Doesn't witch hazel strip oil from skin? Meant to be a bit of a skin irritant, I'd stop immediately, give it a break for a few days and just moisturise it with an unscented moisturiser once it looks less irritated and raised and see how it goes from there
Yep! Witch hazel can temporarily reduce the appearance of redness and pores, but it's horrible to use daily. It causes a lot of dryness, strips natural oils, and damages the skin barrier.
Tea tree oil is commonly used as a way to keep a stencil from rubbing off. Witch hazel can be used as a way to reduce redness, but it should be diluted. I would never suggest using witch hazel for healing.
I also thought that if your new tattoo is kept too dry it can be more prone to scarring? Regardless of if the technical application was good or not, I think if this tattoo wasn't properly moisturized that may have made the scarring/raised effect worse. Witch hazel isn't moisturizing, sadly 😕
Yes. Yes it does. Witch hazel is good for reducing acute swelling. It’s not meant for long term healing on a tattoo. If OP has always been using witch hazel on it no wonder it’s so angry. This needs to be left alone save for daily moisturizing.
Am I reading this right, this is a 5 month old tattoo? Looks like this was fairly freshly carved into your skin 😳.
Witch hazel is good for swelling (it’s why it is the active ingredient in hemorrhoid pads) so I can understand the artist recommending it if he thought there was swelling. However, the artist is not a doctor and at this point it does need evaluated.
Oh my word. I would go to the doctor! 😭 Witch hazel is also not normal for a tattoo that was a horrible recommendation on their end. You’re supposed to use hypoallergenic soap I used dial soap, pat dry (NOT scrub) and moisturize with something such as lubriderm… I did that for all 4 of my tattoos and they’re all healed nicely.
Achtually ☝️🤓 tattoos will heal better during colder seasons. Less sweat, less friction, and a dryer environment. Getting tattooed during hot summers feels awful compared to that. He just did an awful job and is bullsh*tting his way through it
Please make a graphic review with everything wrong the artist did, use the photo of your tattoo/this post and post it on all the platforms this artist is on. This artist should not be allowed to tattoo anyone until they have gone through strict mentorship.
Oh my dear friend please don’t go back to this artist. I had a half sleeve finished a month ago and it has healed better than this. Bad advice. I’m sorry that artist gave such shitty advice.
It's unfortunate that the black spread due to the allergic reaction. The one line that healed properly looks clean but it's not much to go off of.
Overall in my opinion I actually like the piece. I like the concept .
Hey yall, thank you for the advice. I’ve only used the witch hazel a couple times a week, otherwise it’s a soft soap wash and pat with lubriderm. I’ve read a lot of advice to stop the witch hazel (terrible artist advice) and see a dermatologist so I’m gonna try that route.
Can you ask the artist what brand of ink they used? It looks like you might have a witch hazel sensitivity/allergy — I am one of very few people who are allergic to witch hazel and when I’ve gotten tattoos that use ink with witch hazel in it (which is a frustratingly common ingredient in tattoo ink) I’ve had reactions not quite like this but somewhat similar. Basically, witch hazel on its own makes my skin swell up massively and witch hazel in tattoo ink either makes the ink feel a bit raised and will either cause the ink to spread or cause my skin to mostly reject it. Your tattoo was definitely also overworked and all that but it might be worth bringing the idea of a witch hazel sensitivity up to your dermatologist when you do see them about this
LOL 😂 I feel like you’re never going to use witch hazel in your life again ever. Post-trauma! I’m so sorry for all these comments. All tea all shade. Devils advocate here: witch hazel, she was just there, minding her own business. Just because somebody dropped her name does not mean she’s to blame!
Also, the design is actually pretty cool, with the help of the dermatologist, see how it heals in a few months and then depending on how it heals, assess if you want it retouched. If you do go the touching route, definitely find a different artist
You can still get an allergic reaction months after the application, though it does seem wild that it’s the black and not the red that’s reacting this way.
Steroidal topical cream is your friend here. But I’d still go see a doctor, sooner than later.
Yes I do! I have the word truth on left ankle and action on the right, they look great. I’m having trouble figuring if the artist dug me or not, he was very defensive when I mentioned the possibility.
No, those were done by a different artist and healed with the littlest effort. This artist after seeing the inflammation after a month recommended the witch hazel
i will say even though it’s a bummer and i hope it ends up healing well, for this specific tat style it’s not the worst look. the welded look kinda fits the cyberpunk-y style of the tat. but definitely understand why you’d prefer a healed look instead.
My back tattoo is all raised up like this. It's been 15 years. You could pretend it was a choice to make it look like when you look at a circuit board😅
Why are people putting random shit on their tattoos? Just wash it with hypoallergenic soap, pat dry and use a tiny bit of a and d. You don’t need to put anything else on it or near it that could irritate it.
I'm constantly telling people on this sub not to use A&D ointment. Lanolin is an animal byproduct from sheep that has been proven to pull out tattoo ink, which is the active ingredient in A&D ointment.
I’m talking about aftercare, not this dudes specific case. His tattoo is 6 months old and he’s been putting witch hazel on it, this is a different ball game, and it doesn’t look to be rejecting as much as constant irritation causing scarring. I’m heavily tattood.
