Most Difficult Tattoo Spots to Heal

**Lochlan** · 04-30-2011

The "Multiple Sessions" thread got me thinking about tattoos and healing plus my own trying to heal my elbow ditch right now. For those who don't know the elbow "ditch" is the inside of your arm where it bends so the tattoo/skin is always rubbing with almost every movement all day even as you sleep as well as I type right now. I wake up to the sheets and pillows having blood spots, god knows how many sheets I've ruined over the years from getting tattooed. I can only imagine back tattoos multiply this sheet process. A constant waking up in the morning pealing the sheets away. Anywho, I'll enjoy that when the time comes...

So what are the most difficult spots you've had to deal with in the healing process of getting tattooed. Also for tattooers, what are the spots you notice heal the worst due to their potentially difficult healing process due to location? Do you take the healing process in mind when you lay a stencil on too so the less intricate parts are in these locations? Lastly from me for now, anyone got any tricks they use when healing potentially difficult spots while they sleep or elsewhere? I've been trying to sleep with my arm straight which keeps me waking very often so don't think it's much of a trick, ha.

**nicky papers** · 04-30-2011

The ditch was definitely one of the the harder spots to heal. I basically didn't bend my arms for a few days each time. All arm movements were made from the shoulder, which as a bartender looked pretty silly.

**WeRnDoG** · 04-30-2011

My knee was difficult to heal, had some fall out and some stubborn scabs. The skin is thick and tough.

**RockelMan** · 04-30-2011

Yes so far the ditch has been the hardest part to heal. All I did was used an extra pillow to wedge my side to keep me from moving too much while sleeping and I kept my arm on top of the sheets so the area kept cool and aired out nicely after washing it before bed. I would also imagine (I have not had these done yet) the back of the knee would be a bad spot or on the sole of your foot. Oh and as I am thinking of it the arm pit too. . .Ouch. . .I don't want to think about that one.

**hogg** · 04-30-2011

The outside of my elbow was the worst for me. If you extend your arm with your palm facing up, I'm talking about the part that faces out (the brachioradialis, if you're keeping score). That took forever to heal.

When I was getting my arms tattooed, I cut the collar and sleeve off an old long-sleeved T-shirt and slept with that. It sounds goofy, but I put the shirt collar over my head so that the sleeve would stay on. That way, I didn't have to worry about it rubbing against the sheets (or my wife), and if my fresh tattoo stuck to the sleeve, I'd just run warm water over it and carefully remove it.

**nicky papers** · 04-30-2011

Originally Posted by hogg

When I was getting my arms tattooed, I cut the collar and sleeve off an old long-sleeved T-shirt and slept with that. It sounds goofy, but I put the shirt collar over my head so that the sleeve would stay on. That way, I didn't have to worry about it rubbing against the sheets (or my wife), and if my fresh tattoo stuck to the sleeve, I'd just run warm water over it and carefully remove it.

good idea man, i wish this thread was around when i still had arm space.

**mario desa** · 04-30-2011

the t'aint for sure. hands down.

**MsRad** · 05-01-2011

tmi Mario! tmi!

**Erica** · 05-01-2011

the upper inner part of my arm into my armpit has been terrible this past week. it stayed sore forever and still has scabs though the rest of the arm is healed. ugh.

**str8edg** · 09-13-2011

only have a half sleeve so I only have half a ditch and yes it did suck.
I also found the front of my shoulder right above my arm pit, if that makes sense.
Thats all I got right now... I will keep you posted as my ink progresses