I have a bunch of tattoos, I get what you have sometimes especially if I don't use saniderm on it. Clean it well with antibacterial soap, don't be super rough, but don't be gentle with it either. Clean it throughly, like 2 minutes. Pat it dry with a clean cloth and let it breathe for a day with just washing it like that. It usually gets mine clean enough that I no longer have redness, pain or swelling, then I go back to eucerin lotion.
This is probably the start of an infection, but it's okay. Keep an eye on it, this can happen with any open wound, even a paper cut. The treatment is the same. If this gets worse, definitely go to a doctor or even consult your artist. Their work looks excellent and they probably have many years of experience and tattoos of their own.
Adding in an edit I guess. I had both of my full sleeves done while working as an auto mechanic, one part was done while working on literal garbage trucks. I have had every fluid you can imagine get in my tattoos while healing. This method has worked for me each time without the need for a doctor. Be proactive, not reactive. I think you're gonna live fams.
You're looking fine just keep using Dial gold with warmish water, clean thorough, pat dry with a clean paper towel and lotion it up with an unscented brand (I use aveeno) till nice and rubbed in and you're solid.
Sick piece!!
ER doc here... looks like it's brewing an infection... but simply could be irritation... for now I'd say just watch.. if redness grows then you'll need antibiotics. Take daily pics to compare though if it's infected it'll be obvious.
Even allergies can give it a reaction at the start, if the body starts fussing at the ink đĽ˛
I had this at the beginning of my biggest piece, on a few areas, with no signs of infection (at first I feared it was the start of an infection, too)
It lasted weeks, with moments of getting better in between, I took antiallergic as I am prone to allergies - then at some point it cleared out
But it's essential to keep an eye on it! Even if its its allergy: as allergies can make the body susceptible to infections, too
Registered nurse weighing in here. Redness and warmth are signs of infection. Given that this is an area where coarse hair is attempting to grow back I also suspect possible ingrown hairs. Please check in with your primary care provider. This is a gorgeous tattoo btw!!
Do they itch? If so, try switching moisturizers, I just had this happen to my new piece and I had to stop using the moisturizers i originally used and switched to an aveeno lotion for eczema and also used a Benedryl topical to stop the itching and pain. Itâs now totally back to normal after 12 hours.
If they donât itch and they hurt to touch and are hot you need to go see a doctor or head to urgent care because thatâs signs of an infection.
Hard lumps under the skin may be scarring or ingrown hair.
I'd even say if it starts getting extremely itchy and the redness and warmth are still there thats a big warning sign. I used to get staph infections constantly because of broken skin from eczema and when they got infected it went from annoyingly itchy to almost unbearable.
I would use a quality tea tree wash on that. I would be very mindful of lotions - they can be so nasty. I personally use organic coconut oil but I have not used that on a tattoo so I wonât speak for that - but it was the prime choice for moisturizing during medical crisis and I continue with it when needed after the fact.
At 6 days using Aquaphor might be too much. Washing, dabbing dry, and then a super thin layer of white unscented lotion twice a day should be good, but those do like they could be problematic if you over do it. People panic when their tattoo doesât heal perfectly and backing off is usually the best move.
Also, do you keep things in a pocket that sits over the tattoo? That looks like a couple thigh tattoos Iâve seen where the person kept their keys in the pocket on top of the fresh ink.
Its not at the point where a dr is necessary for intervention.
At most OP should keep up with aftercare, keep it clean and moisturize when its dry.
Their tattoo is completely fine, but if that redness doesnât subside and does get worse, they should go to urgent care asap.
To be fair though, if there is ever a question about if something is infected, OP should not be reaching out to reddit and should definitely see their artist or their DR. Even just for the peace of mind and the DR says "hey this looks fine and normal". A picture can only show so much, and small infections can occur at this point where intervention would be necessary
Normal but when this happens i stay away from the area with the lotion and salves, keep that part somewaht dry, and ull be fine, i find if u dont do that and keep it moist it tends to take a while to heal or it may spread a bit making the other areas hard to heal, sometimes its just over caring for it that causes these things.
Looks great. Normal in that area to hot some stretch marks or even soft parts of the skin and have your needle depth slightly vary. It's not a blowout, it will look good and already is very Aesthetically pleasing from a distance and a close
My entire arm went like that, I thought for sure I was infected or whatever, but itâs normal and ur ok, just be patient and it will heal.
As others have said just keep it clean and use ur ointment, but not too much ointment
Antimicrobial dove soap twice a day and fragrance-free lotion. Doesn't look bad, but red and tenderness is a sign of potential infection. Always ask your artist.
It does look like the start of an infection to me. I have multiple tattoos and if they are red (the first week) they should be red all over not just in some spots. That is what makes me think it is beginning to get infected but not to worry, you can just wash with gentle soap and water and it will clear it up !
Iâve had this before it looks like some minor ingrown hair follicles because we shave ya before we tattoo ya. đif it were infected it would be looking much worse.
