After My First Tattoo (some questions)

Um, hi, I'm new here.

After most of a lifetime of thinking tattoos were "cool" and that all
I'd really need to do was find a design that I'd be willing to put on
my body for the rest of my lifetime I formally decided on June 12,
2000 after waking up (which was a cause for celebration in and of
itself) in Shock Trauma intensive care that even if I still didn't
know what I very definitely knew where.

Even before I had any clue of how extensive the damage to my leg was I
knew it was going to be bad ugly.

This summer my surgeons finally gave their approval. I could
potentially still go for more surgery in the future so certain areas
were still off limits (unless you really want us ruining your pretty
artwork) but I had the okay. And I had nearly 10 months to go before
my June 11th unbirthday which is usually celebrated by doing something
big in recognition of how wonderful it is to be not dead.

Due to a regrettable incident involving homophones and friends with a
sense of humor my Chinese name means "rose." Worse than cute it's so
adorable it's presh. About 6 months ago some one who was trying way
too hard to be clever at me asked if I was a thorn bearing rose
(referring to a current infectiously annoying mandy pop song) and I
had my idea.

My tattoo was done on June 9. I am now a thorn bearing rose. I have
quite realistic rose brambles emerging from a disturbingly realistic
bruised hole in my ankle (right over the site of one of the removed
screws) and wrapping around my ankle. There are also three almost but
not quite ready to bloom orangey yellow rose buds to clue in the
people who don't otherwise recognize the leaves and thorns as
specifically being rose brambles.

The artist came recommended and, including the fabulous custom
drawing, I'm pretty pleased with the work he did. Pleased enough that
I've already recommended him to someone else. But the minimalist
aftercare instructions were a) verbal and b) in Chinese and even if
I've already done well enough on the standardized Chinese Proficiency
Exam that I could enter a Chinese university as an undergraduate if I
really wanted to I always feel a bit more comfortable when it's
something new or difficult or totally different to get some
explanations and answers in my native language as well.

I've already done a fair bit of research on the internet which has
already answered some of my other questions that I'm not going to post
here.

1) I left the studio with nothing on my leg but vaseline based
aftercare ointment. The afternoon of the second day after the tattoo
I started getting some ink colors on my sheets. Today is the evening
of the third day. I've now got a bandage and extra amounts of
wonderfully soothing vaseline above and beyond the aftercare ointment
he gave me and I'm still seeing some colors when I change the bandage.

Is this normal? Should I be worried?

2) My skin is really warm to the touch at the tattoo site. Sort of
like a seriously skinned knee which I guess is kind of what it is.
Not quite hot just really warm. And my ankle isn't swollen merely
itchy (another reason why I added the bandage).

Again, is this normal? Or should I be worried?

3) The artist told me if I wanted to I could get take some antibiotics
as a just in case. This not merely being the tropics but also being
the tropics in China this probably isn't such a bad idea. (I was also
told to only wash the tattoo site with clean boiled water.)
Unfortunately I didn't recognize the Chinese names of any of the
antibiotics he specifically suggested. I can get just about
everything except the super fast super new superdrugs over the
counter. (In the past I've usually not done anything unless the
wound is already dripping goo and I've not cared about scarring since
bicycling related road rash is a scar to be worn with pride but this
is different.)

Are there any antibiotics which anyone here can recommend as
prophylactics against potential skin infections?

Guess that's it...

Thanks for any help you can give.
-M

On Jun 12, 11:03 am, Marian <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Um, hi, I'm new here.

<snipped story of tattoo and antibiotics>

> Thanks for any help you can give.

Taking antibiotics simply to prevent what may or may not happen is not
a good idea.

And do not listen to healing advice from Curt James. (But you can
listen to lish's advice).