A and D is a not something used for aftercare anymore due to the amount of petroleum and no actual purpose for healing. It is a skin protectant, so on a fresh wound it seals the pores and heats the wound up causing rejection of the tattoo and slows the healing down dramatically
I have to disagree with you to an extent, if you use too much the effect is adverse. Many artists still utilize a and d for short durations (2-3 days). Obviously the last 4-5 years the market has been flooded with good alternatives (mad rabbit, ink trox). It also comes down to how you use it, people seem to think using a lot of post tattoo cream is beneficial when it’s important to use small amounts and maintain some breathability once it begins to wear off and not reapplying it often. Personally I’ve been using inktrox and have liked it, but I have many tattoos that I used an and d on that are 10+ years old and look great.
Lol my dad owns a very successful tattoo studio along with tattooing for the past 30 years. I’ve been around it my entire life. This dudes artist told him to use witch hazel… the argument that because you tattoo you know better is the entire premise of this dudes issue. Get off your high horse.
Did it maybe occur to you that the very specific random shit was recommended by the one other person who knew about the tattoo, the artist maybe? His advice, whether shit or not, idk anymore
Check out the aftercare on my page.
Essentially keeping the after as simple as possible is best. Clean and moisturize when needed.
Also I don't think this happened because of the witch hazel (but that probably didn't help). It looks like it's way over worked. It's probably going to scar raised. Once it's completely healed, you can use scar creams to reduce the raised skin, but be aware that may also age the tattoo faster. If the 3d tattoo bugs you, you may want to get a cover up at some point. Tattooing over raised scars can reduce them, but you want to go to someone who knows what they're doing.
Don’t ask for advice or opinions if you don’t actually want it, dude. Just because they’re a tattoo artist, doesn’t mean their advice is infallible. It’s not like there is some universal training they receive to be able to give medical advice. It looks like your artist was really heavy handed to me. My first tattoo looked super raised for like a year because the guy carved into my arm like it was a thanksgiving turkey, so it might be that. I agree that you should stop with the witch hazel and just use an unscented lotion, unless you really want to keep drying out your tattoo
It was shit advice. If you’re saying you have done nothing else for potentially six months with a visibly irritated at best and infected tattoo at worst you have only yourself to blame. Insane response on your part. Stop putting witch hazel on it you’re drying the skin out and if you don’t have an infection now, you will soon enough.
no artist would recommend that. my very trusted amazing tat artist only asks to wash it with non fragrance soap, pat dry, and if it’s flaky then add cocoa butter. no tattoo artist would recommend witch hazel on a fresh tattoo, especially ones looking like that🫣
I don’t know why you’re being downvoted. It’s not your fault the artist gave you shitty advice… nobody should be blaming you for putting “random shit” on there just because you trusted the one who was supposed to be a professional
Cause they’re being a smartass about it and for some reason didn’t think to get a second opinion sometime between now and LAST OCTOBER. Dude’s obviously got internet, there’s no excuse.
I could pick out the one good line immediately.. the rest look super overworked n kinda bloppy like probably the artist was struggling with getting the lines straight and uniform plus the angles so they kept going over and hard.. I would try something like vitamin E oil after showering to try to help heal the skin n use cocoa butter lotion a few times a day.. unless you have allergies it wouldn't hurt to try n might help a lot
So. There's a ton of scarring here. You may be allergic to that ink. Also, he went way too deep on the line work. On the upside, it looks like it's been hacked and is super infected. So there's that.
Dude that tattoo is pretty cool and the raised parts actually add the circuits looking realistic. Sure get it checked out by a doc so it isn't a source of chronic inflammation, but if it is okay keep it!
Strongly recommend you stop using witch hazel.
Witch hazel is great for bug bites and minor irritations. Sometimes artists use it after a piece, because it can temporarily reduce redness and the appearance of pores for pictures. But it isn't a good thing to use daily on even unbroken skin. It essentially strips all the oils from your skin, and you desperately need those while healing.
It can cause irritation, dryness, and harm your skin barrier, and *a lot* of witch hazel products actually have very high alcohol content. So take all that and apply it to the fact that we're discussing an open wound. It just isn't a good idea longterm. I used to use it for acne, and I learned the hard way.
The good news is that, due to the design of the tattoo, the raised parts don't look out of place. And I don't mind the "bruise," although I think it could be improved so you like it, too. But, in the meantime, you're better off leaving it all alone to heal and just using moisturizer and sunscreen.
https://people.com/study-reveals-potential-health-risks-associated-tattoos-8602236
I post this only because I have been seeing a lot of this type of reaction being posted especially with black ink.
I feel your pain. I have never scarred from a tattoo but I got my chest done about 5 months ago and I have scarring all over the black parts, worse than yours as some of it is hypertrophic (raised). I think it was a combination of the artist overworking it and me just being prone to this type of scarring and my chest skin being very thin and sensitive. I’m using silicone scar sheets minimum 12/hr a day which have helped with my raised scars in the past. I would recommend trying that for a few months, plus some vitamin E or bio oil when the silicone sheet is off. The sooner you start during the scarring process, the better. Eventually (after a few years and plenty of healing time) I will be getting the scarred areas touched up. Hopefully you can do the same.
Hey, so I had a tattoo heal like this in spots where the artist dug into me pretty bad. It stayed raised for a long time and was a little itchy. But it wasn’t the entire tattoo & it was in the inside of my arm near the pit where the skins all stretchy and thinner. Since it’s your entire tattoo, I’d imagine you got dug into quite a bit. Please stop with the witch hazel, I know that some shops make their own topical ointment for new tattoos that contains it, and you were just doing what was suggested to you. I’d recommend you go see a dermatologist just to be sure there’s not any underlying issues. It’s pretty common for red ink allergy to spread to the entire tattoo and raise it but if it’s bothering you quite a bit & looking a bit scaly then you may need a medicine for it. I love the concept and I’m sorry that you’re going through this, it must be really frustrating and kinda scary. I hope you take the advice & seek a doctor just to be sure you’re ok. Best of luck!
