Tattoo healing

[Delicious]

So I just posted that I had taken my sister in for her first tattoo yesterday.

Later on that night, as I took a picture for her, I asked her to finally take a good picture of my tattoo, now that it has been 9 months... Not to say it looks bad, but it looks different. For example this is what my tattoo looked like within the first 5 minutes of being done

Now 9 months later, this is what I have

Both are unedited pictures.

Have any of you noticed such a big difference between the new tattoo and what you have currently on your body?

Its faded, some of the red in the head markings and in the trunk have faded to near nothing, some of the blue surrounding it has vanished... I am almost tempted to get it fixed but afraid that it will happen again!

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thanks for moving this to the appropriate section! :)

[Dhopper]

Did you have any issues will healing your tattoo?

[slayer9019]

There are so many factors that go into what a tattoo will look like when healed. I would say if you went to a competent tattooer it really just relies on you and your body. Everyone heals a bit different, as I have seen.

Rule of thumb: Tattoos WILL change over time.

When you first get a tattoo it will look super-saturated, this will lighted up some as your skin is a filter to the actual ink. The ink is not sitting right up at the top but actually in your skin so it will lighten up. The only part that I can say looks a bit different would be the faded red. You can always swing by the artist that did it and have them check it out, maybe touch it up.

I will post up my Hanya I got from @Stewart Robson, that I have a good first picture plus later picture of.\

Sidenote, the second picture looks more washed out in general. I would use the same camera under the same lighting so we can see a real comparison. The first picture looks like you have the contrast cranked up

[Mr. Smith]

Pretty much what @slayer9019 said. Tattoos change over time. I know that I have some tattoos that I've seen pictures of a year or two later and said "Oh shit, i forgot that that used to be THAT color." For me, certain yellows in particular become much less "vibrant." Although there are a number of other factors too that affect how my tattoos look on any given day such as how much sun I've gotten or how much/little water I've drank. I have one tattoo on my wrist that I can look at and tell if I'm a little dehydrated or not. And I have certain tattoos that just spit out ink and have sizable holes in them. Every little imperfection use to bother me, but I've gotten over that. They're made by hand. Also, everyone's skin is different and holds ink differently...mine happens to suck at it. That said, if you're unhappy with the way your tattoo looks now that its healed, go back to your dude and ask him if there's anything he can do to darken it up a bit and do some touch ups on the red that fell out. Just understand that your tattoos will never look the way they did on the day you got it. Fucking sandcastles and all of that shit. For me, the easiest way to stop obsessing about how a tattoo looks is to go get a new one. Maybe try someone different and see if you're happier with the way their shit heals up. There are so many great artist recommendations on here, I'm sure you can find a top-notch tattooer within a few hours drive of wherever you are.

[Dhopper]

It is not the red , but some of the lines and blue that is missing or light. The rule of oh it is yellow so it does not stay bright it bullshit. I have white in my tattoos and yellows and they look as bright the day I got them but have had for 5 or 6 years.

Also, take the picture in the same atmosphere that you took the first one. The second picture is too bright in comparison to the first one.

[Delicious]

The contrast wasn't pumped up, it was just the lighting from the shop compared to my house was different. No problems healing except for a few pimple in some places... I still really like it but i guess I should get used to it not being exactly what it was

[Noname]

Back it the day, people I knew told me to just leave it alone, now some say lube it, the cream it, I just let it run its corse. All my old tats look great, they lose the fine l

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Back it the day, people I knew told me to just leave it alone, now some say lube it, the cream it, I just let it run its coarse. All my old tats look great, they lose the fine l nes are gone, also did that tat get a lot of sun, or alit of swimming. It sure did fade in 9 months.

[Colored Guy]

I tell everyone... your tattoo is at its best in the first month after healing, then its all downhill from there. Unless you have skin like an albino and never see the light of day... no guarantee there either.

Rob

[Brock Varty]

It's a tattoo....what do people really expect? You can hope it will look perfect forever, but no matter how well it was applied or how well you care for it, it will eventually start to break down. As much as it sucks, it is just a fact.

[slayer9019]

It's a tattoo....what do people really expect? You can hope it will look perfect forever, but no matter how well it was applied or how well you care for it, it will eventually start to break down. As much as it sucks, it is just a fact.

I actually prefer (at least with western and Japanese traditional) the "worn in" look.

[Graeme]

I actually prefer (at least with western and Japanese traditional) the "worn in" look.

What other kinds of tattoos are there?

[slayer9019]

What other kinds of tattoos are there?

realistic color, black and grey realism, "new school", heavy blackwork/tribal, "trash style", etc

[Graeme]

Sorry, I was trying to make a joke there.

[David Flores]

I got the joke.

[slayer9019]

wow haha. yea i missed it...guess that's what I get for only half-reading on my phone.

[Delicious]

will upload my new tattoo once i take the bandage off... saran wrap rather. Im bleeding like a mother fucker though

So this is it almost totally healed. I guess it healed ok.

[Colored Guy]

The tattoo looks pretty good!

Rob

[Delicious]

Thank you! Its just so much harder to heal than my shoulder. its still rough to the touch

[cookabowl]

It's a tattoo....what do people really expect? You can hope it will look perfect forever, but no matter how well it was applied or how well you care for it, it will eventually start to break down. As much as it sucks, it is just a fact.

i agree 100%. its ink pushed into your skin, its not a painting, people get pimples, cuts ect, when i was younger i would freak out about my single tattoo, now 25 years later it still looks good to me, all the fine detail is long gone, and the color is faded. And a few i did my self with Indian ink, and a needle, just got covered.lol

[Delicious]

My ankle is still not healed, no matter what I do. It looks like it has shiny skin over it, when I pull the skin taut, it cracks, but then I mosturize and you cant even tell it happened. I have been trying to keep it moist, but it is still really rough to the touch where the flowers are. I am really concerned. Also, i have a small scab that will not fall off! Will add pictures in a bit

[Graeme]

The shiny, plastic-y skin is a normal part of healing. Give it time and leave it and the scab alone, it will fall of when it's ready to.

[Delicious]

this doesnt seem normal. maybe i am freaking out too much

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its been 3, almost 4 weeks!

[Graeme]

Different places on the body heal differently. I only have a couple of small tattoos on my legs and they healed fine (some of my easier ones to heal), if you look at the lower leg tattoo thread here, plenty of people have had long and difficult healing processes for their legs. Just wait it out, leave it alone, and if it needs touching up when it's all healed, talk to your artist and it shouldn't be a problem.

[Delicious]

thanks. I am such a worrier! Its so weird, both the tattoos on my upper body, the back of my shoulder and the front of my shoulder/ chest, pretty much healed super fast. Both peeled in three days... I havent even hit a week witht he new one and its almost completely healed!

it seems the only problem is the red on the ankle... so lesson learned no more red on the ankle!

[bulldog]

i heal in about 10days but red takes me about a month, don't worry.