tattoo touch up

[ornitier72]

any of you guys got tattoo's? did they need to get parts re-done after like 4 months?

i got my tattooo done months an months ago, yet my neighbour (covered in em) reckonsmin eneeds a touch up.. i cant see anything wrong with it.. all the black is still black, all the lines are as thick as the day they were 'drawn'.

just seems a little wierd to suggest it after all these months..

[Karizma]

He could be right. Occasionally the ink "falls out" or fades in the skin. All depends what sort of ink your artist used, and where on your bod the tattoo is. Some areas are more prone to fade than others. I've got one between the shoulder blades where nearly all the colour has faded. You could just need a touch up to fill in some small areas the artist missed when he put the ink in. Stuff like that can happen. Go back to where you had it done and see what the man says. If the tat is still fairly new, he might even give you a freebie to fill the gaps.

[ornitier72]

mine is on my leg, basically runs from my ankle to just below my knee, of what i can see the ink hasnt faded at all, but meh i might aswell go down see what the artist says.

http://ornitier72.homestead.com/files/tattoo.jpg

only pic i have of it.. but thats from the day i got it done :p

[Bloody Whisper]

Everybody is differnt and strangly it depends on the part of the body and how much fat is there! i have four! three on my back and one on my arm just depends on your body. and how the skin takes in the ink

[Parksy]

The one on my arm and shoulder I had to have touched up after a few months. It depends how much movement the bit of your body has as to if it needs touched or not. The wife had to have one on her toe retouched about 3 times or so :)

[Jesterjedi]

i have one on my arm and it has faded a lil on the face and one of its arms.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jesterjedi/tatoo.JPG

so i gonna have to ask how much it will cost, you get more fading if you pick at it when its healing :p

[ornitier72]

haha yeah, luckily i made myself not pick at the scabbing on it.. im considering my second tattoo which i have drawn myself, will upload it as soon as i plug my scanner in and find the design (need to clear my desk anyway, paintball stuff everywhere)

[Tom]

I thought this was going to be some accusation aimed at Rob... :D

[ornitier72]

as much as its tempted me.. ive resisted all the urges.. ;)

[robtattoo]

Good lad;)

I've got a full left sleeve & half a right sleeve at the mo. The inside & outside of my elbows have both needed re-working, due to the amount of movement, but basically it all depends on the quality of the ink used. Conversely, my Wife's full backpiece hs never needed to be touched, it's a funny old game, really.

[ornitier72]

im off to get my second tattoo next week hopefully.. i getting what can only be described as an eye (it has more round it but cant really explain it) still need to scan the designs i have drawn myself..

[Samurai Jack]

I foresee a "showcase your Markings" thread starting

[Bloody Whisper]

Hmmmm.....:D

[Trems]

As far as i understand its all in the first few days and following week or so after you have it done, i spoke to loads of people and most say the same, and that is if you dont look after it during the first few days then the ink just dries up and falls off as scabs and dead skin.

I made sure i kept gently cleaning mine with warm soapy water (once a day, but don’t rub it as the scabs, and ink will fall off) and then applied a thin smear of Savlon (just to keep in moist and stop flaking) about 5 times a day, dont put too much on or too regularly or it will go soggy.

Also try and make the scabs last as long as possible, dont pick them and keep them slightly moisturised with savlon at all times.

Then once they fall off use e45 or a similar non-scented moisturiser to keep the wounds moisturised.

I used this method religiously and mine is black as the day it was done, on my shoulder blade too.

My missus had hers done on the same day and didnt bother moisturising it very regularly and now (a year on) hers has faded, and has some spots where the ink has totally fallen out, need a touch-up for sure.


-Paul

[Karizma]

Ooh Savlon. Not a good idea. I have it on good authority tht you can actualy find cultures of nasties growing on Savlon in the right conditions. Try "Preparation H". Yes, I know, it's piles cream, but it works wonders on a fresh tattoo. Takes that new tat sting away.
Some inks will fade in some skin types, red ink being about one of the worst for fading, (on me at least).

Bring on the piccies........

[ornitier72]

the best thing to do.. is yes you rinse it in warm slightly soapy water as you said, then you put germaloid cream (not savlon..) on it.. and then wrap the whole thing in cling film.. this makes the area sweat, and the ink soaks in (i think thats how it works). i did this (i know using germaloid cream is a bit urgh compared to savlon but if it works i dont care), and the cling film is a bit uncomfortable, but all colour remains :D

[NickStNick]

Hi there, got a total of 15 hours work on my arm. I've only ever been told to keep the cling film on for the first 4/5 hours and no more. Like a wound, after that the tattoo need's to breathe. I use savlon for the first 3 days in light doses and then change to a light moisturiser and I've never noticed any fade.

[baller525]

ive got a couple of tatoos, a work in progress on my back, which is just 5 stars right now. and a butterfly on my hip. I'm having my butterfly touched up (after a year). Lighter colours need to be touched up quite regularily... especially after time in the sun. Like everyone else said, it depends on your skin.

[jokersmoker]

'tis very true what nickstnick says. cling film for the first 4-5 hrs, but it's also a good idea to re-wrap it before bed on the first night to save the sheets! i've always used a cream called lasonil on tats. it's actually a pile cream, but don't let that put you off! it keeps swelling and scabs to an absolute minimum. one of my tats is a tribal dragon down from my knee to ankle, used lasonil, and still as black as the day it was inked.