Gingerninja

Jondix at Seven Doors.

Right? I'm hoping the weather holds!

Echo what @Dan said. Depending upon who and what you choose, they may ask for a few laser treatments to lighten it up a bit!

Hey Kristy, It's hard b/c you know that your artist has some medical issues but ultimately, you are the customer. I'd explore other options. I think that you are certainly empathic to his situation (which means you are a good egg) but you don't "owe" him anything. Be kind, professional and move on.

It seems the key is to keep the area clean. If the area is clean and sealed then no MRSA or anything else nasty will get under or through it. It's used by most hospitals...

Aw, @Dan who knew you were such a romantic. :) Very, very cool! That dagger is tight.

I am so excited for you!! @Oiocha

Good to know. I've had three spots cut out. Now, I'm all twitchy about other spots showing up under my tattoos! In any event, I don't know how much sun you'd have to get to fade it. Plus, laser works "from the inside out"...take good care and enjoy your beautiful weather. Winter is coming (sorry couldn't resist a GoT reference).

Ha...I don't think it works that way or that quick but I'll let someone else comment. I will say this SKIN CANCER sucks. Wear sunscreen!!! @thyes

When did you get the cover-up done? Not to sound harsh but I suggest living with it for a solid year. When you get to a point where you are asking for a cover-up of a cover-up, you need to seriously reconsider what you want, your expectations, how you are communicating with your artist(s)...the entire process. I really like your tattoo. It's well executed and pretty. As Dan mentioned, you could add to it.

You did the right thing by going to the doctor. I had something similar that lasted for three months then finally went away. Resist the urge to pick at it and don't over moisturize.

Here ya go. Obviously an "on the spot" photo from just now. LOL He also did a shi shi on my left ribs that's insanely good.

Already looking forward to seeing your photos.

@Emil I saw this and thought how cool it was.

BTW, I have a peony from Mike Rubendall that I adore...

I LOVE Rose. Her style is Art Deco inspired...she'd kill this. Not Japanese but she would do something amazing, I'm sure.

The first thing that comes to mind is an old Victorian-type alphabet letter. Google it for some references. Is there something (plant, animal, thing) that tie you al together beyond the V? Favorite place, memory?

And what did you like about it?

Many artists only book a few months at a time, so they open and close their books every couple of months. They do it to keep themselves organized and minimize cancellations. Both Garver and O'Donnell take this approach. It's a personal preference. But again, if you want something from a certain artist you do what it takes to get tattooed by them.

I keep coming back to this thread...

Since you are traveling, make sure to follow your aftercare to a T! Keep it clean, clean, clean. You need to communicate what you want and don't want then trust him to come up with something that you'll like. Just pay super close attention to the detail when he asks you to look at it in the mirror BEFORE he starts to tattoo you. It can be an overwhelming experience to take it all in at the moment. Most of all - enjoy the experience! Remember to eat before you go, bring water and some sugar to snack on. Post photos when you get back. We love seeing photos of tattoos.

Don't worry about it yet...it's not done.

I'm gonna go on record to say that Matt is awesome... Garver is a bit less but not by much. Check out RG at Invisible, too. I say save your pennies Matt or Garver!

@Zillah OMG - that's horrific! How long had the tegaderm been on? 48 hours?

Nice, @el twe. The only issue that I sometimes have is some irritation along a edge but that goes away within a day or so. I still use a mix of smaller and larger pieces (I cut to fit). I found that strategically layering the tegaderm on high movement areas keeps it from lifting and prevents seeping. Think snake scales...