i have a 2 day old tattoo and it feels thick (scab?) and raised up... the tattoo is located on my upper back.?

Question

my tattoo is on my neck to my mid back... and it just feels like it's thick (it's a lettering design)... my tattoo artist said not to use neosporin or A&D as it has petroleum jelly on it and it will ruin my tattoo... so i'm currently using fragrant free curel...
-do i have a premature scabbing??? is it normal?

Answer 1

Scabbing is normal for a new tattoo, just follow the directions the tattoo artist told you, and don't mess with the scab, it'll fall off soon enough.

Answer 2

What's happening is perfectly normal. Some call it scabbing, some peeling. I prefer the latter, as it's just like when I get sunburns (not that I'm trying...).

In another couple of days the skin will start peeling just like you got a burn. In the meantime, follow your artist's advice. I don't use curel - I use cetaphil early on and eucerin later - but others here do. A lot of regulars recommend strongly against anything with vaseline in it as that will draw out/weaken the color. This includes neosporin I believe; some people are allergic to that as well, which would be bad for a tattoo.

Follow the directions of your artist, not just because the good ones give free touchups if something goes wrong as long as you keep to their advice.

Keep in mind that the tattoo will look like this for the first few days, followed by up to 2 weeks of peeling. The tattoo will look rather gray as the body heals the damage done by the tattoo needle after the initial peel. By 2 weeks to one month it will be mostly healed, and by three months it will have settled into it's permanent look.

Answer 3

It's completely normal for your tattoo to scab over. Basically, getting a tattoo done is a lot like grazing your skin - OK, it's a very decorative graze, but your skin reacts in pretty much the same way, which is to form a scab. It's important not to pick at the scab, and to avoid knocking it or scratching it. You want it to come off in its own time - if parts of it come off too soon, they can take some of the colour from the tattoo with them.

Asking a question on here about what products to use on your healing tattoo will inevitable start a flurry of answers, each of which suggests one product and tells you that anyone who uses anything else is an idiot whose aftercare regime will ruin your tattoo forever... (All this is particularly interesting from my point of view, since I live in the UK and have never heard of any of the must-have products cited here!)

The conclusion I've come to is this: as long as you're using something sensible on your tattoo - to return to my earlier comparison, something you might use on a graze - then the world is unlikely to come to an end. Like I said, I've never even heard of most of this stuff, and all my tattoos healed fine.

Keep the area clean, but avoid getting it soaking wet - it'll make the scab go mushy. This means no baths or swimming until the scab has all dropped off. (Personally, when I have a tattoo that's healing, I have quick showers, avoiding getting the area wet as far as possible - sometimes this involves being something of a contortionist! - and then gently patting it dry as soon as I'm out of the shower.) A few times a day, apply whatever ointment you're using. It'll moisturise the area a bit to help stop the scab from getting too brittle, hopefully it will relieve any itching somewhat - healing tattoos can itch like nothing on earth - and it'll promote the skin's healing process and help you to avoid infections. Avoid covering the area too tightly, you want to let it breathe. The scab will gradually drop off over a couple of weeks, and then the skin underneath will take another couple of weeks to completely finish healing.

I hope this helps!

Answer 4

Do not put a thick layer of A&D on your tattoo it will make the scabs to soft and they will come off and pull the color out with it. You do not want it to dry either. So just keep putting a thin layer of lotion on there like you have been and you will be fine. I have tattoos there also and they scabbed real quick. So just stick with the lotion :) Hope this helps

BTW i use Vitamin E lotion

Answer 5

Scabbing and a raised feeling is normal for a tattoo. It will go away with time. Be sure to keep it moisturized

Answer 6

Scabbing and a raised feeling is normal for a tattoo. It will go away with time. Be sure to keep it moisturized and open as much as possible (no bandage) and try not to pick at it.

Answer 7

I used A&D ointment on my tattoo's and they are fine. As a matter of fact, my artist recommended it and I kept it coated thick over the area and it kept the scab moist. Scabbing is normal since your body is healing...but dry scabs can tear and ruin the color in its natural healing process.

I would get some A&D on it as soon as possible. >.<

Answer 8

honey, you should be using Bacitracin or any triple anti biotic for 3-5 days after getting a tattoo, you do not want an infection. After that Cedaphil or whatever for lotion will work. scabbing can happen and as long as you do not pick or rub them off they should be fine, i would sleep on my side if i were you for awhile...

Answer 9

Whoever gave you the tattoo is a MORON if they told you not to use A&D. That is the best thing for healing tattoos. Neosporin is okay too but it will take the color out slightly. Us A&D then cover it with Plastic Wrap and tape down for a few hours. You need to keep it moist. If you scab the color will fade significantley but it sounds like its too late. You can take care of the scabbing with the procedure above. TRUST ME! It will take the itch away compleatley too. KEEP IT MOIST BUT CLEAN untill it heals.

Answer 10

it will be fine keep it wet and dont cover it dont pull scab off if it scabs let it fall off by its self just keep curel on it it works great for tattoos