In this thread, we commiserate about healing our fresh tattoos.

[polliwog]

It's not as bad as I was fearing from this thread, though!

Spoke too soon.

[BigTex]

Six days in to the healing process...it is healing up like a dream. No scabbing, minimal peeling/flaking. But damn...the itching is hell. Between the tattoo itself and my wire-like shoulder hair growing back it is all I can do not to scratch. The few times a day when i rub in a little Lubriderm are the only reprieves i get.

[nnavarro]

Hi Everyone,

A quick question about healing and flying (longer flights I mean).

I am soon getting a plam sized tattoo on my upper arm and learned recently that two days later I'll have to take the plane for a long flight (12h).

My experience with healing things that size is pretty fine. Actually, for something the same size, I had to take the plane the next day once, and it was ok (but the flight was only 2h though).

I was wondering, would such a longer flight, be bad for a 48 hour old tattoo? Would that mess-up my healing process? Maybe the piece (to a certain extent)?

Anyone ever had any experience with long flights with fresh tattoos?

Super thanks for your help and advice.

[OutOfIdeas]

I had a 9 or so hour flight, the day after getting my elbow ditch done (had the dates wrong in my head, thought I'd have a week and a day ha) and it healed fine. The flight was definitely uncomfortably, but I hear the ditch sucks no matter what. And I hate screaming children, and their parents that give up on trying to calm them down after ten minutes.

Anyway, I just covered it up with long sleeves and kept it as clean as possible, and all went well.

[polliwog]

I just took a 15-hour train ride with a fresh, weepy leg tattoo and I think it messed things up, mainly because I couldn't wash it and get the plasma off. It's now heavily scabbed and looks like it's lost some color where the scabs are falling off. I would recommend not doing what I just did. ::cries:: Just wash it if you need to and it'll probably be fine.

[SeeSea]

@polliwog ((hugs))

[polliwog]

Thanks! It's nothing a touch-up can't fix, if needed.

[drewwerd13]

I had a friend catch a flight home to Las Vegas from California the day after getting some work on her arm. she re-wrapped the work with plastic wrap for protection and flew home with no problems... Except that Airport security pulled her aside because of the very suspicious wrapping!! They thought she might be smuggling something illegal lol! So just be ready if you have a fresh tattoo and have to go through security with a wrap on. You might have your stuff rifled through.

[joakim urma]

Ok so I the back of my heels tattooed 10 days ago. Figured I get them both done at the same time and then have a really odd way of walking. Turned out nice. However, I think due to only using liner and the designs having quite a bit of solid black the lower part (where your shoes usually press and fuck about a lot) that the healing was severely messed up.

It is as if the part that usually peels of after a while just stuck in there, and now my skin is really hard and super black still. What's worse is that two about 5 mm in diameter chunks DID come of, taking away the ink and leaving open sores. Now I can't wear shoes until it heals up and also I will have to some serious touch ups.

Some of the lines came out a bit wonky to, with blow outs and fades so I think a lot in the end will have to be redone. Twice the pain and discomfort, it's going to make the end result feel so much more precious.

The tattooer, that I know well, told me it was one of the weirdest spots he'd tattooed and that I was a sturdy guy for taking it so well :)

[SeeSea]

I am still black and blue around the outline on my ribs from a session 11 days ago. UGH! Scabbing so much this time - ITCHIES!!!

Today at work, I didn't realize I was smacking myself in the back as I was talking to a co-worker. Until he started giving me this funny look and I realized I must have looked like an idiot. Whack Whack Whack Whack. O_O

[Chemical Burn]

Ah, my dear friend the scabby itch. How I have (not) missed you.

It's healing pretty well though all the same. I see one small spot that'll need to be touched up, but I have another session to go anyway.

[SeeSea]

That great feeling in the morning when you're not only completely stuck to the back of your shirt, but have gooped up the the bedsheets, and your hair is trapped and dried to the outside of the shirt. Took 15 minutes in the shower to soak off the shirt. I hate this part. Barf.

