Can a scabbed over tattoo still come out okay?

I am in the process of getting a full sleeve done, and i just had some
serious fill-work done on the water between my koi fish and serpent. I
got it on sunday so its been about 5 days, and the tattoo is now
scabbed up.

Not just like a thin layer, but like pretty thick. I would say some
areas are almost an 1/8th of an inch thick, most are about 1/16th of an
inch. Its very hard and crusty in appearance. Certain spots you can see
where the pus dried into the scab. Now this is my 8th tattoo and i
swear no matter what artist i go to or where i get the work done, this
always happens.

I always follow the advice very closely, but this happens. Some body
areas have been worse, and color is most certainly been a bigger
problem than black. Not only is it frustrating to see other tattooee's
come out with no scabbing and a tat that looks as good as right after
it was done, but even though i happen to know this artists well now, i
feel like i have to come up with an excuse as to why didnt it heal...
like its my fault... like i didnt take care of it, which is not the
case. I mean, why would i want it to come out like crap?

So im pretty much narrowing it down to one thing.... it must be my skin
type. I know i have sensitive skin, so apparently my ability to get
tats is affected by this. Now the question i have is, do you think that
tattoos can still come out okay even if you scab? i just thought that
the ink was already under the skin, so i dont see how a scab could
affect the quality...

Even more importantly, once it is scabbed (usually after 3 or 4 days
for me) should i continue to moisturize, or should i let it dry itself
out and heal naturally.... i just hate applying moisturizer to a thick
scab because im concerned when i rub it in i might rip some of them off
prematurely. I guess im also hoping that even with a massive scab, as
long as it doesnt come off earlier than it wants to, the ink will still
be there...

sorry for rambling on... just really getting upset about this...

thanks for you patience and i hope for some replies

<jeffhanson7183@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1153506046.702099.85660@m79g2000cwm.googlegro ups.com...
>I am in the process of getting a full sleeve done, and i just had some
> serious fill-work done on the water between my koi fish and serpent. I
> got it on sunday so its been about 5 days, and the tattoo is now
> scabbed up.
>
> Not just like a thin layer, but like pretty thick. I would say some
> areas are almost an 1/8th of an inch thick, most are about 1/16th of an
> inch. Its very hard and crusty in appearance. Certain spots you can see
> where the pus dried into the scab. Now this is my 8th tattoo and i
> swear no matter what artist i go to or where i get the work done, this
> always happens.
>
> I always follow the advice very closely, but this happens. Some body
> areas have been worse, and color is most certainly been a bigger
> problem than black. Not only is it frustrating to see other tattooee's
> come out with no scabbing and a tat that looks as good as right after
> it was done, but even though i happen to know this artists well now, i
> feel like i have to come up with an excuse as to why didnt it heal...
> like its my fault... like i didnt take care of it, which is not the
> case. I mean, why would i want it to come out like crap?
>
> So im pretty much narrowing it down to one thing.... it must be my skin
> type. I know i have sensitive skin, so apparently my ability to get
> tats is affected by this. Now the question i have is, do you think that
> tattoos can still come out okay even if you scab? i just thought that
> the ink was already under the skin, so i dont see how a scab could
> affect the quality...
>
> Even more importantly, once it is scabbed (usually after 3 or 4 days
> for me) should i continue to moisturize, or should i let it dry itself
> out and heal naturally.... i just hate applying moisturizer to a thick
> scab because im concerned when i rub it in i might rip some of them off
> prematurely. I guess im also hoping that even with a massive scab, as
> long as it doesnt come off earlier than it wants to, the ink will still
> be there...
>
> sorry for rambling on... just really getting upset about this...
>
> thanks for you patience and i hope for some replies
>

Mine always scabbed up, in fact I don't know anyone who hasn't had a scab
after a tattoo. Surely the scab forms to protect the damaged skin
underneath?

This isn't medical advice, but I tend to use cream(s) for the first 5 or so
days, then let the scab dry and fall off, then use cream(s) for a couple
more days on the sensitive skin. Have you had any work done by anyone else
to see if there's a difference in your healing? In my experience some
tattooists can go slightly deeper/not so deep or use more ink than others
which can affect the scab. As long as your healed tattoos are looking good
with no patches of skin where ink is supposed to be, it sounds like you're
doing OK.

Thanks for the reply! i feel a little better knowing that im not the
only one out there... well, to be honest most of my previous tats (8 in
total) have suffered from a few spots of lost ink, some alot, some with
only minor touchup needed...

