Bumps and itchy tat after two months! Pics Now Included!

Here are the pics of my tat, which you can see is on my right forearm. I stopped using everything but the Vasaline lotion. I am really disappointed in this tat. I went to the same shop that did my lower back piece, which I love, so I thought I couldn't go wrong. I made the mistake of going to someone else..who is actually the owner! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix the blue..there's just too much of it... and if they know of any good artist in the Minneapolis,Mn or Madison, Wi area that could fix and finish this. Plus I want to add nautical stars on the back of my forearm. And then the bumps...what do you think?

I had that same thing now that I see it.... Mine was not that bad but it itched like a son-of-a-bitch! Mine just randomly popped up. I had thought that I had gotten into something while working outside...shit, rambling...the best thing you can do is to continue to use the lotion as often as you can think to....dont over do it though.... try not to scratch at it and what ever you do, DO NOT try to pop those bumps!.... It WILL eventually go away but you will need to get touched up but it is nothing major....

Probably had nothing to do with the artist...looks like some kind of after the fact contamination...My suggestion would be to see a doctor asap...I would also contact the artist and see if he has had more things like this happen...as severe as this problem is it could possibly be that the tubes in the shop are not being rinsed thoroughly and the enymes in the ultrasonic cleaner are causing the problem...stil, see a doc!...TAz

Yikes! I saw my doctor once already, but he didn't say anything about it..but I will make an appointment to get it looked at again. Do you think I will be able to gave it touched up? I'm scared now... I didn't think it was the artist lack of talent when it came to the bumps..it just don't like the look of the tat. :(

I have only seen this once before and that guy died...... I"M JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously...I am sure it will clear up...I just prefer to be cautious...TAz

Geesh...scared the Hell out of me..which might be a good thing. No, I agree.. better to be safe than sorry. On a slightly related note, I am glad I read the msn news other wise I might have been the next one to lose and eye... I use that contact solution! It just sucks because its right on my arm and I can't hide it. I have been waiting to finish this stupid thing forever! Do you think I could go in to put the stars on or wait...that might have been a stupid question.

I may be overly cautious but I'd wait to see the doc

Will do.. Thanks! I will let you know if I die or not...

These are the exact same bumps i have...

I have had the same experience. One of mine has bumps. One thing is if the artist has a heavy hand, that can totally lead to raised scarring. I have 3 tatoos, and my best one was by someone with a light hand, and it made a lot of difference. It all healed so nice and smooth. I am getting some backround work done on the piece with some bumps and I made sure he has a light touch. Also, I have noticed that sometimes it can be an allergic reaction to the ink color. Maybe that particular blue did not agree with your chemistry. As for me luckilly over the years my bumps have gone down considerably.Have patience, and take care of your skin.... Using a high quality moisterizer daily and regular exfoliation and sunblock on my tattoos makes a big difference in the appearance.Good Luck.

It is so scary to think I could have scars! I am putting a good lotion on it with no fragrance and I am keeping it out of the sun. I did notice he had a hard hand...and I think after awhile it seemed like he just wanted to get it done. I just want so bad to get this tat finished! I just looks sticker like....it doesn't flow at all. I saw an awesome artist on this site: Tom Strom from Uptown Tattoo in Minneapolis.. unbelieveable work! I am going to get ahold of him to see if he can help finish this thing. If only I would heal!

Okay, the correlation between scaring and odd bumps to an artist with a heavy hand is unfounded. That's like trying to link cancer to a high-five.... The bumps are in no way a type of scaring either.... reaction to ink make-up, chemical reaction from tubes in the ultrasonic, is a bit more realistic. That shit happens... My ENTIRE right arm has been tattooed on by TAz. And let me tell you that the man's hands are some of the heaviest but I have NEVER had anytype of unexplainable bumps or raised scaring. The bumps that I got came shortly after being worked on by an artist who was a realitively light hand. So it's kinda silly to say that the weight of one's hand would cause that......J

I do agree with you. My ankle tat was done by a heavy, and mind you, shitty hand. I didn't have the problems that I have with this one. I haven't been putting anything on it for today and i have noticed the itching is down. Cross your damn fingers... Taz has a heavy hand,huh? I will remember that.

Heavy hand my ass!...Some people confuse a heavy hand with a FAST hand...I tattoo VERY fast and yes it does intensify the pain a bit but its no "heavier" than most

Now TAz, don't take that as in insult dammit! You and Nutty are the only two people that have tattooed on me so far so that is where I drew my analogy... To make it up to you I will confess that you do have velvety finger tips...Ooo, was I suppose to give that away?

YOU SAID YOU WOULDN"T TELL ANYBODY! And besides that wasn't my fingers!

Yikes...did I go there?

No, but he did....oh God...FURNT!

Heee..I'm so glad I found this forum..:)

And we are SOOOO glad you found US!! Ummmmm...could I have another hug?... Please??? TAz

TAz! Stop hogging the hot bassist you ruthless woman monger! Christ and cornbread man!! Are the Tazettes not enough!?

I think I feel alittle jealously here. *Hugs all around!* That doesn't make me a slut..does it? I feel so dirty.

I GOT A HUG! I GOT A HUG! I GOT A HUG!...And no, that doesn't make you a slut...what's wrong with being dirty anyway?

Yes I feel sooo dirty! And I like it!!!!!! Ain't crazy bout this sharin shit tho....specially with a chicken stabbin no count lowlife 'prentice like jerk...oh I mean Jwerk!

H8ter

H8ter

I never said I would let him tattoo me..no offense. But remember TAz, he didn't get a free CD. Tell him to put THAT in his pipe and smoke it.