Kavin

On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:32:08 -0000, "KavinTaylor@gmail.com"
<KavinTaylor@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Jun 12, 11:03 am, Marian <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Um, hi, I'm new here.
>
><snipped story of tattoo and antibiotics>
>
>> Thanks for any help you can give.
>
>Taking antibiotics simply to prevent what may or may not happen is not
>a good idea.
>
>And do not listen to healing advice from Curt James. (But you can
>listen to lish's advice).

And post some pictures, dammit.

nj"sheesh"m

--
"I do not rhyme to that dull elf
Who cannot imagine to himself..."

On Jun 12, 4:42 pm, N Jill Marsh <njma...@storm.ca> wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:32:08 -0000, "KavinTay...@gmail.com"
>
> <KavinTay...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >On Jun 12, 11:03 am, Marian <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> Um, hi, I'm new here.
>
> ><snipped story of tattoo and antibiotics>
>
> >> Thanks for any help you can give.
>
> >Taking antibiotics simply to prevent what may or may not happen is not
> >a good idea.
>
> >And do not listen to healing advice from Curt James. (But you can
> >listen to lish's advice).
>
> And post some pictures, dammit.
>
> nj"sheesh"m
>
> --
> "I do not rhyme to that dull elf
> Who cannot imagine to himself..."

Yes, do.
Meanwhile, I interpreted some of your fairly flowery prose to be
saying that you're glopping a lot of stuff, vaseline based and
otherwise, on your tattoo.

Stop it. Now.

You only need moisturizer (Lubriderm or similar if you can get it)
applied VERY lightly, after washing the tattoo off. You only need to
wash it once a day unless you're in the habit of rolling around in cat
poo or something similarly icky. If during the day the tattoo should
start to feel a bit dry and the skin a bit tight (and this is
preferable to gloppy with goop), add a bit more moisturizer.

Do not overmoisturize, gloppy sticky tattoos bleed out color faster
than, um, a really really fast thing that's fast (I think I just
channelled Hugh Laurie in Blackadder...)

I am Very Heavily Tattooed. It works. Caring for a tattoo is
something like caring for a colorful rugburn or scraped knee, except
you do want to keep it from drying out and not scab. Keep it clean,
and if necessary moisturize only if it feels dry. That's really all
you need to do.

Susan
http://scamptattoo.com (which hasn't been updated in a dogs age... )

On Jun 12, 4:56 pm, sca...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Jun 12, 4:42 pm, N Jill Marsh <njma...@storm.ca> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:32:08 -0000, "KavinTay...@gmail.com"
>
> > <KavinTay...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >On Jun 12, 11:03 am, Marian <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > >> Um, hi, I'm new here.
>
> > ><snipped story of tattoo and antibiotics>
>
> > >> Thanks for any help you can give.
>
> > >Taking antibiotics simply to prevent what may or may not happen is not
> > >a good idea.
>
> > >And do not listen to healing advice from Curt James. (But you can
> > >listen to lish's advice).
>
> > And post some pictures, dammit.
>
> > nj"sheesh"m
>
> > --
> > "I do not rhyme to that dull elf
> > Who cannot imagine to himself..."
>
> Yes, do.
> Meanwhile, I interpreted some of your fairly flowery prose to be
> saying that you're glopping a lot of stuff, vaseline based and
> otherwise, on your tattoo.
>
> Stop it. Now.
>
> You only need moisturizer (Lubriderm or similar if you can get it)
> applied VERY lightly, after washing the tattoo off. You only need to
> wash it once a day unless you're in the habit of rolling around in cat
> poo or something similarly icky. If during the day the tattoo should
> start to feel a bit dry and the skin a bit tight (and this is
> preferable to gloppy with goop), add a bit more moisturizer.
>
> Do not overmoisturize, gloppy sticky tattoos bleed out color faster
> than, um, a really really fast thing that's fast (I think I just
> channelled Hugh Laurie in Blackadder...)
>
> I am Very Heavily Tattooed. It works. Caring for a tattoo is
> something like caring for a colorful rugburn or scraped knee, except
> you do want to keep it from drying out and not scab. Keep it clean,
> and if necessary moisturize only if it feels dry. That's really all
> you need to do.
>
> Susan
> http://scamptattoo.com(which hasn't been updated in a dogs age... )- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Oh, and stop bandaging it - it needs to get some air.