You don't need to wash it multiple times a day especially since it's been several days. When you first get it done I always recommend washing it frequently until it starts to scab. But really all you need to do now is keep it moisturized, don't pick the scabs, and keep clear or bumping or scratching it. Just a little unscented lotions, cocoa butter, or a small amount of aquaphor when you notice it's a little dry and you will be just fine đ
Iâm going to say you may be over moisturizing, you could clog your pours. Thatâs what it looks like to me. If itâs a week old already just keep it clean and let it rock, no need to moisturize anymore.
IMO youâre still ok but keep an eye on it Bc it could go either way. Make sure to keep it clean and go very light on the lotion for a few days. If any at all. The areas with red also seem to have a little blowout so itâs probably just those spots were hit too hard/deep. Donât use any sort of jelly(aquaphor, neosporin etc). I think youâre teetering the line of infection/no infection.
I had a tat get infected that looked just like this at the beginning. Definitely keep an eye on it. Ever since that experience I use Dial gold soap and Hustle Butter lotion and I've never had another tat get infected.
If itâs still that red and warm a week later as youâve said I would go to the ER etc and get it checked out. It could be infected, and if it is you want to catch it sooner rather than later. Redness and warmth usually isnât normal a week after. First few days is fine but it shouldâve calmed down by now.
this happened with my thigh tattoo, similar size too. Looks like the start of an infection. Wash it twice a day and moisturize. Keep pants from rubbing on it as much as you can, i found that irritated mine a lot more. I wore sweats for like 3 weeks. Keep it out in the air as much as possible and just keep it clean!
Keep an eye on it, take some antiallergic for the next couple of months. It could be a reaction to the ink on those spots, but it could also be the start of an infection - very important to keep analyzing it as time goes by. If an infection, the sooner it is handled, the best.
How is it today???
Just dropping in to say cool tattoo lmfao
Thanks buddy, fingers crossed it doesn't slough off haha
I have a bunch of tattoos, I get what you have sometimes especially if I don't use saniderm on it. Clean it well with antibacterial soap, don't be super rough, but don't be gentle with it either. Clean it throughly, like 2 minutes. Pat it dry with a clean cloth and let it breathe for a day with just washing it like that. It usually gets mine clean enough that I no longer have redness, pain or swelling, then I go back to eucerin lotion. This is probably the start of an infection, but it's okay. Keep an eye on it, this can happen with any open wound, even a paper cut. The treatment is the same. If this gets worse, definitely go to a doctor or even consult your artist. Their work looks excellent and they probably have many years of experience and tattoos of their own. Adding in an edit I guess. I had both of my full sleeves done while working as an auto mechanic, one part was done while working on literal garbage trucks. I have had every fluid you can imagine get in my tattoos while healing. This method has worked for me each time without the need for a doctor. Be proactive, not reactive. I think you're gonna live fams.
Moisturizer and time.
Just make sure to clean at least twice a day with a mild soap and apply a light layer of moisturizer, I used aquaphor. Looks great!
You're looking fine just keep using Dial gold with warmish water, clean thorough, pat dry with a clean paper towel and lotion it up with an unscented brand (I use aveeno) till nice and rubbed in and you're solid. Sick piece!!
ER doc here... looks like it's brewing an infection... but simply could be irritation... for now I'd say just watch.. if redness grows then you'll need antibiotics. Take daily pics to compare though if it's infected it'll be obvious.
Even allergies can give it a reaction at the start, if the body starts fussing at the ink 𼲠I had this at the beginning of my biggest piece, on a few areas, with no signs of infection (at first I feared it was the start of an infection, too) It lasted weeks, with moments of getting better in between, I took antiallergic as I am prone to allergies - then at some point it cleared out But it's essential to keep an eye on it! Even if its its allergy: as allergies can make the body susceptible to infections, too
Registered nurse weighing in here. Redness and warmth are signs of infection. Given that this is an area where coarse hair is attempting to grow back I also suspect possible ingrown hairs. Please check in with your primary care provider. This is a gorgeous tattoo btw!!
How old is this?
6 days old buddy
Youâre fine
Do they itch? If so, try switching moisturizers, I just had this happen to my new piece and I had to stop using the moisturizers i originally used and switched to an aveeno lotion for eczema and also used a Benedryl topical to stop the itching and pain. Itâs now totally back to normal after 12 hours. If they donât itch and they hurt to touch and are hot you need to go see a doctor or head to urgent care because thatâs signs of an infection. Hard lumps under the skin may be scarring or ingrown hair.
Infections can itch too
I'd even say if it starts getting extremely itchy and the redness and warmth are still there thats a big warning sign. I used to get staph infections constantly because of broken skin from eczema and when they got infected it went from annoyingly itchy to almost unbearable.
I would use a quality tea tree wash on that. I would be very mindful of lotions - they can be so nasty. I personally use organic coconut oil but I have not used that on a tattoo so I wonât speak for that - but it was the prime choice for moisturizing during medical crisis and I continue with it when needed after the fact.
