My tattoo faded way too much..did I mess up my aftercare?

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Alu
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2015 1:03 pm

Fri Apr 24, 2015 1:05 pm

Hello everyone,
I got my first colored tattoo two weeks ago. The artist was amazing, I was really happy about it, but now I'm a little scared..
My tattoo peeled and is really desaturated. I knew once the tattoo peels it will be paler, but mine got almost grey-ish at some points. It's not only me, my friends pointed it out too.

Is it really that bad? Did I mess up my aftercare too much? Is there anthing I can do to brighten my tattoos?

My aftercare was prob wrong first 4 days, I have overdone it with the lotion, BUT there was no ink coming out when I was washing it.

What I done after I got the tattoo:
* Once I got home, I removed the plastic wrap and washed the tattoo with soap that I later found out was scented (I got no irritation and no infection, however when I foudn out the soap is scented, I immediatelly went to buy a nonscented one), and applied a lotion my tattoo artist recommended. I think I have applied way thicker layer than needed
* I bathed/showered in plastic glove (look at the picture) so I don't soak my tattoo, and I slept in it as well, so i don't make my bedsheets and pillows dirty. Now the glove doesn't let the air in, so my hand was a little sweaty next day. I used te glove for 5 days I think.
* My tattoo was never dry at this point, once the lotion was absorbed, I always applied a new layer..(about 5-7 times a day)
* After a week I started to use a cream called Bepanthen plus. Now I read on some websites that it's the best what you can get for aftercare, on some websites I read that it may cause something called 'marble effect' on a tattoo and it's bad..so I'm really confused. I'm aplying a thin layer of this cream to this day, but what I'm confused about it absorbs so fast? I apply a thin layer and it's dry in 20 minutes. Should I reapply? On some websites I read that I should keep it moisturized all day, on other that I should only apply 2x-3x a day..so I'm not sure
* Now I wash the tattoo with antibacterial non scented soap 3 times a day (when I wake up, after I get home from work/school and before bed). And use Bepanthen Plus 3x-5x a day.

Pictures:
- Day after I got the tattoo: http://i.imgur.com/jW3Mdns.jpg (it's still swollen a lot)
- 3 days after: http://i.imgur.com/ywFyz00.jpg
- What I used for bathing and sleeping: http://i.imgur.com/JVmwnNo.jpg
- Tattoo NOW..on daylight and room light: http://i.imgur.com/VpvBq6K.jpg
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EvilJay
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Posts: 8810
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:45 pm

Fri Apr 24, 2015 2:56 pm

Its fine. I got a tattoo with some red roses two months ago, and its only now starting to brighten back up.. Take the glove thing off and let that shit breathe...
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tattooDan
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Posts: 759
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 1:28 am

Fri Apr 24, 2015 8:08 pm

looks fine to me,

and pretty cool tattoo IMO btw :)
Alu
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2015 1:03 pm

Fri Apr 24, 2015 8:49 pm

Thanks for the responds! :)
maniacthw
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Posts: 525
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:48 am

Thu Apr 30, 2015 2:25 pm

Take a pic of it after about a month and a half/two months.
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magnumman
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Posts: 2861
Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 6:58 pm

Thu Apr 30, 2015 7:17 pm

You do NOT need to lotion that thing so often. Definitely 2-3 times per day is plenty, you're trying too hard to force heal it, let it breathe and don't overdo it and you'll be fine. Just be patient and stop smothering it.
YvanPec
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu May 21, 2015 4:13 am

Thu May 21, 2015 4:37 am

Red is a transparent pigment. Combined to redness and blood, it looks super fucking red when it's fresh. When you heal, your body reconstructs some layer of skin. these layers lack vitamins and other bullshit at first so they are very shiny and opaque, which makes your tattoo look faded,

Give it time it will be rad.
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