tattooed people - healing times? What were your experiences?

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AdamAthletic
AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
in Chit-Chat
I had a new tattoo done a few days ago and usually at this point the skin surrounding the scar tissue is red (white blood cells fighting the ink, etc).
After only a few days, it looks weeks old!!!

Anybody have any similar experience?

Generally.. what was your most interesting/unexpected tattoo experience?

Replies

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Never had that happen :(

    I'm 2 weeks post #4, almost healed (st that uber itchy stage right now)...but no real funny/unique stories
  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
    edited January 2017
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    Never had that happen :(

    I'm 2 weeks post #4, almost healed (st that uber itchy stage right now)...but no real funny/unique stories

    Strange isn't it!!

    chb4isac55ub.jpg

    That is at only a few days old!
    Healing so quickly - the last one I had was red and sore around for a week or so!!
  • Lucy1752
    Lucy1752 Posts: 499 Member
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    Its been a while, but I do remember my colors ones, particularly the reds and yellows, heal much slower than my gray/black ones.

    The red actually caused a rash at the site of the ink at one point, but mine have been pretty uneventful as far as healing (6).
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
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    After 40 ish cumulative hours on my body I would say it varies on so many factors including but not limited to:

    Location, skin condition, the weather, your immune system, outline (fine or thick), shading, grey wash, heavy colour, the tattooer's technique, after care, dry or wet healing, friction and other irritants, etc etc.

    I've had some session heal really quickly (3-4days) and others go through a process of weepy, dry and tight, scabby, flakey, then a finer second flake from the edges with total healing of about 10 - 14 + days.

    I tend to have large areas covered at a time though with multiple sittings on big pieces.

    I think the simple little black ones on my fingers basically scabbed in a day then were fine by day 3.

    The most recent session on my almost finished 2nd sleeve is just at the settling in phase 3 weeks later.

  • Morgaen73
    Morgaen73 Posts: 2,817 Member
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    My half-sleeve (#2) is on week 4 and still not healed 100% while by first one took 2 weeks to heal.
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
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    nl8ltgubyvml.jpeg

    The red ventral scales on the snake, plus the black scales right around to forearm in from are the newest bits - about 3 weeks old.

    The red flowers on my wrist/hand were healed using the wet (wrapping) technique (Google if you care but I don't recommend it. Colour all took beautifully but such an uncomfortable process. Never again.

    Now I basically keep healing work clean, unscented plain moisuriser as needed, old school bepanthen (sparingly) once a day during the scabbing peeling phase.
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
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    I hope you had an actual Chinese or Japanese person proof read your tattoo (both use kanji). At my college we have an exchange program and one of the girls came back from the laundry with a "....." expression and told us that she met a girl with a tattoo and the girl said it meant 'strong' but it didn't! It meant 'hard' like a piece of wood. And she didn't want to say anything because it's not like she can get it changed at this point!

    I do really like the stylized dragon, it's quite beautiful.
  • Pam_Shebamm
    Pam_Shebamm Posts: 167 Member
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    Seems like you're healing just fine. Mine always start to look old once they start peeling, and then look good again once they're done.
  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
    edited January 2017
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    lizery wrote: »
    nl8ltgubyvml.jpeg

    The red ventral scales on the snake, plus the black scales right around to forearm in from are the newest bits - about 3 weeks old.

    The red flowers on my wrist/hand were healed using the wet (wrapping) technique (Google if you care but I don't recommend it. Colour all took beautifully but such an uncomfortable process. Never again.

    Now I basically keep healing work clean, unscented plain moisuriser as needed, old school bepanthen (sparingly) once a day during the scabbing peeling phase.

    Wow, great tattooes and it's given me some research with the techniques - I have some more planned in for later in the year!
    I used tattoo goo and just kept it clean and covered so far, seems to have done the trick!
  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
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    Relser wrote: »
    I hope you had an actual Chinese or Japanese person proof read your tattoo (both use kanji). At my college we have an exchange program and one of the girls came back from the laundry with a "....." expression and told us that she met a girl with a tattoo and the girl said it meant 'strong' but it didn't! It meant 'hard' like a piece of wood. And she didn't want to say anything because it's not like she can get it changed at this point!

    I do really like the stylized dragon, it's quite beautiful.

    That would suck for her, big time!

    I have a good number of friends in Japan, I had a friend translate 'Guardian Angel' for me and then asked other friends what it meant.
    When they all came back with the same answer I was happy! lol
  • Miz_T
    Miz_T Posts: 150 Member
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    When I got the triskelion on my big toe, it didn't hurt that much at all but I really had to focus on either going barefoot or wearing flip flops and doing my Taekwondo, I had to scale back my power on that foot. My diamonds on my chest, only the one closest to the center of my body hurt the most, but I discovered Skunk Gunk when I went to the RenFest and it looks as pretty today as the day I got it. Healing time was much shorter than the one on my toe. Wow, that turned out lengthier than I thought it would. TL:DR
  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
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    Miz_T wrote: »
    When I got the triskelion on my big toe, it didn't hurt that much at all but I really had to focus on either going barefoot or wearing flip flops and doing my Taekwondo, I had to scale back my power on that foot. My diamonds on my chest, only the one closest to the center of my body hurt the most, but I discovered Skunk Gunk when I went to the RenFest and it looks as pretty today as the day I got it. Healing time was much shorter than the one on my toe. Wow, that turned out lengthier than I thought it would. TL:DR

    Completely get where you're coming from with the pain being closer to the centre of the body - mine was the same!
    The further down it got, the more it felt like mice wearing tap dancing knife heals on my chest!!!

    Compared to my upper arm that just just like a sharp jabbing sensation but not painful as such!

    Then again. Different areas have more pain receptors than others so - guess it figures right?
  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
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    138shades wrote: »
    Drink more fluids......I mean you are suppose to be doing that anyway right? what did you apply to it/applying to it after and currently.

    I'm not complaining at how it's gone, just more surprised at how well it's healing.
    I'm constantly drinking water (trusty brita bottle and all lol) and I use Tattoo Goo!

    Just wondering about others experiences really :)
  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
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    138shades wrote: »
    Where did I say you were complaining?

    Didn't mean it like that :)
    Something about text having no tone right?

    My meaning was more - you're right about the hydration, something I do anyway - something we should all do :)

    And yeah.. tattoo goo!
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
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    AdamAthletic wrote: »
    lizery wrote: »
    nl8ltgubyvml.jpeg

    The red ventral scales on the snake, plus the black scales right around to forearm in from are the newest bits - about 3 weeks old.

    The red flowers on my wrist/hand were healed using the wet (wrapping) technique (Google if you care but I don't recommend it. Colour all took beautifully but such an uncomfortable process. Never again.

    Now I basically keep healing work clean, unscented plain moisuriser as needed, old school bepanthen (sparingly) once a day during the scabbing peeling phase.

    Wow, great tattooes and it's given me some research with the techniques - I have some more planned in for later in the year!
    I used tattoo goo and just kept it clean and covered so far, seems to have done the trick!

    Thanks. Over the years I've found keeping it simple works for me.

    The idea with the wet healing/wrapping technique is really for large areas where there is lots of trauma to the skin; keeps the plasma/serous ooze all against the wound and basically treats it like a burn. You wrap with clean cling wrap and take it of every for or so hours to wash off the slime. About day 3 it starts to peel, comes away pretty clean. At that point you leave it open as per other healing techniques.

    Some people swear by it but personally I think unless your hygiene is exemplary it creates a perfect moist environment to harbour bacteria. For me it was very uncomfortable.

    I definitely prefer just basic hygiene and moisturiser though. Much more comfortable.

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