Terrible healing process..

[Bobandy]

Hey everyone, I’m a new member on this forum and I joined because I figured this is a great place to speak to some like-minded people.. I’ve also joined to get some advice from some people who are also inked on most recent tattoo. 
 

I got this piece done back in December 28th, 2020 so it’s been about 4 and a half weeks that’s it’s been healing. This is my 5th tattoo and also my first tattoo that I’m experiencing these problems with. Initially the itchy phase lasted about two weeks and compared to my other pieces, this was very, very itchy. Regardless, I tried my best to not itch and pick at it. After about two weeks I started to notice these small bumps forming all over the tattoo, and they’re not whiteheads either. I’ve only noticed a very tiny amount of pus coming out from one of these bumps very recently. The bumps have only been getting worse, and there is skin on the underside that seems to be hardening and getting scaly. I’ve been to the doctor about 3-4 times now, I’ve gotten prescriptions for betamethasone, mupirocen, and most recently Neo-Medrol. I don’t experience any symptoms, just a bit of itching here and there but generally the appearance is very concerning to me. The doctors have told me that it’s fine but I’m having a hard time believing that. I was wondering if anybody here has ever dealt with this or seen something like this because I’m genuinely starting to lose sleep over it ahah. Initially the tattoo looked absolutely amazing especially with all the shading, but now it looks terrible. What are my options? Sorry for the long post. 

[onlyme]

2 hours ago, Bobandy said:

Hey everyone, I’m a new member on this forum and I joined because I figured this is a great place to speak to some like-minded people.. I’ve also joined to get some advice from some people who are also inked on most recent tattoo. 
 

I got this piece done back in December 28th, 2020 so it’s been about 4 and a half weeks that’s it’s been healing. This is my 5th tattoo and also my first tattoo that I’m experiencing these problems with. Initially the itchy phase lasted about two weeks and compared to my other pieces, this was very, very itchy. Regardless, I tried my best to not itch and pick at it. After about two weeks I started to notice these small bumps forming all over the tattoo, and they’re not whiteheads either. I’ve only noticed a very tiny amount of pus coming out from one of these bumps very recently. The bumps have only been getting worse, and there is skin on the underside that seems to be hardening and getting scaly. I’ve been to the doctor about 3-4 times now, I’ve gotten prescriptions for betamethasone, mupirocen, and most recently Neo-Medrol. I don’t experience any symptoms, just a bit of itching here and there but generally the appearance is very concerning to me. The doctors have told me that it’s fine but I’m having a hard time believing that. I was wondering if anybody here has ever dealt with this or seen something like this because I’m genuinely starting to lose sleep over it ahah. Initially the tattoo looked absolutely amazing especially with all the shading, but now it looks terrible. What are my options? Sorry for the long post. 

Hi @BobandySo nothing like what you describe happened with your other tattoos, then...

I do think plain back lines have a very clear and simple design look, anyway.

[Bobandy]

24 minutes ago, onlyme said:

Hi @BobandySo nothing like what you describe happened with your other tattoos, then...

I do think plain back lines have a very clear and simple design look, anyway.

Yes that’s correct, this is the first time I’m experiencing this. Not sure what you mean about the last part though. 

[onlyme]

4 minutes ago, Bobandy said:

Yes that’s correct, this is the first time I’m experiencing this. Not sure what you mean about the last part though. 

Oh okay.

I mean, some ppl add color with the shading; but I think there is also a special look with plain black. (Like also with lettering tattoo designs, etc.)

You may find things settle a bit still after 6-7 weeks....

[Bobandy]

27 minutes ago, onlyme said:

Oh okay.

I mean, some ppl add color with the shading; but I think there is also a special look with plain black. (Like also with lettering tattoo designs, etc.)

You may find things settle a bit still after 6-7 weeks....

Ooh okay I understand, the weird part about this is that most of these bumps and raised skin is on the grey shaded areas.. kinda makes me think the water which the artist used to mix with blank ink may be the culprit. But at the same time there are bumps even on the solid black lines. 

[onlyme]

3 minutes ago, Bobandy said:

Ooh okay I understand, the weird part about this is that most of these bumps and raised skin is on the grey shaded areas.. kinda makes me think the water which the artist used to mix with blank ink may be the culprit. But at the same time there are bumps even on the solid black lines. 

 @Bobandy Looking again at the photos just now, I'm even wondering if there might be some onset of a dermatological condition independently of tattooing, even; if you can get a referral to a dermatologist without too much difficulty, I'm sure s/he would be able to comment (having myself been around dermatologists for years, though no expert...)

[Bobandy]

36 minutes ago, onlyme said:

 @Bobandy Looking again at the photos just now, I'm even wondering if there might be some onset of a dermatological condition independently of tattooing, even; if you can get a referral to a dermatologist without too much difficulty, I'm sure s/he would be able to comment (having myself been around dermatologists for years, though no expert...)

