Alicia

No, sorry, we're in the UK It was done by Callum Hollinshead who is ridiculously talented for his age. He's only 23 or 24. As I said to him when he did my last one "I have actual tattoos older than you"!

Wow, that's an amazing age Ours is called Alfie and he's 6. He's our absolute pride and joy. We completely dote on him; he's got us both wrapped around his little paw! This is the photo that the tattoo was based on.

I hear you! My shoulder tattoo was much larger but a lot easier to cope with than my arm. It only got painful towards the end. My husband got a portrait of our dog

I had this done yesterday. Picture is a bit wonky; it's harder than you'd think to get a decent photo of your own arm! It hurt a LOT more than I was expecting. Was really painful from start to finish (3 hours). My husband was tattoo'd at the same time, in the same location on his inner forearm and he sat like a rock, not a peep from him

That is absolutely beautiful!

Whereabouts in the UK are you? I'm in the Midlands Hustle Butter is really nice, I get it from Amazon; it smells gorgeous!

No offence taken at all. I'm actually in the UK. I don't start using the Aveeno unscented until the tattoo has dried and/or scabbed. That's when I'll stop using the Hustle Butter and switch to the Aveeno as it's thinner and lighter. I just used a very small amount, spread sparingly over the skin. It's helps stop the itching and that tight, sore feeling. I don't see anything too odd in what I do I've seen it recommended on here more than once.

I'm booked in for my next tattoo (just a small one) next month. I wasn't supposed to be having anything until later in the year but my husband is having a portrait done of our dog and I got tattoo envy so have booked in on the same time and day with another artist. I'm having a pretty heart/jewel design a bit like this but in black and grey on my inner left forearm. Just a little something to keep me going until I can afford the larger leg piece I'm planning!

I'm glad I've read this... I'm planning a large lower leg piece later on this year and would have been alarmed at swelling if I hadn't read this... my feet and ankles tend to swell in the warm weather so I'm fully expecting some post tattoo swelling now.

I am a big fan of Hustle Butter too, I always use it for the first 3/4 days until the tattoo starts to dry up and then I switch to Aveeno unscented which I use until it's all healed, generally about 2 weeks. Works well for me. The only time I've experienced bad scabbing was when I came home from a session, had a mad cleaning fit the next day, ooozed plasma badly and then it scabbed in a most thick and disgusting fashion! It didn't make any difference to the healing though... once the scabs fell off it was absolutely fine.

I love that, really nice piece!

Thanks! I'm so glad I got it re-done... life's too short to live with a tattoo that makes you sad! I'm booked in next month for my next one... excitement starting to build again.

Sorry, what?

I'm no expert but a month is still very early days. Just let it heal and see how it looks after a few months. I don't think there's any such thing as a 100% perfect, no flaws at all, tattoo. They're on skin after all, a living thing. Stop scrutinising it or you'll drive yourself mad! We could all find tiny faults with our tattoos if we look hard enough. Stop looking at it in such close detail!

Step 2 of my cover up/re-work journey done today: Before is the red/pink flowers and after is the (slightly angry and a little bloody still) black/grey. I'm really happy with how it's looking Still got some more shading and finishing off to do, plus the first rose needs going over again as a lot of the original red has popped back out as it's healed. I'm back in another 3 weeks for another 2 hours and hopefully that should be it done then.

That is amazing,you must be delighted with it!

I love it! It's shading :) apart from the bit just below the shading below the rose which you can see was a bit bloody and has now bruised a little.

Before on the left (obviously!); after on the right.

Thanks Gingerninja! (love your user name btw; that's why I call my son! Ginger and proud!) Just got back and cleaned up... bled like a bugger and it's bloody sore but oh so worth it! Couldn't finish it all today, I didn't think he would to be fair but he got more than half of it done so should only be a couple of hours next time. I'm delighted with it, absolutely amazed at what he's done and the difference he's made. He's only a young lad too, only 23 - as I said to him; "my first tattoo is older than you!"

Yes and yes. 2 good friends have been to him and their tattoos are amazing. One in particular had a tattoo re-done/re-worked by him and I've seen the before and after pictures so I'm very excited.

Me too Devious6! If this doesn't work out I'm going to get the whole thing covered with a massive, f*ck off dragon

I LOVE your tattoo, that's amazing.

Hey everyone To cut a long story short, I'm booked in tomorrow with another artist to have it re-done. He's going to cover all the colour with black and shades of grey, add shading to the bare bits and make the whole thing more realistic looking. Well that's the plan anyway. It didn't grow on me sadly... every time I look at it I like it less and less. The final nail in the coffin was some smart arse saying that the roses looked like Captain America's shield. So of course, now that's ALL I can see

I love those, they're both really lovely!