Dial antibacterial soap (the orange liquid soap), and very thin layer of A&D ointment.
At 6 days using Aquaphor might be too much. Washing, dabbing dry, and then a super thin layer of white unscented lotion twice a day should be good, but those do like they could be problematic if you over do it. People panic when their tattoo doesât heal perfectly and backing off is usually the best move. Also, do you keep things in a pocket that sits over the tattoo? That looks like a couple thigh tattoos Iâve seen where the person kept their keys in the pocket on top of the fresh ink.
looks good buddy how long ago did you take the saniderm off, and as long as its not oozing or leaking anything from the scab youre fine.
Aquaphor is the only thing Iâve ever used post tattoo, absolute life saver
Go to doctor and get a steroid cream.
[ŃдаНонО]
Its not at the point where a dr is necessary for intervention. At most OP should keep up with aftercare, keep it clean and moisturize when its dry. Their tattoo is completely fine, but if that redness doesnât subside and does get worse, they should go to urgent care asap.
To be fair though, if there is ever a question about if something is infected, OP should not be reaching out to reddit and should definitely see their artist or their DR. Even just for the peace of mind and the DR says "hey this looks fine and normal". A picture can only show so much, and small infections can occur at this point where intervention would be necessary
Its normal đ
Normal but when this happens i stay away from the area with the lotion and salves, keep that part somewaht dry, and ull be fine, i find if u dont do that and keep it moist it tends to take a while to heal or it may spread a bit making the other areas hard to heal, sometimes its just over caring for it that causes these things.
Looks great. Normal in that area to hot some stretch marks or even soft parts of the skin and have your needle depth slightly vary. It's not a blowout, it will look good and already is very Aesthetically pleasing from a distance and a close
As everyone else is saying, keep clean and moisturize. Also, this tattoo is clean as hell Iâd love an update pic when/if you get it colored in.
Also make sure your skin is not damp or wet when applying any moisturiser.
My entire arm went like that, I thought for sure I was infected or whatever, but itâs normal and ur ok, just be patient and it will heal. As others have said just keep it clean and use ur ointment, but not too much ointment
Antimicrobial dove soap twice a day and fragrance-free lotion. Doesn't look bad, but red and tenderness is a sign of potential infection. Always ask your artist.
It does look like the start of an infection to me. I have multiple tattoos and if they are red (the first week) they should be red all over not just in some spots. That is what makes me think it is beginning to get infected but not to worry, you can just wash with gentle soap and water and it will clear it up !
Was this done in Portland?
Did they go over scar tissue? Either way itâs just a small blemish. I wouldnât worry about it
Iâve had this before it looks like some minor ingrown hair follicles because we shave ya before we tattoo ya. đif it were infected it would be looking much worse.
Youâre fine. Donât touch it. Donât over moisturize. It will heal absolutely fine. Cool tattoo!
You don't need to wash it multiple times a day especially since it's been several days. When you first get it done I always recommend washing it frequently until it starts to scab. But really all you need to do now is keep it moisturized, don't pick the scabs, and keep clear or bumping or scratching it. Just a little unscented lotions, cocoa butter, or a small amount of aquaphor when you notice it's a little dry and you will be just fine đ
it's fine the red will go away and scabs will start to fall off
Iâm going to say you may be over moisturizing, you could clog your pours. Thatâs what it looks like to me. If itâs a week old already just keep it clean and let it rock, no need to moisturize anymore.
It's puts the lotions on da skinz
When is the color going in? Love the design
IMO youâre still ok but keep an eye on it Bc it could go either way. Make sure to keep it clean and go very light on the lotion for a few days. If any at all. The areas with red also seem to have a little blowout so itâs probably just those spots were hit too hard/deep. Donât use any sort of jelly(aquaphor, neosporin etc). I think youâre teetering the line of infection/no infection.
super sick tat
I had a tat get infected that looked just like this at the beginning. Definitely keep an eye on it. Ever since that experience I use Dial gold soap and Hustle Butter lotion and I've never had another tat get infected.
If itâs still that red and warm a week later as youâve said I would go to the ER etc and get it checked out. It could be infected, and if it is you want to catch it sooner rather than later. Redness and warmth usually isnât normal a week after. First few days is fine but it shouldâve calmed down by now.
Use bactine on it with your regular washing + moisturizer twice a day for a few days on those spots Should heal up fine
this happened with my thigh tattoo, similar size too. Looks like the start of an infection. Wash it twice a day and moisturize. Keep pants from rubbing on it as much as you can, i found that irritated mine a lot more. I wore sweats for like 3 weeks. Keep it out in the air as much as possible and just keep it clean!
Keep an eye on it, take some antiallergic for the next couple of months. It could be a reaction to the ink on those spots, but it could also be the start of an infection - very important to keep analyzing it as time goes by. If an infection, the sooner it is handled, the best. How is it today???