The Tattoo Thread • Page 64

OK, I'll remember if I book a trip out that way!

There's 2 at this shop where I'm going for the other tattoos that like to do anime tattoos. One is just super booked up and very expensive, and the other isn't open for booking until December. They had a guest artist at the shop who I tried to book but she was busy. Her stuff was also cool. Most of her appointments here were anime ones haha (I know she did Nezuko from Demon Slayer, Eren from Attack on Titan, one horror one from the horror mangaka, and a couple others)

As to your other question, the first one I'm getting is a colorful wave tattoo on my wrist (NARYN⚔️Luv Alllllllll!!! (@naryn.wave) • Instagram photos and videos) and then the other will be an orchid on the back of my arm above the elbow (요조YOJO (@yojogrim) • Instagram photos and videos)

 

Those artists are awesome!!! Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty excited. I'll be sure to post pictures here. :)

 

Kind of bummed an artist I was interesting in working with for my first tattoo kinda ghosted me, and I had to ask if she needed anything else from me and just said didn't want to do it.

 

I forgot how much the front thigh fucking sucks lol. I got my right side done like 2-3 years ago (it was my third "real"/non-text tattoo) and I felt for a period of time after that that I would never get tattooed again (that lasted, idk, 8 months maybe) haha. Got the left side done yesterday and I was so unsettled the entire time. Somehow maybe the most painful one I've gotten yet, definitely even more painful than my shin.

 

Sent another email to a different artist trying to be more informative. Hoping it goes better.

 

yesssss, you did it! Looks great man. How was it?

 

Not too bad. Three hours, so I was a bit tired at the end haha. Pain only sucked in a couple places and mostly just the coloring.

 

Cool, dude. Happy for you. When is tattoo #2?

 

those blues

 

November 1 after work

 

best aftercare tips?

 

Tegaderm has changed the game with regards to healing since I started using it this year. If you look around the Internet, everyone seems to have a different process with it, but this is mine:

Leave the original bandage on overnight
The next morning, remove the bandage and wash the tattoo thoroughly (but gently) with unscented white bar soap
Pat the tattoo and surrounding area dry with a clean paper towel
Apply the tegaderm immediately after the area is dry. Try your best to prevent air bubbles when applying. My application typically extends about an extra inch out from the tattoo on each side. Depending on the size of your tattoo and/or tegaderm, you may need to overlap two or more pieces to cover the whole area.
I wear the tegaderm for 3 days, unless it starts peeling in a major way. Remove the tegaderm (it’ll probably stick, so under hot/warm running water is best) and wash again with the unscented soap.
Dry with paper towel and repeat the application process.

Typically I will go through the tegaderm process three times for a total of 9 days. After that, I keep washing with unscented soap for another week or so, depending on how healed it is, and continue to dry with paper towel. I tend to moisturizer with unscented lotion after the tegaderm process for a week or two as well.

Like I said, everyone seems to have their own method with tegaderm. Mine came together from reading a bunch of blog and forum posts and sort of pulling the things that seemed best from each for me and I would probably recommend the same if this healing process interests you. It makes life during the first week of healing so much easier. No need to clean multiple times a day, no need to worry about the tattoo making contact with anything.

 

I would totally do tegaderm, but can’t get it until Monday at the earliest unfortunately.

how much does the unscented soap matter? I have somewhat scented dial bar soap.

 

I don’t know the precise details of scented vs unscented, but unscented soap is the one thing that every artist I’ve ever been tattooed by has mentioned for the healing process.

 

Gotcha. Just ordered some I can get first thing in the morning so I'll be set there and just use the lotion I got from the shop (pegapanthenol creme).

 

What do you think is the benefit of applying for 9 days? I’ve always been told to take the bandage off after a few hours to let it “breathe,” so I’m curious about your experience.

as for the scented v I scented, I believe the scented ingredients are irritants?

 

Dial soap (the gold color one, which is unscented) is perfectly fine and what I always use. Wash gently with warm soap and water 3-4x a day, make sure you're not scrubbing or using anything other than your hands, pat dry (do not rub!!) with a paper towel. Always think clean products and hands applied to the skin, don't use cloth towels and always wash your hands thoroughly. On my last tat I did aquaphor the first three days and then switched to aveeno (green and tan bottle) and my tat healed like a dream. Aveeno was the best lotion I ever used on a tat - helped any burning/itchiness and was very soothing. Don't pick or touch your tat unless you're washing it with clean hands - it's an open wound. That being said, it's easy to be super anxious about the healing process, but as long as you follow the basics your body is exceptionally good at figuring the rest out.

Can't speak on tegaderm if you go that route.

 

Tegaderm is made of breathable material while keeping out dirt and bacteria. Other than changing and cleaning it every 3 days, you basically get to leave it alone entirely and it heals "normally". In my experience, after the 9 days, it's pretty much entirely healed. I haven't had to go through any peeling/flaking since using it.

 

Thanks! That's the soap my sister recommended too and I ordered last night to arrive in like an hour from now. But overall this is basically the process I planned to follow, so thanks! I'm glad I get to let it heal at home for about 10 days before getting it anywhere near the train to work or anything haha.

 

How soon is too soon to get another tattoo?

This isn't the rush of wanting to get another, but more the same shop has an artist (ᎪᎡᎪNᏩ ᏚᎪ (@arangsa_tattooer) • Instagram photos and videos) who is basically just here for one week starting the 3rd and I'd really like a small one from them, but wonder if I should just accept it shouldn't happen and let my first one heal, especially since I'm already booked one in a month.

 

Got a nice reply from the guy I am trying to get my first one with now. He's booked until March but interested and wants to do my idea, which feels good.

This is his page:

Adam LoRusso (@adamlorusso) • Instagram photos and videos

 

This is a really astonishing piece he did:

 

K