Lower leg tattoo

[Dan]

29 minutes ago, Kurgana said:

So I finally had my calf tattoo done yesterday (pic in the latest tattoo lowdown thread). I'm wondering about the swelling which I still don't have at 32 hrs post tattoo - does it usually take some time to show up or have I dodged the bullet? That would be great because we decided to go with my uninjured leg in the end (for aestethic reasons) and since I still have some occasional residual swelling in that ankle, I'd rather not have two massive cankles lol. My skin seemed much less irritated than with my other tattoos, with barely any redness, for some weird reason.

Have to say it was my least painful tattoo yet (the others are on both inner forearms, nape of my neck and a small piece each on upper arm & chest), to the point that I could have slept, but did my best to stay awake since I sometimes experience some fun leg twitching while asleep... I guess it could have been due to the artist's light hand and/or the kind of tattoo machine used (my first tat with a rotary). Also, it seems to be weeping a ton less than my forearm tattoos did, even though they are a bit smaller - so much so that I applied the tegaderm at just 3 hrs from the tattoo and I can still see the tattoo under it very clearly which is very different from the huge black bubble I got with the only other tattoo I 'dermed.

I have a lot on my lower legs and never had swelling at all,but recently I had the top of my right hand done and it was a low pain level for me but it puffed up pretty good.

BTW,I have both ankles done and man I could not stop my leg twitching,it was bad !

my knees,elbows and neck were not too bad either,

my inner thigh pretty much sucked,

IMO it's really different for all of us and of course it also depends on the artist.

 

 

Edited June 11, 2016 by Dan

[Kurgana]

Just a quick follow-up, in the end I had no swelling at all and I just took off the tegaderm since the tattoo was feeling great and I wanted to be able to see it again. Seems like it's ready to peel, no scabbing and no tenderness whatsoever. This has been my easiest heal ever (including two tiny ones with just really thin linework). Definitely not what I expected, but I don't mind lol. 

Sorry for the crap pic, and the 'derm wrinkles! Tattoo is just under three days old.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Kurgana
Typos+added info

[BrickyOdin]

Can anyone give me some advice. Got a big piece done on the back of my calf 4 days ago. Took 5 hours. Since I have taken necessary after care steps I was told to do. Now I am getting worried about infection but there are not many telltale signs of this. My tattoo itself is very very red around the area with what looks like severe razor burn (not solid redness) which doenst help diagnosis. The tattoo itself if healing ok and not overly warm to the touch other than body temperature. The only problem is my entire leg has swollen for past 3 days to the point I have cankles. There is redness all around my leg but again not warm to the touch and could just be because of the swelling. Is it normal for my leg to stay swollen for a couple of days. Most internet sites say any longer than 48 hours after tattoo then there is a problem. I rested my leg for first 2 days but I am back at work on my feet a lot of the time now.

Edited August 9, 2016 by BrickyOdin
incorrect information

[marley mission]

@BrickyOdin can we see a pic

probably you're just finding out that healing lower leg tattoos sucks

as for swelling - oh damn my knee was swollen for at least a week

hang in there 

[BrickyOdin]

yeah let me just log in on my phone @marley mission

[BrickyOdin]

@marley mission Top picture isnt actualy as red as that flash makes it look really bad. Bottom picture is actually that red. but not warm to touch, no weeping, no smell.

Edited August 9, 2016 by BrickyOdin

[marley mission]

hmmm - i'll be honest - thats an interesting reaction that your leg is showing - i might wanna see the doc on this one to be on the safe side   

anyone else have a thought on this pic

good luck of course fingers crossed for ya

would like to see a healed up / better view / pic of this tattoo later on

looks like its an interesting one

[Devious6]

See a doctor. Or go to an Emergency Room. Now.

Might just be an allergic reaction....but better safe than sorry.

[Kurgana]

I definitely agree with the previous two replies, do get it checked out by someone asap. It looks a lot like the beginnings of a cellulitis (a family member of mine once had it), and it's not something I'd personally want to delay getting treatment for. Hopefully it's just an allergic reaction though.

Edited August 9, 2016 by Kurgana

[BrickyOdin]

To update today I contacted tattoo parlor with pics they say it's bad razor burn. And in all fairness the redness has eased up today. And the swelling has decreased. Thanks for replies guys.  I was worried about cellulitis but apart from redness there was no other symptoms which would include heat, itchiness, pus, spreading redness etc. Swelling is quite normal apparently.  Think I just have very sensitive skin lol. 

[BrickyOdin]

@marley mission this is what it should/will hopefully look like healed. an combination of a lot of my faverite anime

[marley mission]

@BrickyOdin good to hear its looking better

keep us updated man

btw - i like that pic

some interesting stuff going on in that tattoo

Edited August 9, 2016 by marley mission

[xcom]

@BrickyOdin cool work you got going on there!

