khubilai

At least we're not alone. It's been almost 4 months, and the tattoo is still raised where the artist freehanded it. The stenciled part is settled in just fine. I used a steroid cream on two separate occasions, brought it down 90%, but within a few days of coming off, it raises back up. I've heard the sweat from working out idea, but why would it only be on some parts. Last time this lasted about 5 months if I remember, and once it settled in for good, it stayed down. It's some kind of allergic reaction, I just have no idea what.

Me and six of my buddies went in to the only shop in town at the time, and it was every stereotype you had ever heard. The guy who owned it, was hanging out in there with his friend, and in come me and my friends who are 18 at the time. In hindsight, I'm pretty sure I was the only one who really wanted a tattoo, but 3 of my other friends went through with it. They definitely tried to intimidate us with our questions like "is it safe?" to which they said "yeah, we always wipe the needle off when we pull it out of the junkie" I got a terribly done rose on my thigh, one of my friends passed out after getting the outline of the smallest 4 leaf clover you ever saw. He wanted to quit but they wouldn't let him. In the middle of one of the tattoos, the sound of a bunch of motorcycles comes roaring down the road. The guy tattooing puts down his machine, draws a pistol from his person, and tells his buddy to get the shotgun from the back. They both run outside with guns drawn, while me and my friends are laughing and terrified at the same time. I don't think it was an act by these guys, I think they were seriously paranoid. The bikes just kept going down the road, never even slowed down, and they came back inside, and finished the tattoos. This was on Long Island in 1991. I thought it made for a memorable first tattoo. Hey Irezumi, I remember a girl named Margureite from Peter tat2 who supposedly was the shit. I got tattooed by a girl named Cindy there in '92, and a guy named Brett who I just found out is back in NYC now.

That's what I was wondering. Any tattoo artists who could tell me if that is the case. I'm pretty sure the machine runs faster for the outline, but is the depth the ink is inserted deeper?

No Dave, the entire outline is raised. The outline he did very lightly looks grey, because the redness is showing through I believe. I don't know if he used latex gloves, but I thought latex is a common allergen to many people, and most don't use them. I found another dermotologist who was able to see me today. He thinks I might be a bit allergic to something in the ink, but I don't understand why it would only be raised on the outline. Shaded areas are fine. Anyway, he prescribed me a topical steroid cream. I'm contemplating weather I should use it or not, or just give it a few months, and see if my body can't take care of it on its own. Last time I used any steroid creams, they brought it down for the few weeks I was on them, but raise shortly after I stopped.

Perez, I have dark hair, and olive skin. I don't know if it is an inner body reaction like an allergy, or a surface reaction, because it feels like a scab now. Called the Dermatologist yesterday, got an appointment in the middle of June. I also made some marks with a sharpie on my foot last week, no reaction. Just baffled by this, and in the meantime, I can't go ahead and make another appointment for the color. The artist saw my arm like this a few years ago, he also thought it was weird, and wouldn't do the coloring for it, as he didn't want to chew it up.

Thanks unlikeyourown, I appreciate the reassurance. Two and half weeks later, still raised, still red. Only reason I do stress about it, is because I've had bad allergic reactions to bee stings (tongue swelled up, couldn't breathe once, and another time when stung on the hand, my arm ended up twice the size as the other one when the swelling creeped up past my elbow) plus some bad bouts with poison ivy. So, obviously my body reacts differently to these thing than most people. Other times, I've been stung and I just get some localized swelling, just like other times I've been tattooed, and just lightly flake and heal up nice. I put this out there to see if anyone else had any similar experiences, and if there is anything I could do to prevent this. Sorry if I've given the impression I am panicked about this, I am not. Could anyone venture a guess as to why only the outline would be raised, and not the shaded areas? Does the ink go deeper? Is line work more traumatic to the skin? Shwing my ignorance here, but who better to ask than tattoers and peoplw with a lot of tattoos.

I probably am just looking for a little assurance from others who've been tattooed. Most of my friends and people I interact with do not have any, or the one they got for the hell of it a while ago. Thanks again.

I hear you Julio, and I'm not trying to be bitchy about it. I really wouldn't even think twice about this, except I've seen my body heal them nicely and more "normal". PS: This is a great forum. I had been looking around for years for a quality discussion forum on tattoos.

Will try that RockelMan, but I was thinking it was more about the sharpie ink getting pushed into the skin, rather than irritated from on top. The tattoo didn't raise until 3 days later. Jake, one of my sessions stayed raised for a few months, otherwise it was healed for the most part in a few weeks. Here are some pics to give an idea of what I mean. I hope the quality is OK, but I tried to show how some areas are red, and others right next to it are not. Maybe 1/3-1/2 of the whole tattoo.

Something just occurred to me. The thing that I can't figure out is whi it is not raised everywhere. Being brand new work, the main piece was stencilled on, and the background elements were free handed with a sharpie. Most of the red raised parts are where it was freehanded. Perhaps a reaction to the sharpie pen getting in my skin?

gougetheeyes, 2 years ago, my work stayed raised for months. Saw a dermatologist, she prescribed some cream which brought it dowm 90%, but it raised back up within days of stopping its use. They will raise a little in some spots, if I get bit my a mosquito, bvut my entire left arm is now 100% healed with no raised areas whatsoever. I've healed some tat's in 2 weeks, others in 4-5 weeks, and that one time it took 2-3 months. It is also red in some areas, and not in others. It's not gradual either. It's red on some lines of the splashing water, but not on the outline of its head or whiskers which are milimeters away from it.

Thanks everyone. I understand the tattoo is still healing, but it is nice to know that this is not unheard of.

I seem to be hit or miss when healing tattoos. I've had some issues a few times, but not all the time. I've been working with the same artist for a few years now. He would definitely be known to many people on this forum. I just had some new work done 6 days ago, mostly line work with a little shading. The tattoo is raised on a lot of the line work, but not all. The tattoo is all around my forearm. It is also red in some areas, but again not all. I use a small amount of Bacitracin twice a day for 3 days, then unscented Aveeno twice a day. I've used this method before, and not had a problem. The other two times I had issues, I used Lubriderm once, and Curel the second time. I don't believe it is the lotion. I basically am wondering what else it could be? Is there such a thing as overworking the area? Are some well regarded artists known to be more heavy handed than others? Could this just be part of"my" healing process, that my body wants to push out the ink? I'm really at a loss, because I have not heard of anyone else with these issues. I absolutely love this artists work, and feel very lucky to be able to work with them. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.