Hi there I got my first tattoo on monday this week and followed the after care instructions of using bepanthen 3x day and washing it once per day allowing it to air dry for about 20 mins before adding bepanthen.My tattoo is black and has heavily scabbed up which I realise sometimes and sometimes not happens.
So anyway I know not to pick or scratch and actually it isnt even itchy so no probs there just Ive been reading confilcting things about scabbing and healing process and not sure what to do.
Its been scabbed up for about 3 days shall I still use the bepanthen cream on it or leave the cream now?
some people say dont use it cause im prolonging the drying out process and some say to continue????
What should I do?
also been getting a bit of pain today sort of like hand cramp pain (tattoo is on wrist) and the whole area feels achy to the touch sort of like if you worked out too hard and felt achy the next day though this is just the wrist and hand area.
@
I agree with archie. The majority of my work is heavy black and I experience the same thing. A good lotion will be the best thing for you at this point. It should start flaking off in a couple more days. Just make sure not to pick it, which you already know.
I would seek medical advice if you are getting pain in your wrist it may be infected! Never use Bepanthen as it has alcohol in it, and petroleum jelly which blocks the pores and doesn’t allow the skin to breath. I use Vaseline intensive care moisturiser, it is perfume free and allows the skin to breathe. Also having mainly black on your tattoo does not mean it will scab,with proper after care no tattoo should have heavy scabbing.
Keep the skin moisturised (apply3-4 times a day) and protected from sunlight and irritants such as clothes or deodorants. Do not soak, so no swimming etc, and showers not baths. Do not touch with dirty hands, do not pick the scabs or flaking skin, these will fall off naturally. Even once the skin appears to be heaied keep applying moisturiser for another 2 weeks to help keep colours bright, then moisturise skin daily.
Hope this helps
sounds to e like you had an artist with a heavy hand. He/she might have gone deeper than they should leaving you with heavy scabs and bruising. follow the suggestions above and wait it out. if you see swelling or redness around the tat that gets worse with time then go see a doc.
just my .02
im just curious of how this is healing now ????
dont worry about the aches, it aint infected as suggested by another member…… if it was infected then it would be extremely painful, skin rised up, bright red around it and ouzing with yellow fluid 😉
the aching is normally brought on by the position the artist has placed your body into to get good access or good natural stretch to help him/her do the piece easier, also it can be caused by the way the artist gets a stretch, sometimes its easier to hold the area from behind and using the grip to tighten the skin, this can cause aching and also some swelling 😉
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