 

As for my self, I am going through a tough time with my knee. So far it has been my roughest healing. I am on day 8 and finally the knee feels some what normal.... There is a quite a bit of scabbing even though I did my best to avoid it (lots of good cleaning, etc...) Knee sucks... Worst than my foot for sure.

[Dan]

1 hour ago, xcom said:

@BrickyOdin cool work you got going on there!

 

As for my self, I am going through a tough time with my knee. So far it has been my roughest healing. I am on day 8 and finally the knee feels some what normal.... There is a quite a bit of scabbing even though I did my best to avoid it (lots of good cleaning, etc...) Knee sucks... Worst than my foot for sure.

interesting,both my knees healed very nicely,I did use Saniderm on both which worked great.

just goes to show how different our bodies are regarding tattoos and healing.

[xcom]

6 hours ago, Dan said:

interesting,both my knees healed very nicely,I did use Saniderm on both which worked great.

just goes to show how different our bodies are regarding tattoos and healing.

Agreed.

It was one of those spontaneous tattoos and didnt prep right. I think that was miy biggest mistake. I would of use saniderm my self but I just didnt plann this one :D

 

[Dan]

9 minutes ago, xcom said:

Agreed.

It was one of those spontaneous tattoos and didnt prep right. I think that was miy biggest mistake. I would of use saniderm my self but I just didnt plann this one :D

 

yep ! LOL I have several of those spontaneous ones for sure  ! 

@xcom as a matter of fact,there is a Friday the 13th this coming january,and finally I am going to get a "13" and a horseshoe on my lower right leg,my bday is the 13th of oct,so it's about time I got a 13 tattoo ! I don't have much room left on my legs so they will be smaller pieces.but it should be fun.

Edited November 23, 2016 by Dan

[Evie P]

So glad to have found this forum, after getting lower leg tattooed and experiencing swelling. All very much the same as you guys, but just wondering how long swelling lasts (got mine done 6 days ago) and am due to get the remainder on my foot in 2 weeks time. First time i have ever experienced swelling but all other tattoos are on my back, arm and shoulder. 

[Dan]

6 hours ago, Evie P said:

So glad to have found this forum, after getting lower leg tattooed and experiencing swelling. All very much the same as you guys, but just wondering how long swelling lasts (got mine done 6 days ago) and am due to get the remainder on my foot in 2 weeks time. First time i have ever experienced swelling but all other tattoos are on my back, arm and shoulder. 

it varies,it's different for all of us,also depends on how much you are on your feet standing/walking,

you can try an  anti-inflammatory  like Aleve or some form of Naproxen,

and maybe try ice packing it,

and sit down more and elevate your leg,treat it like any other injury to your leg,

length of swelling ? my hands swelled after the tattoo for just a few days.but like I said it will vary from person to person.

 

[kassandrac]

Super glad I found this topic! I just got this piece done last Wednesday. I healed with tegederm for the first 5 days. Just wanted to get everyone's opinions on how it's healing! This is my first color piece so it's a little different for me.

Thanks!





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[Dan]

1 hour ago, kassandrac said:

Super glad I found this topic! I just got this piece done last Wednesday. I healed with tegederm for the first 5 days. Just wanted to get everyone's opinions on how it's healing! This is my first color piece so it's a little different for me.

Thanks!





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

looks like it's in the flaky dull good healing stage IMO,it looks fine,I would use a daily moisturizer a couple times a day like Aveeno Fragrance free.

[kassandrac]

looks like it's in the flaky dull good healing stage IMO,it looks fine,I would use a daily moisturizer a couple times a day like Aveeno Fragrance free.

Thanks!! I use unscented lubiderm because I'm unfortunately allergic to the aveeno! I snapped the pic before my morning lotion application, so it looks a little nicer now


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[chyden89]

So 2 weeks ago today I got a storm trooper on my calf. I have scabbing but its also cracking and it almost looks bloody, my artist told me I was using to much lotion and to stop using it and let it do its thing. I dont think its infected but Im kind of freaked out its not healing properly. Any advise?

[SStu]

how much time has passed since you showed it to the artist?

[chyden89]

20 hours ago, SStu said:

how much time has passed since you showed it to the artist?

I showed him Saturday cause I had some fluid that I was worried about, he asked how much lotion I was using and I told him I was using alot. He told me to stop using the lotion and let it dry and do its thing. I does feel better and alot of scabs fell of yesterday.

 

Edited February 21, 2017 by chyden89

[chyden89]

25 minutes ago, SStu said:

how much time has passed since you showed it to the artist?

I will also say, my artist is well known in the area, hes clean, he has worked on my before. This is the biggest tattoo I have