On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:56:28 -0700, scamp3@gmail.com wrote:

>On Jun 12, 4:42 pm, N Jill Marsh <njma...@storm.ca> wrote:
>>
>> And post some pictures, dammit.
>>
>Yes, do.

I was talking to you, preemptively, so to speak.

nj"dammit"m


--
"I do not rhyme to that dull elf
Who cannot imagine to himself..."

Marian wrote:
> Um, hi, I'm new here.

Welcome.

> <snip> Shock Trauma intensive care <snip>

Good to hear you survived.

Wait. You're not an axe murderer, are you?

> Even before I had any clue of how
> extensive the damage to my leg was I
> knew it was going to be bad ugly.

With that kind of intro, I'm interested in what actually happened.

> <snip> surgeons finally gave their approval. <snip>

Congrats.

> <snip> June 11th unbirthday

Happy Belated!

[...]

> I've already done well enough on the
> standardized Chinese Proficiency
> Exam that I could enter a Chinese
> university as an undergraduate if I
> really wanted to <snip>

Cool.

Is that Mandarin, Cantonese, other?

> <snip> left the studio with nothing on my
> leg but vaseline based aftercare ointment.

Btdt:

http://www.geocities.com/curt_james/calvin.html

> The afternoon of the second day after the tattoo
> I started getting some ink colors on my sheets.

I slept with my leg outside or on top the sheets.

> Today is the evening of the third day. I've now
> got a bandage

On day three, Calvin saw no bandage. Neither did Hobbes. By then I was
leaving it air dry with the very slightest hint of A&D ointment
smoothed across its surface.

> and extra amounts of wonderfully soothing
> vaseline above and beyond the aftercare
> ointment he gave me

Likewise on the above and beyond action. Actually, none on the above
and beyond. It was the wisp of A&D and nothing else.

> and I'm still seeing some colors when I
> change the bandage.

Stop with the bandages. Again, I was letting my tattoo uncovered and
with only the slightest dab of A&D. Like you, I was seeing some colors
but they weren't on a bandage. Instead the color was in the form of
ink sweats or however you'd like to describe it.

Blood, afaik, initially made the yellow of Calvin's hair appear orange
and I silently questioned that, however kept my mouth shut to the
tattoo artist, iirc.

> Is this normal?

Yes.

> Should I be worried?

No.

(However I really would stop the bandage action.)

> <snip> My skin is really warm to the touch
> at the tattoo site. Sort of like a seriously
> skinned knee which I guess is kind of what it is.
> Not quite hot just really warm. And my ankle
> isn't swollen merely itchy (another reason why
> I added the bandage).
>
> Again, is this normal? Or should I be worried?

I've never experienced what you describe with any of my three tattoos.
Doesn't mean it's not normal, of course.

> <snip> artist told me if I wanted to I could get
> take some antibiotics as a just in case.

Just-in-case antibiotics, from what I've read, isn't the wisest course
of action.

> This not merely being the tropics but also being
> the tropics in China this probably isn't such a
> bad idea.

Otoh, I'm not looking out a window at the tropics in China either.

> (I was also told to only wash the tattoo site
> with clean boiled water.)

That available to you?

> Unfortunately I didn't recognize the Chinese names of any of the
> antibiotics he specifically suggested. I can get just about
> everything except the super fast super new superdrugs over the
> counter.

No FDA interference, eh?

And super fast super new superdrugs? :oD

> Are there any antibiotics which anyone
> here can recommend as prophylactics
> against potential skin infections?

Dunno. Is there a "tropics in China" general equivalent to a family
doctor in your neck of the woods?