Like is said the hardest part is trying to get the artist to understand
im doing the best i can to heal it properly... i know their artwork is
very personal and they put their pride into it, they expect you to take
care of it, which i understand

<jeffhanson7183@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Not just like a thin layer, but like pretty thick. I would say some
> areas are almost an 1/8th of an inch thick, most are about 1/16th of an
> inch. Its very hard and crusty in appearance. Certain spots you can see
> where the pus dried into the scab. Now this is my 8th tattoo and i
> swear no matter what artist i go to or where i get the work done, this
> always happens.

i had some fairly thick scabs on a calf piece recently and it healed
just fine.

> I always follow the advice very closely, but this happens. Some body
> areas have been worse, and color is most certainly been a bigger
> problem than black. Not only is it frustrating to see other tattooee's
> come out with no scabbing and a tat that looks as good as right after
> it was done, but even though i happen to know this artists well now, i
> feel like i have to come up with an excuse as to why didnt it heal...

has it actually *not healed* properly or has it just not finished
healing yet? if you've still got scabs, it's ... not healed.

> Now the question i have is, do you think that tattoos can still come out
> okay even if you scab? i just thought that the ink was already under the
> skin, so i dont see how a scab could affect the quality...

i had way more scabbing on that calf piece than i was comfortable with,
and it healed fine. that doesn't mean yours will, but yes - it's
possible.

i don't think the problem is that the scabs affect the quality as much
as how you treat the scabs and what you do with them. i.e., no picking,
no pulling, having them fall off too soon, letting them dry out too much
stuff like that.

(someone please correct me if i'm wrong, but that's the way i understand
it.)

> Even more importantly, once it is scabbed (usually after 3 or 4 days
> for me) should i continue to moisturize, or should i let it dry itself
> out and heal naturally.... i just hate applying moisturizer to a thick
> scab because im concerned when i rub it in i might rip some of them off
> prematurely. I guess im also hoping that even with a massive scab, as
> long as it doesnt come off earlier than it wants to, the ink will still
> be there...

i moisturized my yucky scabs, and even went so far as to alternate
between lotion and rose hip seed oil (which worked fantastically well).
you do have to be very careful not to dislodge anything, but i didn't
find it all that difficult. it's a fine line between too dry and too
wet, but i don't think letting them dry out is the way to go.

jeffhanson7183@hotmail.com wrote:
jhc> Not just like a thin layer, but like pretty thick. I would say some

read: http://compunction.org/healing.txt

lish "& i'd rather be shot in the face
crank@got.net than hear what you're going to say." -fnm
43.9% / 30 RANA 125 / 68

jeffhanson7183@hotmail.com wrote:

> I am in the process of getting a full sleeve done, and i just had some
> serious fill-work done on the water between my koi fish and serpent. I
> got it on sunday so its been about 5 days, and the tattoo is now
> scabbed up.
>
> Not just like a thin layer, but like pretty thick. I would say some
> areas are almost an 1/8th of an inch thick, most are about 1/16th of an
> inch. Its very hard and crusty in appearance. Certain spots you can see
> where the pus dried into the scab. Now this is my 8th tattoo and i
> swear no matter what artist i go to or where i get the work done, this
> always happens.
>
> I always follow the advice very closely, but this happens. Some body
> areas have been worse, and color is most certainly been a bigger
> problem than black. Not only is it frustrating to see other tattooee's
> come out with no scabbing and a tat that looks as good as right after
> it was done, but even though i happen to know this artists well now, i
> feel like i have to come up with an excuse as to why didnt it heal...
> like its my fault... like i didnt take care of it, which is not the
> case. I mean, why would i want it to come out like crap?
>
> So im pretty much narrowing it down to one thing.... it must be my skin
> type. I know i have sensitive skin, so apparently my ability to get
> tats is affected by this. Now the question i have is, do you think that
> tattoos can still come out okay even if you scab? i just thought that
> the ink was already under the skin, so i dont see how a scab could
> affect the quality...
>
> Even more importantly, once it is scabbed (usually after 3 or 4 days
> for me) should i continue to moisturize, or should i let it dry itself
> out and heal naturally.... i just hate applying moisturizer to a thick
> scab because im concerned when i rub it in i might rip some of them off
> prematurely. I guess im also hoping that even with a massive scab, as
> long as it doesnt come off earlier than it wants to, the ink will still
> be there...
>
> sorry for rambling on... just really getting upset about this...
>
> thanks for you patience and i hope for some replies


Alot can depend on how much your artist punishes your skin as well, hence
why color will often scab heavier than B&G
--
RoT

