Hello All!!
New here, obviously, that's why I'm in initiation LOL. I recently got this tattoo at the PA tattoo convention and I'm having some real anxiety about the healing process. This is now my 4th tattoo but first on this type of skin location (calf).
My main question is that I got the tattoo about 12 days ago and the ink is not flaking or peeling like my tattoos have done in the past, like not even a single fleck has come off of it yet. It doesn't hurt or feel irritated but if I touch it gently it feels risen like the scabbed ink is there it just won't fall off. I wash about 1-2 times a day with warm/cool water and unscented Dove soap (morning and night), and lotion about 3 times a day (morning, around lunch time & before bed) with a thin layer of non-scented store brand "Cetaphil"-type lotion.
I did look up a few things saying different parts of the body heal differently, I'm just concerned because it is a larger space on my body and I don't want it to heal incorrectly based on how I'm treating it. Should I lotion less to allow it to dry out a bit? Or just give it time just continuing my routine? What are some warning signs I can look out for to know if things are going south?