Fwiw, it sounds as if the ink sweats (or, yes, however you'd care to
describe that) is normal as ever. I'd give your colorful wound some
air and decrease by bunches 'n bunches the amount of goop you're
applying. No help with the antibiotic advice, however.

Best of luck. Please post a follow-up.

--
Curt

Marian <marian.rosenberg@gmail.com> wrote:
M> Um, hi, I'm new here.

http://compunction.org/healing.txt

lish "who the hell are you
crank@got.net & why are you talking to me?" -pm
43.9% / 30 RANA 128 / 70

On Jun 12, 5:32 pm, N Jill Marsh <njma...@storm.ca> wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:56:28 -0700, sca...@gmail.com wrote:
> >On Jun 12, 4:42 pm, N Jill Marsh <njma...@storm.ca> wrote:
>
> >> And post some pictures, dammit.
>
> >Yes, do.
>
> I was talking to you, preemptively, so to speak.
>
> nj"dammit"m
>
> --
> "I do not rhyme to that dull elf
> Who cannot imagine to himself..."


Oh, ok!
Well, not really scamptattoo, but a couple of recent photos can be
found at the bottom of <http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?
fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=37444240&albu mId=0>

On Jun 13, 5:47 am, Curt <curtja...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Marian wrote:
> > Um, hi, I'm new here.
>
> Welcome.
>
> > <snip> Shock Trauma intensive care <snip>
>
> Good to hear you survived.
>
> Wait. You're not an axe murderer, are you?

Not as last I checked.

> > Even before I had any clue of how
> > extensive the damage to my leg was I
> > knew it was going to be bad ugly.
>
> With that kind of intro, I'm interested in what actually happened.

Chemical explosion caused by monumental stupidity on someone else's
part. Compound complex open tibia fibula fracture. The tibia was
almost but not quite shattered while the fibula was merely a spiral
fracture caused by my continuing to run (getting the hell out of
there) after my leg was already broken.

Brunt of the damage was my right leg. Some sunburn level mild
chemical burns and lots and lots of tiny chicken pecks from shrapnel
but I was very very very lucky.

Because my hometown (Baltimore, MD) has a number of world class
hospitals (like Johns Hopkins) I've consistently gotten top notch
medical care and for followups have frequently been the only person in
the waiting room who was even the slightest bit local.

> > <snip> surgeons finally gave their approval. <snip>
>
> Congrats.
>
> > <snip> June 11th unbirthday
>
> Happy Belated!
>
> [...]
>
> > I've already done well enough on the
> > standardized Chinese Proficiency
> > Exam that I could enter a Chinese
> > university as an undergraduate if I
> > really wanted to <snip>
>
> Cool.
>
> Is that Mandarin, Cantonese, other?

The HSK is actually for written Chinese. I took the exam with the
modern simplified characters. I can't understand a single word of
spoken Cantonese but the grammar and vocabulary differences between
the two don't really show up in writing at my level.

> > <snip> left the studio with nothing on my
> > leg but vaseline based aftercare ointment.
>
> Btdt:
>
> http://www.geocities.com/curt_james/calvin.html

Once upon a long time ago many members of the F-lun Gong (fill in the
blank with an "a") had websites on geocities. I do not know if this
is still true. I do know that the mainland firewall has never
unblocked geocities.

> > The afternoon of the second day after the tattoo
> > I started getting some ink colors on my sheets.
>
> I slept with my leg outside or on top the sheets.
>
> > Today is the evening of the third day. I've now
> > got a bandage
>
> On day three, Calvin saw no bandage. Neither did Hobbes. By then I was
> leaving it air dry with the very slightest hint of A&D ointment
> smoothed across its surface.
>
> > and extra amounts of wonderfully soothing
> > vaseline above and beyond the aftercare
> > ointment he gave me
>
> Likewise on the above and beyond action. Actually, none on the above
> and beyond. It was the wisp of A&D and nothing else.