[Ragen]

That great feeling in the morning when you're not only completely stuck to the back of your shirt, but have gooped up the the bedsheets, and your hair is trapped and dried to the outside of the shirt. Took 15 minutes in the shower to soak off the shirt. I hate this part. Barf.

Reading posts like this makes me realise how lucky I am. I've never experienced anything like this and I've got my back fully covered. I always heal fast. Like, REALLY fast. The bleeding stops completely in about 30 minutes after getting tattooed and my tattoos are always dry and clean. Still, I do get my fair share of pain and itching ))

[Breakme]

I'm 4 days in on healing my inner forearm, have a good amount of peel going on but the itch is strangely absent. Have I just dodged a massive bullet on that one? It seems to be healing so much quicker and easier than my thigh did, from memory I didn't start peeling till around day 5 or 6 on my thigh and the itch went on for days.

I also hardly leaked any ink from my arm whereas my thigh was still leaking on the second night. Any thoughts if it is from being tattooed by different artists or is it because of the different body parts?

[SeeSea]

Reading posts like this makes me realise how lucky I am. I've never experienced anything like this and I've got my back fully covered. I always heal fast. Like, REALLY fast. The bleeding stops completely in about 30 minutes after getting tattooed and my tattoos are always dry and clean. Still, I do get my fair share of pain and itching ))

So jealous! I have no experience with anything other than this tattoo, although this session was the worse in terms of gooping. @Breakme - shoulder blade area up to shoulder worse than mid/lower back. This one bled a lot more during the session.

I read here about people who heal and are peeling in 4-5 days and I wonder, what the heck is wrong with me! No Fair! But everyone is different I suppose. I'm 47, which may have something to do with it? Fair skin? Dunno. Anyway ... bitch bitch moan moan.

[scubaron]

Good questions SeeSea.

I turn 49 this year, have tan skin. I've used 4 different artists for 4 different areas of my body. The pain and healing have been different for each. 2 of the artists are very experienced. 15+ years tattooing. They were fast, but also the most painful. Don't know if it was the artist or the area. Maybe the more experienced people can answer.

[ThatGuy]

Must. Not. Scratch. Back.

[SeeSea]

Must. Not. Scratch. Back.

HA! Almost spat out my tea laughing!

You're a couple days ahead of me. Mine's just starting to itchify.

[Breakme]

@SeeSea I'm no spring chicken myself! I've done things a little differently with the healing on this one. No booze, loads of vitamins, magnesium, protein and lots of green tea. I also only washed it twice a day for the first two days, let it dry out for a couple of hours or so and then a super thin layer of bepanthen. Days 3 onwards wash once a day in the shower and a tiny amount of sorbolene lotion. Seems to be working really well.

[SeeSea]

@Breakme - whatever is working for you, just keep doing it - no itchies would be heaven! I think the healthy route you are doing would be best - I am trying to treat the healing process like I am getting over a cold and have to take care of myself. And the fact that I seem to be fighting a cold isn't helping much! Good luck and don't jinx the healing.

[Breakme]

Uh that is rough you are fighting off a cold also. I thought I was coming down with one the day before my appointment but managed to avoid it. Take care of yourself and hope you feel better soon.

[BigTex]

It will be three weeks tomorrow and I am fully healed. :cool: Time to book my next appointment.

[DJDeepFried]

Anyone have experience washing tattoo ink out of clothes? I've had some leakage.

[HaydenRose]

Anyone have experience washing tattoo ink out of clothes? I've had some leakage.

I've had tattoo ink stain pillowcases and after about 2 washes, it came out. I didn't apply any fancy products either, just plain ol' soap and water.

[OutOfIdeas]

Same, when I got up near my armpit, the (crappy) plain bluish green shirt I was wearing got orange, dark blue and black ink all over it around the armpit/sleeve from the artist's wiping. I figured that'd just become my tattoo shirt incase of other ink spills or such. After a few washes I couldn't figure out which shirt it was anymore.

So you should be good