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TenSpeed

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Just sat for 6.5 hours while I had my half sleeve pretty much reworked from my elbow area up. It's not done. I have about another 4 hours to go or so. Everything was wrong with it, and unfortunately, some of it cannot be fixed totally. He is doing his absolute best to work with what I have.

Most of the lines were redone today, along with adding color to most of the lower half. I am doing this so that when I get the rest of the sleeve done, it will look like it all came from one artist, even though he is the third one I have been to.

I will reluctantly post pictures when the wrap comes off, and the swelling goes down. I am not happy that it is not done, but it just wasn't in the cards to sit for 10 hours, even though I think that he would have done it. He got most of what would hang out of a short sleeve shirt, so it won't look completely ridiculous. The longest I have sat for is a little over 3.5 hours. This was brutal in comparison. The tattooing itself wasn't bad. The constant wiping with the paper towel was getting to me in a bad way. He used the softer Bounty, but after that long, it didn't matter. I was wincing every time he wiped it. The inner crook or valley of my arm was the absolute worst. The first time I had it done, I had to tell him to stop after 1.5 hours or so. I couldn't do it. I thought that the second time around would be better. It was worse. He was a much heavier needle than the original artist, and had to spend extra time fixing a major eff up which I never noticed. When he made the final wipe on that, I almost had tears in my eyes. It was really bad. I must be really sensitive right there.
 

TenSpeed

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This is how it was up until recently.

Tat422.jpg


This is one of the skulls along the side. The angle is all wrong, and you can see stuff that you shouldn't.

ArmBack.jpg


It started as a cover up to a small tattoo that I got in the Army back in the early 90's. This was after the second guy had worked on it. The first did the center skull, which is the actual cover up. The guy said that the crown would turn out like chrome. It's blue. Not chrome. Blue. I have hated that since I got it. I was so disappointed in that.

ArmSide.jpg


Here is how it is now. I don't have any pictures of how the full piece was before he started. I had more stuff added by the second guy that this guy redid/recolored. I removed the Saran wrap and washed it really well, put the Aquaphor on, and wrapped back up, by myself. It wasn't easy, and it isn't pretty.

Pardon the craptastic BlackBerry pictures.

FullInk_zps2bbcd245.jpg


SkullInk_zps06f36f26.jpg


RoseInk_zpsde55f1e1.jpg


This is the part that hurt the worst. There is a skeleton key on the backside of my arm that matches this. The skull has ruby red eyes, which he did not get to unfortunately.

LockInk_zps24e2a058.jpg
 

TenSpeed

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I am done with the Saran wrap. It is so gross. It draws the fluid out of your arm, and it makes me sweat. I pulled it off this am after putting it on fresh last night before bed. It was dripping wet. Made me nauseated. I washed it really well with antimicrobial hand soap, and rubbed in a decent amount of Aquaphor. I will repeat that a few more times today. By tomorrow, it should be good to go.

Still hurts like a bastard though, just down by the valley of my elbow. Hurts to fully extend it, and hurts to bring it up to my face. I pretty much just keep it bent. The only time it doesn't hurt is when I am on the computer typing. :thumb:
 

Bodam

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USe A&D ointment. It cuts your healing time in half. Smells like ass, but works great.
 

TenSpeed

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I have used that before. I am finding that the Aquaphor is really helping, and is nowhere near as greasy as the A&D. I am following his instructions pretty well, and it seems to be working. I have had a pretty good recovery time in comparison to previous work.
 

DDTCM

Dan
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I always take the wrap off at the end of the 1st night,apply acuaphor 2 times a day for 3 days,switch to lotion on the 4th day and like clockwork I'm fully healed in 2 weeks. I did 2 sessions per month for 6 months until my full back piece was finished. First 2 sessions were 6 hours each and then we switched to all 4 hour sessions. Neither myself or my artist are smokers so these were "no breaks" sessions.

PS
Needles and muffin tops don't mix......ouch.
 

TenSpeed

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That is a pretty intense schedule. I would love to be on a tighter time period with him, but he books up quickly. I made my next appointment, but it's not until the end of January. I am on a cancellation list so if anyone cancels he will call me.

He really only does one sitting a day, for at least 3 hours. Anything less, and he pretty much isn't doing it. That is just how he works. He prefers to do big sessions, 6-8 hrs or so. I thought that it wouldn't be a good business practice, until he told me that he does this pretty much daily, including Sundays.

Non smoker, so there were only bathroom breaks and a quick lunch break. I am ready to be done with it. Having it half done really sucks.
 

Croft

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Looks pretty wicked! I'm going to have to check into that Aquaphor stuff. Never heard of it before. I usually use Neosporin. Takes me just about a week to fully heal.
 

TenSpeed

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You can find it just about anywhere. I know Target sells it, most drug stores should as well.

Thanks for the kind words.
 

DDTCM

Dan
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You can get a big tub at CVS,Walgreens ect. Stuff works great for all kinds of stuff......just like bacon grease.
 

TenSpeed

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I haven't used A&D. Just been using the Aquaphor. It has almost completely peeled now. It came off like a sunburn, just the top layer. Been using a fragrance free Eucerin lotion for the last day.

It just itches like crazy.
 

Bodam

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I used to use Eucerin, but swapped to A&D. It seems to work a little better for me, less peeling and faster healing.

Here is my most recent. The start of my second leg sleeve, hopefully.


BLStat.jpg
 

08 Vapor

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Aquaphor has done incredibly well for me, personally. If I slathered it on thick and wrapped in saran wrap and got 8 hours sleep, the next morning the last session would be nearly completely healed. I'd typically be done peeling and fully healed by the end of day 4. When I start my second sleeve I'll stick to the same formula of fragrance free soap and Aquaphor.
 
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