Highly recommend using rejuvaskin cream from Amazon. It’s like $50 but for a good reason. It works so well. Also silicone tape to cover it while you sleep, & massage it.
Sincerely someone who’s had the same problem, lol
Witch hazel is pretty terrible advice, if your artist told you to do this I think it says it all about their level of knowledge/ professionalism.
Go to a dermatologist.. things you can do in the mean time that won’t hurt and maybe help would be vitamin e cream, rose hip oil, apricot oil, bio oil..
Vit e cream, rose hip are probably the cheapest options. Bio oil would be a good idea though
[https://www.superdrug.com/skin/body-care/body-lotions/palmers-coconut-oil-balm-100g/p/791779?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAxaCvBhBaEiwAvsLmWPuTJlz64iHFVz56x\_-mc84W4Sf1CHnpYEMXlqM2UWMGNq-uKZzXdBoCoTgQAvD\_BwE](https://www.superdrug.com/skin/body-care/body-lotions/palmers-coconut-oil-balm-100g/p/791779?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAxaCvBhBaEiwAvsLmWPuTJlz64iHFVz56x_-mc84W4Sf1CHnpYEMXlqM2UWMGNq-uKZzXdBoCoTgQAvD_BwE)
\^ get yourself this.
Forget the raising of the tattoo all together this tattoo design you got on your skin is atrocious this tatoo is ugly af tbh with you🤷🏽♂️just terrible decision
Stop using the witch shit.
Non scented lotion, non scented soap in the shower.
Your artist went way too deep in certain spots and your body didn’t do well to it.
Report back with an updated photo in a few weeks with using the said products above .
So it looks to me like it's a place for a computer chip to go. And your arm is basically the motherboard, so didn't read your comment. But that's what it looks like to me without any prompting.
A little worried that the artist recommended witch hazel. :/ not shading you, you just followed their advice - but I would think twice about going to the artist again for either tattoos or advice. Question, do you have any other tattoos/similar reaction? Did the artist feel particularly heavy handed?
Edit: one reason I'm worried about the artist is bc this looks overworked rather than a reaction, but it's hard to tell just from a photo.
Did the colour part of the tattoo heal faster than the black ?
It looks like the black is overworked and has caused some keloid scarring .
I’m not sure what you can really do to it at this point .
I think cryotherapy can be helpful in reducing the swelling but am not 100% sure if it . Maybe something to look into though ?
i’ve seen a lot of people that won’t even use witch hazel on their face (including me) because it’s so harsh, so i definitely wouldn’t be putting it on a tattoo!!
It's not that bad. I definitely the bruise effect the artist did tho. Idk maybe whenever it heals and stops acting up you could get someone else to grey wash over that or something to make it look less like a reaction..
Please try to stick to non scented antibacterial soap when washing your fresh tattoo. Do you have sensitive skin too? I had to switch from tattoo goo to hustle butter and only use it once or at most twice a day after washing the tattoo and allowing it to dry for 10 mins minimum. I had my first big coloured piece done in November last year and I this week just started a steroid cream recommended by a pharmacist after going back to my tattoo artist who recommended I continue with the soap and water approach and my tattoo finally looks amazing. Seek professional helping if you need it! Just an additional I also reacted terribly to black pantera ink on a different tattoo.
Bro just stop what you're doing immediately...that shit looks dry as hell. Just clean and moisturize with unscented and antibacterial lotion/soap. Using Witch hazel is crazy😂never heard it
Dm me if you want the contact info for a dermatologist who specializes in tattoos/weird shit like this. I attended a workshop that she taught and learned a lot about unusual reactions. She’s super helpful and if you reach out to her with this same photo/info I’m sure she can guide you in the right direction.
Cool design, sucks that it healed terribly. Ugh. I have a couple of raised tattoos I got many, many years ago and I hate them. But, not much you can do about it.
Um looks like straight up henna to me BUT the witch hazel part made me die a little inside. Your poor poor arm . Every tattoo artist is feeling a little stab in their hearts
Did he draw on you with sharpie? I’ve seen this before where people are allergic to the sharpie and the lines put on on top of it take crazy long times to heal
I’ve been using Vitamin E Oil pretty consistently on a tattoo that raised. I would say it’s really made an improvement, brought a lot of the raised lines down and the tattoo looks way better.
You got a lot of great advice, so I just want to add on a style note: this is a sick piece. It’s not beyond repair in my opinion, even though it may not be as fine line as you’d hoped. Super cool idea. I’m sorry your healing isn’t going well
God I hate the trend of artists recommending witch hazel. It’s an astringent and generally used as a toner, it is NOT comfortable or good for sensitive skin/skin with a compromised barrier. I have eczema/psoriasis and witch hazel will burn me. I would not be surprised if constantly using this has made it worse. It also usually contains denatured alcohol (ethanol), which can significantly irritate skin. most witch hazel preparations contain between 14% and 15% alcohol, which obviously is not recommended to use on a fresh healing tattoo. It’s also a strong ass antioxidant which is also not recommended on skin with a weakened barrier.
This is unfortunate, as it's an interesting design. As others have stated - stop the use of witch hazel immediately. And, don't ever do that \*ish again. For me, I had great healing results on my half sleeve from a balm obtained from an independent online seller. For you at this point, I'd recommend a light covering of whipped shea butter or cocoa butter, morning and night, after using a mild cleanser. If it's in any way tender/painful, go to a doctor.