Ah HA!!!!! See... she likes me better than you shelikes me better than you! she likes me better than you!!! she likes me better than you!!!!! Nya NYa NYA nya nya nya!!!!

...Our would-be hero heads into the sunset, his head hung low. His tattered chicken in one hand and his balls in the other...

Awww...thats so sad. TAz...did you get it yet?!

Nope...not today hopefully tomorrow!..Can't wait!

I am glad to see some defense in the ideas of heavy handed and light handed artists. Also it could be a number of things causing bumps and none of us are alike. We are artists because of what we do and how we do it. If you arent pleased with the artwork you probably (not always) but probably didnt check out the person work that you were going to get. Just because you have a design on paper or in your head we still are the ones to translate it into a form that fits your body and your expectations. People dont realize how important it is to discuss and get to know the person before jumping in with both feet! I dont even like to do custom work for people that are not regular clients because I dont feel that my work will be as good until I can find out more about them and their likes and dislikes, favorite colors and things that mean something to them in their life and what they are really trying to say in their tattoo. I mean if they really dont know then what does it matter if they pick something off the wall? I have had customers over the course of my eighteen years in this industry that have had alergic reactions, just sensitive skin, alergic reactions to the green soap, or the plastic on the saran wrap, a&d ointment, and even the time an apprentice did not rinse the flux well enough after making needles that have caused a rash of problems. As artists we need to stop bashing each other and help to educate our clients that "stuff happens" and that most of us are aware and are more than happy to correct things that happen even when it isnt our fault. As clients you should remember that no one on this earth is perfect and that we all have crappy days sometimes, dont get enough sleep maybe because of a sick child or just problems that everyone sometimes have and just have to work through. Ok, I will get off my soapbox now but I enjoyed reading. Have a blessed day. Aaron Favaloro Skin Graphix Tattoo Studio SkinGraphix.CityMax.Com

I have fallen off my chair and fucking died laughing at the thought of JWerk walking off into the sunset with a tattered chicken in his hands!!!!

*from behind the rubber room door* ....H8TER!

Sweety, why not go to a dermatologist? Those bumps look a lot like these little bumps I got during pregnancy? May take longer than 8 weeks to completely go down, but I'd check out a skin doc. There are some RX creams that have more of "punch." Nice tat, give it some time.

p.s. I'm sure the blue a bit (?) will fade since it's on your lower forearm and get more sun exposure. Which leads me to another question. Are colors more vibrant now then say 10 years ago? Seems like they are?

Sorry I haven't been on lately... Well, my tat seemd to have gotten better but now the bumps came back with a vengence, so I am going back to the doctor tomorrow. Wish me luck! I am getting so sick of this crap. I just want it to heal so I can get the damn thing finished!!!!

Dammit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE this kind of thing!...I am so sorry you are having problems kiddo.....I hope it all works out.... oh yeah...e-mail a guy once in a while dammit!!!!!!!!!! ps we listen to the cd CONSTANTLY!!!!

Dig this Taz, I've been to this young lady's myspace page... Not only is she quite the freakin' looker, but she plays bass, knows how to manipulate photos, and has a lower back piece as well. See? There is a god.... And Angel, I'm sure somebody said this, but I gotta wonder if you're allergic to that particular type of blue ink there babe....

Al...I hate to bust yer bubble but I not only have been to her site she sent me a free cd and I got a hug and a smooch!! I got dibbs!!! MUAHHAHHAHHAHH!! Slow old buzzard!

Goddamned bubble buster.

You guys are so funny...made me smile, that's for sure. I wear I'm gushing....wait..that sounded real bad. I was thinking it was the blue too, but I have the bumps on my magenta swallow and the flames too. Me so sad :( Sorry Taz hun..I promise to send more emails. oh yeah...what size t-shirt do you wear...no reason ;}

XL dear! GUSHING?....OH GOD now Al is gonna be fantasizin again! You aren't a belly dancer are ya?

XXL to get over his head!!! Nobody loves me. Fine. I'm outta here. You'll all be sorry when I do something that you will wish I didn't do that I said I would do If you didn't do what I said that I'd do if you didn't do what I said...... so there!

Sorry your tattoo is all itchy and bumpy like. That sucks. When it really starts acting up, put some ice on it. Stings like a bitch at first, but then it calms it down. Do you know if you're allergic to any metals? The metal content in the pigment could be the issue... One the positive side, it's a sweet ass tattoo! :o) theval

But not as sweet as me! * No #3 I ain't hittin on nobody...just talkin to Al* heh heh heh! * evil grin and lots of chop licking*

Keep your chops offa me buddy. It's only Tuesday.

Keep your chops offa me buddy. It's only Tuesday.

I have these same bumps om my arm! I got them last summer after spending alot of time in the sun but they went away after a few weeks. Then this year I again spent a weekend in the sun and the same thing happened again. From what I've read it's just a reaction to the ink from caused by the sun....it itches like hell but it will go away and I've never had to touch anything up...I've had this tat for 4 years.

Hi Everyone, I think you're elergic to the sun. My wife got something that looks very similar and it only appears on the arm that leans on the window while driving, so after some tests she was diagnosed with an alergy to the sun. That might be why it comes and goes. Hope this helps in some way. Take care, Shane P.S. Nice site:)

Hey Shane!...Thanks for the post....don't be a stranger! come on back anyol time!...Yes her problem COULD be a reaction to ultraviolet rays but it could also be a number of other things...really difficult to pin down!...TAz