Princess Sparkle Mittens

Put on lotion, then take a tissue and dab off the excess.

Go see a dermatologist.

I've heard a lot of people say that inks have improved a lot in the last few decades, so why not?

There will likely be improvements in inks that make them less likely to migrate or fade.

Yeah, I wouldn't recommend newbies start with a full back piece. But the arms and legs aren't that bad, except for ditches and joints.

I hear this too, but tattoos really aren't that painful. Sure, they hurt, and some spots hurt more than others, but it's not unbearable. Especially since you can break larger pieces up into shorter sessions. Tattoo pain is way overhyped.

There's nothing to fix on that tattoo. It's still healing. Tattoos look weird when they are healing. A lot of people say to give it 6 weeks to heal and then judge, but I'd given it longer, at least three months. It shouldn't be shiny or bumpy then. Secondly, a tattoo is not a sticker. No tattoo is perfect. Tattoos do not heal exactly the way they looked when they were first done. Skin is a living canvas and that means lines often spread or color migrates. It would be ridiculous to go back to your artist to get that "fixed." If you can't live with minor imperfections, then tattoos aren't for you.

Yeah, definitely a scratcher.

I had that happen on one of my tattoos and it actually healed well and didn't need touchups.

It's awful. I would try to get it lasered.

That is honestly a terrible thing to have happen to you. I don't think there's much you can do now. As everyone is saying, it has to heal. But it looks like you have a good artist and you've been to him several times, so you must have trusted him. I would trust him to fix it once it's fully healed.

This. I would call or email your artist ASAP and then schedule a doctor's appointment, because what you're describing sounds unusual and really really unpleasant.

Aha. Thanks for the info, soraya.

Here's a healed pic of the tattoo that was removed using this method that was posted above. https://www.instagram.com/p/BykrBJMnMZD/

It's gross to rub lotion made from sheep gunk into open wounds. Get a basic unscented vegan lotion.

I don't think it's botched. It's hard to read, but you know what it says, so who cares?

A tattoo is not a sticker. Every tattoo has tiny "flaws." No one will notice them but you.

Healing makes tattoos look ugly, even if they don't scab up. That's why you have to wait 6 weeks to see it in it's fully healed state. This one looks normal to me. I don't use antibacterial soap either. Never had a problem.

I felt this way with my first few tattoos. I planned them out carefully, researched the best artists, and ended up with really nice tattoos. But there were always moments in the first few months after a new one where I would have anxiety or panicky feelings of "was this really a good idea?" This was especially true when a new tattoo was healing, because healing tattoos are ugly. Or at least, mine are. Now I have a lot of tattoos and new ones don't make me anxious. Someone mentioned up thread the idea that at first you're a tattoo spectator and then you become a tattooed person/member of the tattooed community. It's an identity shift. I think that's really true. I'm all in now, and I have no regrets about any of my tattoos.

Wear sunscreen. Gentle exfoliation can make well healed (AKA longer than a month) tattoos look a bit brighter temporarily (do NOT exfoliate a month old tattoo). Wear sunscreen. Otherwise you can treat it like any other bit of skin. Wear sunscreen though.

Keep us updated on how things go.

Tattoos usually look ugly when healing. This one looks fine to me. Give it time to settle into your skin.

It looks fine. Leave it alone. There's no such thing as a perfect tattoo. You're the only one who will notice these minute imperfections.

Well, it releases adrenaline and endorphins, so...yeah, it hurts and yet it can be exhilarating. I enjoy being tattooed, both the experience and the perma-art.

You could add in more nature images. A mountain lion, a grizzly, fish, trees, clouds, water maybe