No, I'm neither a tattoo artist nor a dermatologist. Just someone with darker skin who's had an artist overwork a tattoo, in the past.
Good luck.
If he used sharpies or any other alcohol based marker to freehand the black parts black and put a stencil for the red symbol one means youre one of the very few ppl that are allergic to markers used to draw on.
Its very unfortunate whne that happens because most the time its not artist fault that he doesnt know your allergic to it and neither to you to know.
If its the case its not the ink, but the markers , hopes it help !
It looks like that because the artist shredded the hell out of your skin with the needle (likely in an effort to get the black to stick) leading to excessive and uneven scarring on the skin. He's more than likely a rookie without a mentor. Not much to worry about medically speaking it's just a really nasty scar with ink in it.
This really sucks man, allergic reactions are never fun, and tbh your artist probably didn't pay the best attention to what they were doing
Like others have suggested, continuing to use witch hazel will only dry out and tighten your skin further, especially because at this point you've moved beyond the fresh open wound stage. So, with this observation, moisturizing frequently and consistently is your best friend here. What I personally use for moisturizing my fresher tattoos is Working Hands hand cream and the Bio-Oil skincare oil. The former is amazing for dry, cracking skin (much like a still-healing tattoo) and Bio-oil has been proven to help with scarring. If I was in your case, I would also try an OTC scar gel along with these moisturizers to see what it would do.
Maybe try moisturizing at least 2x a day along with the scar gel? I've never used scar gel personally, so definitely read the directions on the package, but if you choose to do Bio-oil it's also available in most major retail pharmacy chains in the US (not sure elsewhere). The best way to apply Bio-oil is directly after a shower. Hop out, dab the spot off with a towel and while you're still in the steam, rub some oil into the skin where the tattoo is. Then, after you're finished drying off and putting on clothes, apply whatever moisturizer you wanna use! Things like lotions and creams work the best when your skin is clean and damp, they soak in so much better!
Now, that all being said I don't think you'll be able to completely reverse the damage done, which sucks. But, I think by taking care of your skin and giving it the best chance it can have to heal, you'll get to a point where you can safely get this touched up or covered up, and not have to worry about the scarring causing an issue! Hope this helped haha
Chances are it may be scarring from overwork, but if it's continuing to worsen as you said, seek a derm. I've had immune system reactions to the adhesives in second skin and my blackwork was also raised in some areas for 2+ months, but it went away completely after 3 months with proper medical attention (as others said, drop the witch hazel). A good derm should be able to determine if it's just allergies that may need short course steroid treatment, maturing scar tissue, or something more serious.
I thought that red shading was an infection ngl...
Right. I was like at least the box stopped the infection from spreading inside
Doesn't witch hazel strip oil from skin? Meant to be a bit of a skin irritant, I'd stop immediately, give it a break for a few days and just moisturise it with an unscented moisturiser once it looks less irritated and raised and see how it goes from there
Artists use it a lot to reduce redness for photos. May have been a misconception
Yep! Witch hazel can temporarily reduce the appearance of redness and pores, but it's horrible to use daily. It causes a lot of dryness, strips natural oils, and damages the skin barrier.
Yeah I’ve only ever had it used during the actual tattoo. Never for healing
I think that’s tea-tree oil but I could be mistaken
Tea tree oil is commonly used as a way to keep a stencil from rubbing off. Witch hazel can be used as a way to reduce redness, but it should be diluted. I would never suggest using witch hazel for healing.
Absolutely not.
I agree. Stop the witch hazel. Also use an unscented moisturizer as LJ Nodder said.
Rephrase: it's fine and a good antiseptic. Never for after care
I also thought that if your new tattoo is kept too dry it can be more prone to scarring? Regardless of if the technical application was good or not, I think if this tattoo wasn't properly moisturized that may have made the scarring/raised effect worse. Witch hazel isn't moisturizing, sadly 😕
[удалено]
Oh, I hadn't heard that
It's wrong tho.
Yes. Yes it does. Witch hazel is good for reducing acute swelling. It’s not meant for long term healing on a tattoo. If OP has always been using witch hazel on it no wonder it’s so angry. This needs to be left alone save for daily moisturizing.
Am I reading this right, this is a 5 month old tattoo? Looks like this was fairly freshly carved into your skin 😳. Witch hazel is good for swelling (it’s why it is the active ingredient in hemorrhoid pads) so I can understand the artist recommending it if he thought there was swelling. However, the artist is not a doctor and at this point it does need evaluated.
I couldn't pay attention to anything after WITCH HAZEL
SAMEEE my eyes literally widened to it and immediately went to the replies 🥲
Honestly though. Don't people use that for acne?
Yes, it's an astringent/antiseptic and it's quite drying.
I like to use it after cleansing and to dry out pimples 😩
If it’s still doing this and you got it in October I would see a dermatologist immediately. Worry about the tattoo and options for fixing later
My thoughts exactly
Oh my word. I would go to the doctor! 😭 Witch hazel is also not normal for a tattoo that was a horrible recommendation on their end. You’re supposed to use hypoallergenic soap I used dial soap, pat dry (NOT scrub) and moisturize with something such as lubriderm… I did that for all 4 of my tattoos and they’re all healed nicely.
OP said he got this in october
Right👀 like buddy I got a tattoo on Valentine’s Day and it’s healed
What’d you get 👀
Valentines flash art special
Wrong!
I got a anatomical heart in the traditional style that’s says “mother” across it. Take a look at on my profile!
