Samth

Just had the 2nd session on the top of my arm. Reworked an old tribal and added an eye and some dot work. Quite hard to see as it wraps around. 🙂
 

Hi it's time to introduce myself, my name is Derek Optyk Tattoo, from Poland.
My favorite style is optical tattoo (optical illusions, asymmetry, deformation of shape, size and length)
 

Generally, we all prefer images to literal, numeric or text tattoos. Pic a scene or event that reminds just you of experiencing your grandparents and then get that instead. 

great photos! thanks @Dan

Just a portion of the awesome >35 year-old bikes on display yesterday. I believe the oldest was a 1929 Henderson.

I had a similar experience...I used cocoa butter for 2 or 3 weeks on my elbow and ditch before they were tattooed and the initial couple days of healing were definitely easier. Good insight!

I'm finishing up a body suit this year and at 64, I've been concerned about my skin continuing to be fit to tattoo. I took a break during COVID, so I lost two years, but I've had four appointments in the last several months. In preparation for the appointments, every day I applied cocoa butter liberally on the areas to be tattooed for a full month prior to my appointment. My last two appointments focused on the ribs and in addition to not hurting nearly as much as my previous rib tattoos, both sessions healed in record time. All of the red was gone within two days, I had very little pain and they healed very nicely. I've probably got another 6 sessions left and I'm going to continue doing this; hopefully it will help all my sessions heal quickly.
Anyway, it's not a scientific experiment, it's only one person, but I thought I'd share it. It certainly won't hurt and it might help.

My knee is BRUTAL. It's scabby and still a little warm after six days. I will not be doing my other knee in a hurry because YIKES. 😭  Healing this damn thing is awful.

@bryantat2Just FYI: This forum is for tattoo collectors. Your other post indicates you think you can seek technical advice here. You cannot.

Bless your simple heart. Bye now. 🤣

here is an example of what a good artist can do to rework/freshenup a tattoo,
I follow this guy and IMO he is very good, this is one he freshened up for somebody.
 

Hello, glad to be a new member.
I recently got my first tattoo after wanting one for over a decade. I'm learning a lot about myself in the aftermath of it, and have found that I have changed in certain ways as an individual. 
 Always looking for advice and ideas for new pieces in the future. I hope to get another couple in my lifetime!

Hi everyone,
Just popping through to say hello!

Just let it heal. Look at the 10,000 other posts asking the same question. Your case isn't unique. It is pretty much the same post over and over on the whole of the initiation board. 

Just copying and pasting same thing I told the other person “If it’s not hot, oozing or painful, it’s probably not infected. Tattoos take 4-6 weeks to heal, sometimes longer if they went in hard. You just have to wait and see.” No matter how you phrase the question, this is the answer.

If it’s not hot, oozing or painful, it’s probably not infected. Tattoos take 4-6 weeks to heal, sometimes longer if they went in hard. You just have to wait and see.

Hi, Cindy. We aren't artists here. We are mostly collectors. We aren't really the right people to ask.
That aside, most of those tattoo schools are frowned upon because they are purely money spinners. If your daughter wants to be a tattoo artist, she needs to talk to other artists and investigate an apprenticeship in a shop.
For the record, I wouldn't let anyone who comes out of one of those "schools" near me with a tattoo machine.

The world has enough scratchers. As @oboogie said, encourage her to go through an apprenticeship, respect tradition.

This is not accurate. Keloids aren't that common. This person is futzing with their tattoo too much and smothering it.

This is a disaster waiting to happen. People who rush into tattoos often wind up with shit tattoos. First, three inches is too small, it will look like a scribble. Second, the simpler the tattoo, the better the artist you need because they have to be exact. You can’t walk into the first shop you see and get the first artist available.
Put on the brakes and think this through. And do your homework finding a good artist. Good artists usually have waiting lists, you can’t just walk in.

hello!
I got my biggest piece done on my thigh on Friday 21st, so 3 days ago. My leg has been really sore and swollen since then, hurts a lot when standing and walking.
I also noticed my skin has been scabbing weird at some areas, along with some ink leaking when the tattoo is wet (after shower or even after putting a little bit of cream). My previous tattoos always healed pretty well with peeling starting around 5-7 days - but I’ve never experienced this type of scabs.  
The rest of my tattoo is healing exactly like the previous ones - as you can see on the last picture!
Has this ever happen to one of you? Should i be worried? 
 
I usually dry heal and only put cream if it really becomes too uncomfortable. Should i let it dry or actually put some cream ?
I also have some extreme swelling on my knee, right below my tattoo - only happened tonight after a whole day at work walking a lot so i guess it’s fine ?
(i can’t go to my tattoo artist since he isn’t in my town anymore - i emailed him but haven’t got any reply yet!)
Thank you in advance !

NEVER get a tattoo.

Ive always treated it as common sense skin care. Should i be wearing sunscreen? If so, i do, but if im just having a drink on the back porch, i dont worry about it.

Ive always treated it as common sense skin care. Should i be wearing sunscreen? If so, i do, but if im just having a drink on the back porch, i dont worry about it.