Blotchy tattoo

Hi, I'm an 18-year-old female. I just got my first tattoo on Friday of last week (the 18th). It is a 2-inch treble clef near my right hip bone. It is green with black outlines. I followed my artist's directions by washing it gently with an antibiotic soap 2-3 times a day and applying a special tattoo lotion (it's called Naked) in a thin layer after washing. The tattoo was fine for the first day or so, but it soon became very irritated and raised off of my skin (which I assume is normal). Then, once I got out of the shower on Sunday evening, a large portion of my tattoo was peeling off. Now my tattoo looks very very dry and peely and parts of it are very light compared to others. There are a couple of parts that look more skin color than they do green. The black outlines are dark and defined in some places, but in other places they look like blurry, grey-ish lines. What is going on? Is this my fault? If I will need to go get it touched up, will it be able to look as good as it did when I first got it done? Should I wait until it heals to go back in? It is also red around the tattoo. I am hoping that this is just a normal part of the healing process and that the color will fill in and darken up as it heals, but something tells me that this is not true. Help!

I get this a lot from my clients, and for some reason my female clients, from what you have described it's the normal healing process, you won't see the real end product for around 2 weeks normally. Tattoos are a controlled abrasion (at least when they're done professionally) and the body treats it like such. The tattoo will peel and get very dry, use unscented lotion 4-6 times a day to keep it moisturized and give it some time. Everyone heals differently, but in the end if the lines are still blown out and the color is very faded their was either a major problem healing or the artist did something wrong and it will need to be touched up. I've never heard of Naked but i don't recommend any of my clients use any of the "tattoo balms." A simple cycle of lotion and time is all i've ever recommended and have never had bad luck with it.

ah you're worrying over nothing, just leave it WELL ALONE and DONT PICK IT, tats kinda have like a "dead", layer of skin underneath when the scab comes off (if that makes sense) then in another week or two after the scabs lifted you see it will be fine. Honest.

Thanks for replying so quickly. This does put me a little bit at ease, but I am still very concerned about the spots where it appears like the ink is gone. Will the ink "fill in" here? If I have to get it retouched, how soon can I do so, and will it be my fault that it healed improperly?

just leave it and dont worry, it'll be fine. it's too early to tell if any needs a touch up, new people say this ALL the time, give it at least a couple of weeks minimum. I'm 99.9% sure its fine without seeing it, you're worrying unduly.

I sure hope so!

It will be, post a pic if you can but dont worry if not.

Hi - although the replies so far sound reassuring what happens if when the scab/dead layer comes off there is no colour underneath? This has happened to part of my new foot tattoo where there were twirly lines that i beleive had been stenciled on. The rest of the tattoo which was not stenciled is also patchy in places with skin colour showing through, despite looking after it as instructed - tattoo goo and gentle washing and strictly no swimming. This is one and a half weeks since i had it done and i'm not convinced its going to improve. Disappointed Marie