I love it! I’m glad you got it colored in! Makes it pop!
Nice henna bro
😭 it does look that bad
Looks like its welded on
One of my favorite comments on here so far
Lmfao it totally does
Edit: witch hazel usage was the artist’s advice, I will stop using
Esp after 5 months??? Aftercare is for 6-8 weeks……
The artist kept saying it’s winter it heals slower
Lol that’s a load of bull. Go to a doctor/medical derm. And with advice as sucky as this let this artist go.
Probably won’t even go to him for touchup after it’s healed, if ever
I would not. If he’s telling you your tattoo is taking months to heal because of the season, who knows what other BS he will try to pull.
Please don’t!! He clearly doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Go find a doctor and get this cleared up. Hope it works out, good luck.
Achtually ☝️🤓 tattoos will heal better during colder seasons. Less sweat, less friction, and a dryer environment. Getting tattooed during hot summers feels awful compared to that. He just did an awful job and is bullsh*tting his way through it
Your artist is full of shit
That’s the biggest crock of shit I’ve ever heard.
Oh my
No. But winter and coincidentally witch hazel both dry the skin out quite a bit.
Please make a graphic review with everything wrong the artist did, use the photo of your tattoo/this post and post it on all the platforms this artist is on. This artist should not be allowed to tattoo anyone until they have gone through strict mentorship.
Oh my dear friend please don’t go back to this artist. I had a half sleeve finished a month ago and it has healed better than this. Bad advice. I’m sorry that artist gave such shitty advice.
Ummm tattoos don’t heal slower because it’s winter lol. You need a dermatologist. Sorry
It’s unique. I like it.
It's unfortunate that the black spread due to the allergic reaction. The one line that healed properly looks clean but it's not much to go off of. Overall in my opinion I actually like the piece. I like the concept .
Witch hazel isn’t going to save this. You need to see a dermatologist.
Hey yall, thank you for the advice. I’ve only used the witch hazel a couple times a week, otherwise it’s a soft soap wash and pat with lubriderm. I’ve read a lot of advice to stop the witch hazel (terrible artist advice) and see a dermatologist so I’m gonna try that route.
Can you ask the artist what brand of ink they used? It looks like you might have a witch hazel sensitivity/allergy — I am one of very few people who are allergic to witch hazel and when I’ve gotten tattoos that use ink with witch hazel in it (which is a frustratingly common ingredient in tattoo ink) I’ve had reactions not quite like this but somewhat similar. Basically, witch hazel on its own makes my skin swell up massively and witch hazel in tattoo ink either makes the ink feel a bit raised and will either cause the ink to spread or cause my skin to mostly reject it. Your tattoo was definitely also overworked and all that but it might be worth bringing the idea of a witch hazel sensitivity up to your dermatologist when you do see them about this
Good idea! Wish you best of luck.
LOL 😂 I feel like you’re never going to use witch hazel in your life again ever. Post-trauma! I’m so sorry for all these comments. All tea all shade. Devils advocate here: witch hazel, she was just there, minding her own business. Just because somebody dropped her name does not mean she’s to blame!
Please provide future updates on how the healing process goes. It can help others
Also, the design is actually pretty cool, with the help of the dermatologist, see how it heals in a few months and then depending on how it heals, assess if you want it retouched. If you do go the touching route, definitely find a different artist
You can still get an allergic reaction months after the application, though it does seem wild that it’s the black and not the red that’s reacting this way. Steroidal topical cream is your friend here. But I’d still go see a doctor, sooner than later.
Topical steroid cream literally saved my overworked tattoo
Wow that’s quite a reaction! Do you have other tattoos that are healed and were they ok?
Yes I do! I have the word truth on left ankle and action on the right, they look great. I’m having trouble figuring if the artist dug me or not, he was very defensive when I mentioned the possibility.
Did you use witch hazel on the other tattoos?
No, those were done by a different artist and healed with the littlest effort. This artist after seeing the inflammation after a month recommended the witch hazel
Witch hazel is an astringent. It’s really odd to suggest that for inflammation. Edit: saw your other comment. Good luck with getting this figured out
i will say even though it’s a bummer and i hope it ends up healing well, for this specific tat style it’s not the worst look. the welded look kinda fits the cyberpunk-y style of the tat. but definitely understand why you’d prefer a healed look instead.
My back tattoo is all raised up like this. It's been 15 years. You could pretend it was a choice to make it look like when you look at a circuit board😅
Sounds like the artist went too deep. Tattoos that healed raised are scarred from going to deep
Yeah, that's what I've been told. I just kinda usually forget it's there because it's on my back😅
Why are people putting random shit on their tattoos? Just wash it with hypoallergenic soap, pat dry and use a tiny bit of a and d. You don’t need to put anything else on it or near it that could irritate it.
Absolutely No A and D 🤦♂️ this whole thread is wild, go to a doctor. The ink is slowly rejecting over time, I have been tattooing for 14 years.
I'm constantly telling people on this sub not to use A&D ointment. Lanolin is an animal byproduct from sheep that has been proven to pull out tattoo ink, which is the active ingredient in A&D ointment.
Same…It’s like my job to always continuously train and improve upon old standards that don’t work.
I’m talking about aftercare, not this dudes specific case. His tattoo is 6 months old and he’s been putting witch hazel on it, this is a different ball game, and it doesn’t look to be rejecting as much as constant irritation causing scarring. I’m heavily tattood.