The bandage was to keep the vaseline from making other things gunky.
It also keeps my fingernails away from it. The vaseline is like the
aftercare ointment only gloopier and more soothing. As I write this
my leg is open to the air and not currently itching.

> > and I'm still seeing some colors when I
> > change the bandage.
>
> Stop with the bandages. Again, I was letting my tattoo uncovered and
> with only the slightest dab of A&D. Like you, I was seeing some colors
> but they weren't on a bandage. Instead the color was in the form of
> ink sweats or however you'd like to describe it.

Okay.

> Blood, afaik, initially made the yellow of Calvin's hair appear orange
> and I silently questioned that, however kept my mouth shut to the
> tattoo artist, iirc.

With the exception of the photo realistic bruise that wasn't in the
preliminary drawing (but which makes the emerging bramble look
absolutely fantastic) I have no visible bleeding or scabbing and had
none when I left the studio. The friend who was watching the process
told me (and I don't know how much of this was true and how much of
this was soothing me) that she'd never seen a tattoo in process with
so little bleeding going on.

> > Is this normal?
>
> Yes.
>
> > Should I be worried?
>
> No.
>
> (However I really would stop the bandage action.)
>
> > <snip> My skin is really warm to the touch
> > at the tattoo site. Sort of like a seriously
> > skinned knee which I guess is kind of what it is.
> > Not quite hot just really warm. And my ankle
> > isn't swollen merely itchy (another reason why
> > I added the bandage).
>
> > Again, is this normal? Or should I be worried?
>
> I've never experienced what you describe with any of my three tattoos.
> Doesn't mean it's not normal, of course.

Currently normal temperature.

> > <snip> artist told me if I wanted to I could get
> > take some antibiotics as a just in case.
>
> Just-in-case antibiotics, from what I've read, isn't the wisest course
> of action.
>
> > This not merely being the tropics but also being
> > the tropics in China this probably isn't such a
> > bad idea.
>
> Otoh, I'm not looking out a window at the tropics in China either.

And there was this really nice mud puddle that I had to specifically
not take my freshly rebuilt mountain bike through <sigh> last night
when I decided to explore the area along the old railroad tracks.
I've even go so far as to reschedule the mountain bike's virgin group
ride for later in June.

> > (I was also told to only wash the tattoo site
> > with clean boiled water.)
>
> That available to you?

Yes, though I used bottled water since that takes less effort than
boiling it myself.

Unboiled tap water isn't always (often isn't) safe to drink

> > Unfortunately I didn't recognize the Chinese names of any of the
> > antibiotics he specifically suggested. I can get just about
> > everything except the super fast super new superdrugs over the
> > counter.
>
> No FDA interference, eh?

Pretty much.

> And super fast super new superdrugs? :oD

Can be purchased at the hospital. And are usually overkill for
whatever infection you have.

> > Are there any antibiotics which anyone
> > here can recommend as prophylactics
> > against potential skin infections?
>
> Dunno. Is there a "tropics in China" general equivalent to a family
> doctor in your neck of the woods?

The pharmacist. Who tried to sell me cinnamon oil when I bought the
vaseline. Cinammon oil is fabulous stuff for massage and is also a
pretty good antibacterial. Strangely enough the one variety I know
also works pretty good at keeping mosquitoes away. But it hurts to
even think of putting it on something that in any way resembles a
wound.

> Fwiw, it sounds as if the ink sweats (or, yes, however you'd care to
> describe that) is normal as ever. I'd give your colorful wound some
> air and decrease by bunches 'n bunches the amount of goop you're
> applying. No help with the antibiotic advice, however.
>
> Best of luck. Please post a follow-up.

I'll try to find a place to post pictures that doesn't require a log-
in.