RoT wrote:
> jeffhanson7183@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > I am in the process of getting a full sleeve done, and i just had some
> > serious fill-work done on the water between my koi fish and serpent. I
> > got it on sunday so its been about 5 days, and the tattoo is now
> > scabbed up.
> >
> > Not just like a thin layer, but like pretty thick. I would say some
> > areas are almost an 1/8th of an inch thick, most are about 1/16th of an
> > inch. Its very hard and crusty in appearance. Certain spots you can see
> > where the pus dried into the scab. Now this is my 8th tattoo and i
> > swear no matter what artist i go to or where i get the work done, this
> > always happens.
> >
> > I always follow the advice very closely, but this happens. Some body
> > areas have been worse, and color is most certainly been a bigger
> > problem than black. Not only is it frustrating to see other tattooee's
> > come out with no scabbing and a tat that looks as good as right after
> > it was done, but even though i happen to know this artists well now, i
> > feel like i have to come up with an excuse as to why didnt it heal...
> > like its my fault... like i didnt take care of it, which is not the
> > case. I mean, why would i want it to come out like crap?
> >
> > So im pretty much narrowing it down to one thing.... it must be my skin
> > type.

I agree. I'd guess it must be your skin type. Just as some people scar
smoothly or "cleanly" while other gets thick and ropey scars, your skin
is affected by the tattoo process differently than others.

As long as you've been following your tattoo artist's healing
recommendations to a t then I don't see how it's your fault other than,
yeah, your body is apparently reacting in its natural way. Obvious,
isn't it? This is the eighth time it's happened, right?

> > I know i have sensitive skin, so apparently my ability to get tats
> > is affected by this. Now the question i have is, do you think that
> > tattoos can still come out okay even if you scab? i just thought that
> > the ink was already under the skin, so i dont see how a scab could
> > affect the quality...

You seem to have answered your question yourself elsewhere in this
thread:

"well, to be honest most of my previous tats (8 in total) have suffered
from a few spots of lost ink, some alot, some with only minor touchup
needed..."

I'd expect this tattoo session to follow suit. How is it going? You
still out there, OP?

Certainly you're not the only one this has happened to. I hope the
healing is going well and that you won't find any touchups necessary.

> > Even more importantly, once it is scabbed (usually after 3 or 4 days
> > for me) should i continue to moisturize, or should i let it dry itself
> > out and heal naturally.... i just hate applying moisturizer to a thick
> > scab because im concerned when i rub it in i might rip some of them off
> > prematurely. I guess im also hoping that even with a massive scab, as
> > long as it doesnt come off earlier than it wants to, the ink will still
> > be there...
> >
> > sorry for rambling on... just really getting upset about this...
> >
> > thanks for you patience and i hope for some replies

What approach did you take? Seems you got some intelligent
replies/comments/advice.

> Alot can depend on how much your artist punishes your skin as well,
> hence why color will often scab heavier than B&G

RoT, would you please explain this for me? How does black and gray
differ from color so far as application is concerned?

I have seen at least one person whose skin reacted terribly to red ink
but not other colors. They "swoled up" like crazy in the red areas.
Zoinks!

--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/

Curt James wrote:


> RoT, would you please explain this for me? How does black and gray
> differ from color so far as application is concerned?
>
> I have seen at least one person whose skin reacted terribly to red ink
> but not other colors. They "swoled up" like crazy in the red areas.
> Zoinks!
>

Colors often have to be worked in harder than black in order to get the
desired tone, the more the skin is worked the heavier it will scab.
This has been my experience anyway YMMV.
--
RoT

RoT wrote:
> Curt James wrote:
[...]

> > How does black and gray differ from color so far as
> > application is concerned?
>
> Colors often have to be worked in harder than black in
> order to get the desired tone, the more the skin is worked
> the heavier it will scab.
> This has been my experience anyway YMMV.

Thank you! :o)

--
Curt

"Curt James" <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1154528901.835740.219310@m73g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...
> I have seen at least one person whose skin reacted terribly to red ink
> but not other colors. They "swoled up" like crazy in the red areas.
> Zoinks!

I have always broken out in small, itchy red bumps evenly surrounding all
red inked areas. It also sort of ends up splotchy-looking, and other colors
don't do that to me. I've had all the red in some of my tattoos re-colored
and it still ends up splotching.
Marie

Marie wrote:
[...]

> I have always broken out in small, itchy red bumps
> evenly surrounding all red inked areas. It also sort of
> ends up splotchy-looking, and other colors don't do
> that to me. I've had all the red in some of my tattoos
> re-colored and it still ends up splotching.

Oh, Marie, that suuuucks. The one person I saw was a guy and he was
totally screwed. I assume it finally settled down, but when I saw him?
Daaaayumn! He was blown UP. I mean, I'da been thinking about a trip to
the emergency room.

My koi was/is mainly orange, green, and blue. The few drops of red in
my Calvin and Hobbes never even registered with my... immune system? I
wonder what your reaction is caused by.

....

I guess we'll never know as I KILLED RAB!!!!

(Glad you survived the plague, Marie.)

--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/