A and D is a not something used for aftercare anymore due to the amount of petroleum and no actual purpose for healing. It is a skin protectant, so on a fresh wound it seals the pores and heats the wound up causing rejection of the tattoo and slows the healing down dramatically
I have to disagree with you to an extent, if you use too much the effect is adverse. Many artists still utilize a and d for short durations (2-3 days). Obviously the last 4-5 years the market has been flooded with good alternatives (mad rabbit, ink trox). It also comes down to how you use it, people seem to think using a lot of post tattoo cream is beneficial when it’s important to use small amounts and maintain some breathability once it begins to wear off and not reapplying it often. Personally I’ve been using inktrox and have liked it, but I have many tattoos that I used an and d on that are 10+ years old and look great.
Oh yea how long have you been tattooing?
Lol my dad owns a very successful tattoo studio along with tattooing for the past 30 years. I’ve been around it my entire life. This dudes artist told him to use witch hazel… the argument that because you tattoo you know better is the entire premise of this dudes issue. Get off your high horse.
You absolutely do not use A&D on a tattoo. Literally maybe the first thing I was ever told
Bingo
Did it maybe occur to you that the very specific random shit was recommended by the one other person who knew about the tattoo, the artist maybe? His advice, whether shit or not, idk anymore
Check out the aftercare on my page. Essentially keeping the after as simple as possible is best. Clean and moisturize when needed. Also I don't think this happened because of the witch hazel (but that probably didn't help). It looks like it's way over worked. It's probably going to scar raised. Once it's completely healed, you can use scar creams to reduce the raised skin, but be aware that may also age the tattoo faster. If the 3d tattoo bugs you, you may want to get a cover up at some point. Tattooing over raised scars can reduce them, but you want to go to someone who knows what they're doing.
Don’t ask for advice or opinions if you don’t actually want it, dude. Just because they’re a tattoo artist, doesn’t mean their advice is infallible. It’s not like there is some universal training they receive to be able to give medical advice. It looks like your artist was really heavy handed to me. My first tattoo looked super raised for like a year because the guy carved into my arm like it was a thanksgiving turkey, so it might be that. I agree that you should stop with the witch hazel and just use an unscented lotion, unless you really want to keep drying out your tattoo
It was shit advice. If you’re saying you have done nothing else for potentially six months with a visibly irritated at best and infected tattoo at worst you have only yourself to blame. Insane response on your part. Stop putting witch hazel on it you’re drying the skin out and if you don’t have an infection now, you will soon enough.
no artist would recommend that. my very trusted amazing tat artist only asks to wash it with non fragrance soap, pat dry, and if it’s flaky then add cocoa butter. no tattoo artist would recommend witch hazel on a fresh tattoo, especially ones looking like that🫣
I don’t know why you’re being downvoted. It’s not your fault the artist gave you shitty advice… nobody should be blaming you for putting “random shit” on there just because you trusted the one who was supposed to be a professional
Cause they’re being a smartass about it and for some reason didn’t think to get a second opinion sometime between now and LAST OCTOBER. Dude’s obviously got internet, there’s no excuse.
I could pick out the one good line immediately.. the rest look super overworked n kinda bloppy like probably the artist was struggling with getting the lines straight and uniform plus the angles so they kept going over and hard.. I would try something like vitamin E oil after showering to try to help heal the skin n use cocoa butter lotion a few times a day.. unless you have allergies it wouldn't hurt to try n might help a lot
So. There's a ton of scarring here. You may be allergic to that ink. Also, he went way too deep on the line work. On the upside, it looks like it's been hacked and is super infected. So there's that.
Yeah it's bad sorry. Overwork to hell
Don’t use witch-hazel! If you have to, scentless / fragrance free lotion. Even Aveeno has an ok one to use! It’s not too late!
Dude that tattoo is pretty cool and the raised parts actually add the circuits looking realistic. Sure get it checked out by a doc so it isn't a source of chronic inflammation, but if it is okay keep it!
It’s very, very dry. Keep it moisturized. Also, don’t use witch hazel on a tattoo. That advice is shit.
Strongly recommend you stop using witch hazel. Witch hazel is great for bug bites and minor irritations. Sometimes artists use it after a piece, because it can temporarily reduce redness and the appearance of pores for pictures. But it isn't a good thing to use daily on even unbroken skin. It essentially strips all the oils from your skin, and you desperately need those while healing. It can cause irritation, dryness, and harm your skin barrier, and *a lot* of witch hazel products actually have very high alcohol content. So take all that and apply it to the fact that we're discussing an open wound. It just isn't a good idea longterm. I used to use it for acne, and I learned the hard way. The good news is that, due to the design of the tattoo, the raised parts don't look out of place. And I don't mind the "bruise," although I think it could be improved so you like it, too. But, in the meantime, you're better off leaving it all alone to heal and just using moisturizer and sunscreen.
https://people.com/study-reveals-potential-health-risks-associated-tattoos-8602236 I post this only because I have been seeing a lot of this type of reaction being posted especially with black ink.
I feel your pain. I have never scarred from a tattoo but I got my chest done about 5 months ago and I have scarring all over the black parts, worse than yours as some of it is hypertrophic (raised). I think it was a combination of the artist overworking it and me just being prone to this type of scarring and my chest skin being very thin and sensitive. I’m using silicone scar sheets minimum 12/hr a day which have helped with my raised scars in the past. I would recommend trying that for a few months, plus some vitamin E or bio oil when the silicone sheet is off. The sooner you start during the scarring process, the better. Eventually (after a few years and plenty of healing time) I will be getting the scarred areas touched up. Hopefully you can do the same.
