Overly paranoid first timer seeks answers please!!

I got myself a tattoo on october 24th, it was my first and it was on my lower back. Its lilac fading down to purple. At first-as in right after it was done, it looked great, a few days later the top part of the tattoo-the lilac part, started to peel, kinda like sunburn. At this stage I was very good and stayed well away from it,but as it was peeling it looked as though the colour was coming off too. I went to my tattoo artist and he took a look and said it was fine, that the tattoo does look a bit pale and stuff at first, and then a few weeks later the vibrance of the colour emerges properly. Its not that I dont trust the guy, I mean, I went to him for the tattoo, but Ive been searching online for anyone else even mentioning this and I cant find anyone, its not mentioned on any aftercare instructions, experience stories...Surely someone would mention that? Oh the lighter colours on my tattoo looked like they werent there for the first few weeks-something like that, or, they looked really washed out and then the colour came through properly... Im just overly paranoid cuz its my first tattoo and I wanna make sure it will be ok.. As I said earlier-I left that part alone.. I went back to the artist to but more tattoo goo after about 2 weeks and he told me to stop putting the tattoo goo on it because the aim at this point was to let the scab dry out and fall off(and I may have been applying it too frequently, as I applied it to relieve the itching & stop me from scratching at it!! Towards the bottom(In the purple bit) A harder scab formed, at one point part of this scab was sticking out and managed to get pulled, so I tried to get it off while making sure I didnt pull scab that stung, I dunno if youll know what I mean, you know they way when you pick at a scab normally the bit that stings is the bit that bleeds? Well it didnt sting, so I was assuming that the skin underneath had healed and this was just floating altho somewhat attached on top. Anyway-where that scab was now has a red blotch, is that bleeding out? I dunno, and Im afraid of asking the artist that in case he gives out to me-I didnt mean for it to happen-it was the last part of the scab and it was harder than any other part of it, I could be being paranoid here, but Id really like a second opinion, or third and fourth if theyre available, to put my mind at rest.. I dont mind getting a touch up, the pain doesnt bother me, but Id feel funny about asking for it, and the idea that I may have a tattoo that isnt what it was meant to be kinda bugs me-cus the artist was a really sound bloke and alltho Im sure he'd be happy to rectify the situation, Id just feel funny about it(Im one of these ppl who finds it hard to complain in restaurants and stuff!) Anyway, please someone help me, The main question is "Is it true that the colours take a few weeks to become properly vibrant?" and "Does a red blotch usually indicate colour bleeding?" Replies most definately appreciated!!

ok first off yea i have seen the color fade out like this and then come back in full strength in a week or so as far as the scab let it heal and see if it needs a touch up it may or may not it sounds like you got a good artist and i see your point you dont want to be the type that when thet see ya coming they lock the doors and such belive me i would rather personally have you call me 20 times a day rather than be ashamed or scared or feeling embaressed thats what we are here for. it sounds like the tattoo is healing nicely like i say the only stupid question is the one you didnt ask best of luck and regards don

i only read like 1/6 of that post but to awnser your main question, yes it does take a few weeks for the tat to fully heal&peel. as for it taking several weeks for the "proper color to show" or whatever the aritst said, thats generally true. i think the reason being is that there are several layers of peeling that takes place during the the healing process, which during can give the tattoo a distorted appearance, physically and color wise.. you need to wait til the peeling process is over for the colors to fully darken/blend/blahblah whatever u wanna say. i recently got a large colored tat on my forearm and during the peeling the colors honestly to me, looked like shit. it has recently fully healed and some of the colors dont even look as they did originally, they look better. so dont be paranoid!!! =)

Thanks for the replies guys(I assume youre both guys-apologies if Im mistaken!!) I went back to the artist and hes doing my touch up on monday, so I guess it will all be good, the colour still doesnt seem to have come up, over a month later, so I think it needed the touch up. One way or the other that Artist was very nice about it..Im just not lookin forward to all that itching...Kinda lookin forward to the sitting in the chair bit...Oh dear, I can see a nasty habit forming here!! Thanks for your replies, theyre much appreciated. Giz

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW ADDICTION!! glad to hear its working out for ya best regards (don)

you probably went to a shitty tattoo artsit like i did. My tattoo faded right away and looks like shit! I also went in to see about getting it touched up and he was a fag about it. needless to say i learned my lesson to look in to the artist first!

i got my tattoo 9 days ago and its started peeling, the colour is a lot lighter underneath and i'm worried aswell, its a small tattoo on my wrist and i am using the cream i'm supposed to i just hope that it will look alrite after.shud i go see my tattooist or am i being paranoid. PLZ REPLY i will be very grateful.

Hi Guy(and Gurlz), i got my first tattoo just a week ago and i'm just as paranoid or even more so. Mine looks really pale and i'm worried. I'm in the US going back to Jamaica soon and i'd like to know what to do b4 i go (like getting a touch-up or what). I'm going crazy. Avice Please?