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It's a nice tattoo. Whether or not it was a mistake is something only you can answer. I wouldn't recommend finishing the sleeve until you get your head on straight about what you want to do. A full sleeve is a really big commitment. I've never had the tattoo regret thing so I can't really relate.

Take it easy. Relax. Breath. No reason to be depressed, for sure. Let your arm heal for a few months. Also a historical infection doesn't mean your arm or skin is any weaker, once healed.

It looks to me like you are putting too much lotion or something on it. Just let it dry heal. Quit messing with it. If you're that worried, go see your artist and/or your doctor.

Thank you. I'm still having my weak moments but they're getting less. I am giving myself some time and of course my goal is to adore and be absolutely in love with it. I mean this is why I chose it and decided to go through with it, right? Everyone here has been a huge help so far and I'm really amazed by it. So thank you!

For those interested, Scott Harrison's "Thom DeVita's Customer" podcast/story is now available on LP: https://shopreaper.com/products/thom-devitas-customer-lp-by-scott-harrisson And the NY Times published a nice obituary to Thom (although seeing the word 'inked' in the first sentence made me cringe):https://shopreaper.com/products/thom-devitas-customer-lp-by-scott-harrisson Scott is quoted in the obit, referred to as a "tattoo artist and one of Mr. DeVita's customers" which brought a smile to my face. I can only imagine that was a conscious choice by Scott, but if it's purely coincidental then we know Thom is still pulling some strings with the universe.

Crappy picture but my Ariel is finally done. This is 2 days after and I’m pretty bruised and swollen (my skin is super sensitive). I’m going to be working on a full sleeve with King Tritons castle, an octopus and possibly Flounder. I love Mermaids!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My basic aftercare routine: 1) Get home, wash tattoo with warm/hot water and gentle soap (I already buy the cheapest, shittiest soap out there, which is usually good for tattoos ) 2) Pat dry with paper towel, apply a tiny dot of Aquaphor 3) Depending on the time of day: either continue to wash it a couple times a day, or loosely wrap a paper towel/cloth around it to sleep and not destroy my sheets (to remove stuck on paper towel, I hop in the shower and let it wash off, no pulling!) 4) Wash maybe 3-4 times a day for the next couple days, whenever I was sweating or the tattoo starts to feel oozy and gross, maybe another tiny dab of Aquaphor once a day 4) Once scabs and peeling starts happening (around day 3 or 4), I stop doing anything special to it. I only rinse it in the shower like any other part of me (albeit more gently). I apply lotion only when it's so dry and itchy I can't stand it anymore, maybe once every couple days. So yeah, I'm generally pretty low maintenance with mine and only apply lotion for my own comfort. Your body can take care of itself.

My first couple of tattoos I had a very strict and detailed schedule of aftercare. Now with 200+ hours under the needle I am more of a minimalist. I can't help you with the bra strap dilemma, but I just avoid wearing skin tight clothes for the first week. In day 5 I only shower/wash the tattoo once a day and moisturize it with cocoa butter when I get up and when I go to bed. Your body will heal itself unless you really screw up badly.

“Think before you ink!” It’s a good tattoo and a coverup will be a disaster. Learn to love it, add to it to make it more feminine, or get started with the laser treatments. Believe me, I’m the master of getting coverups, blast overs, and redoing tattoos. I’d leave that one alone!