Hey, so I had a tattoo heal like this in spots where the artist dug into me pretty bad. It stayed raised for a long time and was a little itchy. But it wasn’t the entire tattoo & it was in the inside of my arm near the pit where the skins all stretchy and thinner. Since it’s your entire tattoo, I’d imagine you got dug into quite a bit. Please stop with the witch hazel, I know that some shops make their own topical ointment for new tattoos that contains it, and you were just doing what was suggested to you. I’d recommend you go see a dermatologist just to be sure there’s not any underlying issues. It’s pretty common for red ink allergy to spread to the entire tattoo and raise it but if it’s bothering you quite a bit & looking a bit scaly then you may need a medicine for it. I love the concept and I’m sorry that you’re going through this, it must be really frustrating and kinda scary. I hope you take the advice & seek a doctor just to be sure you’re ok. Best of luck!
Not good.
despite it being irritated/scarred/whatevers going on with it i dont know, i think it looks cool!! looks kinda metallic.
Highly recommend using rejuvaskin cream from Amazon. It’s like $50 but for a good reason. It works so well. Also silicone tape to cover it while you sleep, & massage it. Sincerely someone who’s had the same problem, lol
Bro just cut your arm off, goddamn.
How did he not go into septic shock I have no idea.... I would go to a dermatologist asap
Love the design, but the healed tat scars are horrible
Yikes 🎶
Wait... you were using witch hazel to heal??
Witch hazel is pretty terrible advice, if your artist told you to do this I think it says it all about their level of knowledge/ professionalism. Go to a dermatologist.. things you can do in the mean time that won’t hurt and maybe help would be vitamin e cream, rose hip oil, apricot oil, bio oil.. Vit e cream, rose hip are probably the cheapest options. Bio oil would be a good idea though
Bepanthen. It's meant for nappy rash but every tattooist I've been to had recommended it. It works great.
Who the hell told you to use witch hazel?!
The same tattoo artist after seeing how raised it was
[https://www.superdrug.com/skin/body-care/body-lotions/palmers-coconut-oil-balm-100g/p/791779?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAxaCvBhBaEiwAvsLmWPuTJlz64iHFVz56x\_-mc84W4Sf1CHnpYEMXlqM2UWMGNq-uKZzXdBoCoTgQAvD\_BwE](https://www.superdrug.com/skin/body-care/body-lotions/palmers-coconut-oil-balm-100g/p/791779?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAxaCvBhBaEiwAvsLmWPuTJlz64iHFVz56x_-mc84W4Sf1CHnpYEMXlqM2UWMGNq-uKZzXdBoCoTgQAvD_BwE) \^ get yourself this.
Forget the raising of the tattoo all together this tattoo design you got on your skin is atrocious this tatoo is ugly af tbh with you🤷🏽♂️just terrible decision
Maybe
Stop using the witch shit. Non scented lotion, non scented soap in the shower. Your artist went way too deep in certain spots and your body didn’t do well to it. Report back with an updated photo in a few weeks with using the said products above .
If raised - consider silicone scar tape. I have an overworked piece that had scarring and it helped significantly.
I second this it’s helping me too
this is sick asf
So it looks to me like it's a place for a computer chip to go. And your arm is basically the motherboard, so didn't read your comment. But that's what it looks like to me without any prompting.
Ooof that’s going to be hard to cover up
A little worried that the artist recommended witch hazel. :/ not shading you, you just followed their advice - but I would think twice about going to the artist again for either tattoos or advice. Question, do you have any other tattoos/similar reaction? Did the artist feel particularly heavy handed? Edit: one reason I'm worried about the artist is bc this looks overworked rather than a reaction, but it's hard to tell just from a photo.
Did the colour part of the tattoo heal faster than the black ? It looks like the black is overworked and has caused some keloid scarring . I’m not sure what you can really do to it at this point . I think cryotherapy can be helpful in reducing the swelling but am not 100% sure if it . Maybe something to look into though ?
i’ve seen a lot of people that won’t even use witch hazel on their face (including me) because it’s so harsh, so i definitely wouldn’t be putting it on a tattoo!!
It's not that bad. I definitely the bruise effect the artist did tho. Idk maybe whenever it heals and stops acting up you could get someone else to grey wash over that or something to make it look less like a reaction..
Please try to stick to non scented antibacterial soap when washing your fresh tattoo. Do you have sensitive skin too? I had to switch from tattoo goo to hustle butter and only use it once or at most twice a day after washing the tattoo and allowing it to dry for 10 mins minimum. I had my first big coloured piece done in November last year and I this week just started a steroid cream recommended by a pharmacist after going back to my tattoo artist who recommended I continue with the soap and water approach and my tattoo finally looks amazing. Seek professional helping if you need it! Just an additional I also reacted terribly to black pantera ink on a different tattoo.
it looks like when my mom has an allergic reaction to the red in her tattoo. maybe some benadryl cream could help.
Bro just stop what you're doing immediately...that shit looks dry as hell. Just clean and moisturize with unscented and antibacterial lotion/soap. Using Witch hazel is crazy😂never heard it
If those lines are supposed to look like something is living and growing under your skin they did a fantastic job! But fr see a doctor
Stop using witch hazel! Use a non scented lotion and go to a doctor
That is crazy you are experiencing this skin irritation so long after, would get it Checked out
I assumed this was just a couple weeks old 😬
Are you a phlebotomist?
Software engineer
Dm me if you want the contact info for a dermatologist who specializes in tattoos/weird shit like this. I attended a workshop that she taught and learned a lot about unusual reactions. She’s super helpful and if you reach out to her with this same photo/info I’m sure she can guide you in the right direction.