Sounds concerning 😞 I’m definitely paying another visit to my doctor tomorrow, he wants to try one more course of treatment which is an oral steroid, he’s been holding it off as a last resort because it is a systemic medication. I’ll have him prescribe me that and also schedule me with a specialist/dermatologist. With covid now, I already know the wait time for that is going to be ridiculous.. 

[onlyme]

1 hour ago, Bobandy said:

Sounds concerning 😞 I’m definitely paying another visit to my doctor tomorrow, he wants to try one more course of treatment which is an oral steroid, he’s been holding it off as a last resort because it is a systemic medication. I’ll have him prescribe me that and also schedule me with a specialist/dermatologist. With covid now, I already know the wait time for that is going to be ridiculous.. 

Have a good visit tomorrow, anyway...

[oboogie]

Have you been putting a lot of lotion or some other potion on it? If not, I'd think that the ink was cheap or somehow contaminated. I hope you get it sorted out. Definitely go to the doctor.

[Bobandy]

41 minutes ago, oboogie said:

Have you been putting a lot of lotion or some other potion on it? If not, I'd think that the ink was cheap or somehow contaminated. I hope you get it sorted out. Definitely go to the doctor.

So apparently my artist thinks it’s due to this cocoa butter that he applied at the very end of the session onto the tattoo.. he recently switched over to this lotion and he already has two other people who are experiencing the same thing as me. He sent me a video of another client who has the exact same thing going on with his new tattoo.. could that be the culprit?

[Hogrider]

1 hour ago, Bobandy said:

So apparently my artist thinks it’s due to this cocoa butter that he applied at the very end of the session onto the tattoo.. he recently switched over to this lotion and he already has two other people who are experiencing the same thing as me. He sent me a video of another client who has the exact same thing going on with his new tattoo.. could that be the culprit?

There must be something wrong with the cocoa butter. I've used cocoa butter on well over 200 hours in the chair and never had an issue.

[Bobandy]

1 hour ago, Hogrider said:

There must be something wrong with the cocoa butter. I've used cocoa butter on well over 200 hours in the chair and never had an issue.

Yeah, my artist also thinks there may have been something wrong with the product he used, and seeing as how there are other clients of his who are dealing with the same issue it's kind of a relief to know this isn't only happening to me.. Have you ever seen something like this happen as a result of bad lotion being applied to a fresh tattoo?

[onlyme]

4 minutes ago, Bobandy said:

Yeah, my artist also thinks there may have been something wrong with the product he used, and seeing as how there are other clients of his who are dealing with the same issue it's kind of a relief to know this isn't only happening to me.. Have you ever seen something like this happen as a result of bad lotion being applied to a fresh tattoo?

@BobandySo maybe a lotion issue after all; interesting....

[Bobandy]

1 hour ago, onlyme said:

@BobandySo maybe a lotion issue after all; interesting....

Very interesting.. I have been searching the internet up and down for the last 2-3 weeks and I haven't been able to find anything at all relating to my situation. It's very strange not being able to get a straight answer about this, even the doctors think its just a rash/irritation of the skin. Considering the inside bicep is very soft tissue, I guess it could be possible.

[Hogrider]

6 hours ago, Bobandy said:

Yeah, my artist also thinks there may have been something wrong with the product he used, and seeing as how there are other clients of his who are dealing with the same issue it's kind of a relief to know this isn't only happening to me.. Have you ever seen something like this happen as a result of bad lotion being applied to a fresh tattoo?

I've never seen it, but at this point I'd just trust your doctors. 

I'm NOT a doctor and have no medical training, so take this with a grain of salt, but if I had that problem I think I'd try to dry it out by skipping all lotion and putting alcohol on it a couple of times a day. You should not use alcohol on a fresh tattoo, but a month out, I don't think ti would hurt. Just my 2 cents. Maybe try that for a week and see if it helps. If that didn't work, I'd try rubbing vitamin E on it. I don't think that either of those things would hurt, but again I'm not a doctor; just telling you what I would try.

Good luck

[Bobandy]

1 hour ago, Hogrider said:

I've never seen it, but at this point I'd just trust your doctors. 

I'm NOT a doctor and have no medical training, so take this with a grain of salt, but if I had that problem I think I'd try to dry it out by skipping all lotion and putting alcohol on it a couple of times a day. You should not use alcohol on a fresh tattoo, but a month out, I don't think ti would hurt. Just my 2 cents. Maybe try that for a week and see if it helps. If that didn't work, I'd try rubbing vitamin E on it. I don't think that either of those things would hurt, but again I'm not a doctor; just telling you what I would try.

Good luck

Those are both great pieces of advice, I've also been thinking of just using some alcohol on it as well to see if I can dry out whatever fluid is under these bumps and get them to flatten out.. Thank you for that. I'm going to consult with my doctor before I begin doing that just to make sure it's safe.

[Gingerninja]

Are you seeing a dermatologist? At this point, I'd be seeing a derm not a regular doctor.