Scabs

Dr. Jonathan Crane · 23-01-2013 8:49pm #1

Hey guys,

Got a tattoo done on the 14th and couldn't get it finished on the day due to time. The artist was going away so we said I'd come back this past Monday, the 21st, if it was healed enough.

Long story short it wasn't healed, or was everywhere but three spots, so I said to him on Saturday I'd give it a few more days. Anyway the three spots scabbed up pretty badly since Saturday and I'm just wondering the best course of action. The tattoo is about 5 inches high and 3 inches wide and has three scabs, one at the top, two at the bottom.

The top scab is the worst. It's my fifth tattoo and I've treated it how I have all my others, never getting any scabs before. I've tried using E45 and while it makes the scab less itchy, once it dries in there's no improvement. Currently I'm just trying to let air at it, after using a hot washcloth and anti bacterial soap gently on it.

Anyone able to point me in the right direction to heal this asap? It's pretty ugly looking. I'm going to drop in the artist tomorrow if possible, otherwise it'll be Friday. I'd like to at least be on the right path when I go in!

Chikablam · 23-01-2013 10:20pm

I'd say your artist would be by far the best person to talk to, because you're already doing anything I would have done
Hope it all goes well though

Dr. Jonathan Crane · 23-01-2013 10:28pm

Chikablam wrote: »

I'd say your artist would be by far the best person to talk to, because you're already doing anything I would have done
Hope it all goes well though

Cheers, yeah pretty baffled as I've never had any problems like this before, including on another tattoo he did for me a week before! Hopefully someone can just let me know if I should keep using E45 or just stick to clean and dry.

Esoteric_ · 23-01-2013 10:54pm

Firstly, use WARM water, not hot.

Letting it dry isn't something I'd personally do, tbh. My last tattoo scabbed a LOT, it just healed really badly in comparison to my others. I applied E45 religiously, I'm talking as soon as it fully dried in, I put more on it so the scabs were always getting moisture. After a few days of that, the scabs turned into just flakey skin and fell off without any ink coming away with it. The risk with scabs is the ink coming away with it, so definitely don't pick at them (I'm sure you wouldn't, anyway!).

So yeah, personally speaking, keeping my scabs REALLY well moisturised worked for me, but it's definitely something you should speak to the artist about.

Dr. Jonathan Crane · 23-01-2013 10:58pm

Oh yeah sorry about that, it's only warm water :P

Yeah I think until I get in to see himself I'll just keep the E45 going, since it looks much better with some cream on it. No worries about picking at it either! I don't want to lose any colour but if the scabs do take some, it's an unfinished tattoo anyway so hopefully a top up will take care of it!

Esoteric_ · 23-01-2013 11:01pm

Dr. Jonathan Crane wrote: »

Oh yeah sorry about that, it's only warm water :P

Yeah I think until I get in to see himself I'll just keep the E45 going, since it looks much better with some cream on it. No worries about picking at it either! I don't want to lose any colour but if the scabs do take some, it's an unfinished tattoo anyway so hopefully a top up will take care of it!

As long as the scabs don't fall off or get knocked off (depending on the location of the tattoo) before they've fully healed, you shouldn't lose any ink. That's why I kept mine moisturised for days, they wouldn't fall off if they weren't all dried out.

bodice ripper · 24-01-2013 6:45am

loads of E45, as often as you think of it. and massage whilst applying...

Dr. Jonathan Crane · 24-01-2013 7:22pm

Thanks friends. Healed up lots over night somehow so it's all going well now, think I may have overreacted. Went in to my artist for a chat about it anyway and came out with another tattoo :rolleyes:

Esoteric_ · 24-01-2013 7:54pm

Dr. Jonathan Crane wrote: »

Thanks friends. Healed up lots over night somehow so it's all going well now, think I may have overreacted. Went in to my artist for a chat about it anyway and came out with another tattoo :rolleyes:

Throw up a pic in the show me yours thread.

Glad to hear it's healing up.

Dr. Jonathan Crane · 24-01-2013 8:21pm

Esoteric_ wrote: »

Throw up a pic in the show me yours thread. Glad to hear it's healing up.

Thanks man, thanks for the help earlier in the thread too! I'm doing my whole forearm at the mo, so I'm waiting 'til every piece is finished and healed to add to the thread

Esoteric_ · 24-01-2013 8:29pm

Dr. Jonathan Crane wrote: »

Thanks woman, thanks for the help earlier in the thread too! I'm doing my whole forearm at the mo, so I'm waiting 'til every piece is finished and healed to add to the thread

FYP.

Looking forward to seeing it when it's done!

Dermighty · 24-01-2013 8:50pm

Hi,

getting my first next week in Dublin, heading up int eh morning, egtting it done then heading for dinner and heading out with a few friends (we are all travelling from Cork). I'm staying in a hotel close to the studio.

I've read the basic hygiene tips on this forum over the last few months but seeing as I wont exactly be sitting at home (immediately) after I get it done I'm just wondering if there are extra precautions I should be taking.

I've gotten varied opinions on cling film and how often I should wash it and put cream on it etc. It's got me a bit confused. It's on my upper arm on the outside, a place prone to wear and tear relative to the rest of the upper human body.

Any tips would be great! Also, I'm unsure what material to wear once it's done, most of my clothes are cotton or a cotton synthetic mix. I have shirts, long sleeved and short sleeved t-shirts, which would be best?

Scabs

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