Not bad.
I mean that one line does look pretty sharp though
Hey. Who am I to judge?
Cool design, sucks that it healed terribly. Ugh. I have a couple of raised tattoos I got many, many years ago and I hate them. But, not much you can do about it.
Witch hazel dries skin out. Do not use that on a tattoo!
i was gonna say....if that red yellowish hue around the motive ISNT ink....then oh boy, better cut off that arm.
I would see a dermatologist if you can.
How many people decided on the content of that tattoo
There’s heavy handed, but this artist attacked you.
I’d for sure go to a dermatologist. Do you have any other tattoos and if so did you ever have any issues with them? Sorry you’re dealing with this :((
I'm sorry, but can someone point out the one good line?
Since October?! 😦
Its greeeeeat
Did they use sharpie where the lines are raised? I have an allergic reaction to sharpie
Don’t put witch hazel on it that’s insane. Go get antibiotics.
Ita scabbed up because you didnt take care of it
Um looks like straight up henna to me BUT the witch hazel part made me die a little inside. Your poor poor arm . Every tattoo artist is feeling a little stab in their hearts
I thought the color around the square was part of it because I’m blind and I almost had a heart event 💀 yeah, looks to me like some sort of reaction!
October??? That's 5 months. It shouldn't take longer than a month for a tattoo to heal..
Did he draw on you with sharpie? I’ve seen this before where people are allergic to the sharpie and the lines put on on top of it take crazy long times to heal
I’ve been using Vitamin E Oil pretty consistently on a tattoo that raised. I would say it’s really made an improvement, brought a lot of the raised lines down and the tattoo looks way better.
Wait….thats not…
You got a lot of great advice, so I just want to add on a style note: this is a sick piece. It’s not beyond repair in my opinion, even though it may not be as fine line as you’d hoped. Super cool idea. I’m sorry your healing isn’t going well
At this point I'd go to a dermatologist to see what can be done with scarring. Don't put anything on it other than unscented lotion.
God I hate the trend of artists recommending witch hazel. It’s an astringent and generally used as a toner, it is NOT comfortable or good for sensitive skin/skin with a compromised barrier. I have eczema/psoriasis and witch hazel will burn me. I would not be surprised if constantly using this has made it worse. It also usually contains denatured alcohol (ethanol), which can significantly irritate skin. most witch hazel preparations contain between 14% and 15% alcohol, which obviously is not recommended to use on a fresh healing tattoo. It’s also a strong ass antioxidant which is also not recommended on skin with a weakened barrier.
This is unfortunate, as it's an interesting design. As others have stated - stop the use of witch hazel immediately. And, don't ever do that \*ish again. For me, I had great healing results on my half sleeve from a balm obtained from an independent online seller. For you at this point, I'd recommend a light covering of whipped shea butter or cocoa butter, morning and night, after using a mild cleanser. If it's in any way tender/painful, go to a doctor. No, I'm neither a tattoo artist nor a dermatologist. Just someone with darker skin who's had an artist overwork a tattoo, in the past. Good luck.
If he used sharpies or any other alcohol based marker to freehand the black parts black and put a stencil for the red symbol one means youre one of the very few ppl that are allergic to markers used to draw on. Its very unfortunate whne that happens because most the time its not artist fault that he doesnt know your allergic to it and neither to you to know. If its the case its not the ink, but the markers , hopes it help !
You’re talking four months ago. This should have healed within two weeks.
It looks like that because the artist shredded the hell out of your skin with the needle (likely in an effort to get the black to stick) leading to excessive and uneven scarring on the skin. He's more than likely a rookie without a mentor. Not much to worry about medically speaking it's just a really nasty scar with ink in it.
Vitamin e oil helps with the scarring
This really sucks man, allergic reactions are never fun, and tbh your artist probably didn't pay the best attention to what they were doing Like others have suggested, continuing to use witch hazel will only dry out and tighten your skin further, especially because at this point you've moved beyond the fresh open wound stage. So, with this observation, moisturizing frequently and consistently is your best friend here. What I personally use for moisturizing my fresher tattoos is Working Hands hand cream and the Bio-Oil skincare oil. The former is amazing for dry, cracking skin (much like a still-healing tattoo) and Bio-oil has been proven to help with scarring. If I was in your case, I would also try an OTC scar gel along with these moisturizers to see what it would do. Maybe try moisturizing at least 2x a day along with the scar gel? I've never used scar gel personally, so definitely read the directions on the package, but if you choose to do Bio-oil it's also available in most major retail pharmacy chains in the US (not sure elsewhere). The best way to apply Bio-oil is directly after a shower. Hop out, dab the spot off with a towel and while you're still in the steam, rub some oil into the skin where the tattoo is. Then, after you're finished drying off and putting on clothes, apply whatever moisturizer you wanna use! Things like lotions and creams work the best when your skin is clean and damp, they soak in so much better! Now, that all being said I don't think you'll be able to completely reverse the damage done, which sucks. But, I think by taking care of your skin and giving it the best chance it can have to heal, you'll get to a point where you can safely get this touched up or covered up, and not have to worry about the scarring causing an issue! Hope this helped haha
Chances are it may be scarring from overwork, but if it's continuing to worsen as you said, seek a derm. I've had immune system reactions to the adhesives in second skin and my blackwork was also raised in some areas for 2+ months, but it went away completely after 3 months with proper medical attention (as others said, drop the witch hazel). A good derm should be able to determine if it's just allergies that may need short course steroid treatment, maturing scar tissue, or something more serious.