-M

On Jun 13, 12:37 pm, Marian <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 13, 5:47 am, Curt <curtja...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Marian wrote:

> > > <snip> left the studio with nothing on my
> > > leg but vaseline based aftercare ointment.
>
> > Btdt:
>
> >http://www.geocities.com/curt_james/calvin.html
>
> Once upon a long time ago many members of the F-lun Gong (fill in the
> blank with an "a") had websites on geocities. I do not know if this
> is still true. I do know that the mainland firewall has never
> unblocked geocities.

At 14:26 local time I accidentally clicked on this link (having
predictably failed to get through the time I clicked on it on purpose)
and -actually- got through. Cool tattoo. I really like the way the
back of your ankle is the rear of the image on the front of your
ankle.

Mine is probably about 3/4s the size of your's and ran me 1500rmb
total (about $195) for four hours including his final tweaks to the
preliminary drawing, drawing it on my leg, outline, colors, two
bathroom breaks, and a trip to the ATM.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53374875@N00/ should work. I've included
the first preliminary drawing (which is barely different from the
picture in the binder), the collection of botanical rose drawings and
the photo of a rose and rose thorns that I sent back, and the second
preliminary drawing.

-M

On Jun 13, 2:50 am, Marian <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote:

> http://www.flickr.com/photos/53374875@N00/should work. I've included
> the first preliminary drawing (which is barely different from the
> picture in the binder), the collection of botanical rose drawings and
> the photo of a rose and rose thorns that I sent back, and the second
> preliminary drawing.

Anyone else creeped out about the cloth covering on the table?

You might need the antibiotics after all.

Kavin

On Jun 13, 12:37 am, Marian <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 13, 5:47 am, Curt <curtja...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Marian wrote:

You get good answers from people with lots of well healed tattoos,
and you reply to the group village idiot. Sigh.

>
> > > The afternoon of the second day after the tattoo
> > > I started getting some ink colors on my sheets.
>
> > I slept with my leg outside or on top the sheets.
>
> > > Today is the evening of the third day. I've now
> > > got a bandage
>
> > On day three, Calvin saw no bandage. Neither did Hobbes. By then I was
> > leaving it air dry with the very slightest hint of A&D ointment
> > smoothed across its surface.
>
> > > and extra amounts of wonderfully soothing
> > > vaseline above and beyond the aftercare
> > > ointment he gave me
>
> > Likewise on the above and beyond action. Actually, none on the above
> > and beyond. It was the wisp of A&D and nothing else.
>
> The bandage was to keep the vaseline from making other things gunky.
> It also keeps my fingernails away from it. The vaseline is like the
> aftercare ointment only gloopier and more soothing. As I write this
> my leg is open to the air and not currently itching.
>

Do not put vaseline on it, it's responsible for the gunk. If it
itches that's normal and you use self-control to not scratch it. You
are throwing away the money you put into this tattoo by gooping it up
the way you're doing. At the very least you will need a touch up.

Oh, and please read this - approximately 98% of all rec.arts.bodyart
users agree with the sentiments:

http://tinyurl.com/2suzqa

Susan
http://scamptattoo.com

On Jun 13, 8:39 am, sca...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Jun 13, 12:37 am, Marian <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote:
>

>
> > > Marian wrote:
>
> You get good answers from people with lots of well healed tattoos,
> and you reply to the group village idiot. Sigh.

I'll have your baby . . .

Kavin

On Jun 13, 11:38 am, Marian <marian.rosenb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 13, 8:39 pm, sca...@gmail.com wrote:

> > You get good answers from people with lots of well healed tattoos,
> > and you reply to the group village idiot. Sigh.
>
> I needed to pick a message to respond to instead of writing basically
> the same kind of response to every message.

Except they were not "basically" the same message.


> His seemed as good a one
> as any other to write a response to as any other.

Notice he said A&D ointment. OINTMENT. Look up ointment.

Scamp said lotion.

The fact that his post was longer and had more butt-kissing is a clue.

Look for the inappropriate private e-mails from him. It happens.

Kavin