AboutThe GYPSY - Professional Tattoo Artist and Body Piercer Expertise I can accept questions on proper tattooing and piercing procedures, including but not limited to, licensing, sterilization, studio promotion, safety, what to look for in an artist/studio, aftercare, apprenticeship, studio management and proper design/piercing placement. I can also rate artistic quality. We also can answer questions on tattoo/piercing resources, ie; books, videos, studios and artists/piercers. PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING BEFORE ASKING YOUR QUESTION: I will NOT answer "How To" questions. If you want to know how to tattoo or pierce do the right thing and seek out a formal apprenticeship. Tattooing and piercing are not a "Learn On Your Own" professions. ALSO: Please DO NOT ask me about tattoo or piercing prices. Rates vary from region to region. You will need to check with studios in your area for their current rates.
Experience
Past/Present clients I tattoo/pierce over 1200 people per year. Multiply that by 31 years and I have tattooed and/or pierced approx. 37,200 people.
The GYPSY founder of Skin Art Creations Tattoo Emporium® is a State of Kansas licensed Tattoo & Piercing Artist & Trainer and has been in the Tattoo & Piercing Industry since 1976. He is a Professional Member of APT (Alliance of Professional Tattooist), and has taken and passed the APT Tattoo Mastery Test. His formal art training and experience has helped him win numerous awards both Nationally and Internationally. The GYPSY's art has been exhibited in museums World wide, including the Smithsonian. He has also appeared on television, documentaries, albums, radio talk shows and in numerous magazines. Along with his Wife Debbie they have developed and maintained numerous projects including resource and shopping sites. WE INVITE YOU TO VIST THESE SITES: www.ubtat2d.com - www.ablazable.com - www.emerald-city.us - www.sekpress.net - www.freaky-links.com and www.pluribusunum.net
Question ok well i got a tattoo above my ankle exactly a week and 3 days ago..
this is my second tattoo and the first one was huge compared to this little thing..
the one on my back turned out fine..
the one on my ankle on the other hand is really weird..
for the first week it hurt so much to stand and if it was touched..
my tattoo artist told me to put some kind of tripple antibiotic ointment twice a day..so i did for a week..
the second day after my tattoo it looks do weird..it was damn even after i patted it with a clean towel..
he told me it was ok..
then i came back the 4th day after i got it done because it basically looked like i got a brand [like when they burn cows with metal with a stamp and it is deep in the skin] and the color around it was like grayish..the tattoo is just all black..
after a week it didn't hurt anymore i stopped applying the ointment because to me it didn't help at all..
now it went back up and it doesn't look like it's engraved in my skin and it doesn't really hurt..
although around my whole tattoo there is dead skin..and the tattoo looks really weird..
around the whole tattoo its like dark purple/red..
and then in between the lines because my tattoo is the san francisco logo..my skin looks just straight up dark purple..
some people are makeing me scared to death and saying i might have to get my foot chopped off because i didn't have it checked by a doctor..
do you think my tattoo is infected.?
and what should i do.?
[also the guy who did my tattoo is in a shop but it was his first time doing a tattoo on the ankle..]
Answer Lady Troubles,
First and foremost lets deal with your swelling and pain: In some instance the body will think that a tattoo on the extremeties, ie; wrist, hands, ankles and feet, is a sprain. And as such the affected area should be treated the way a sprain is treated. Elevate and apply cold compress's. The one thing you don't do is treat a sprain with Triple Anti-Biotic ointment nor a tattoo for that matter. The tattooist that did your work gave you the worst advise possible as any Triple Anti-Biotic ointment such as Neosporin will have an adverse effect on a tattoo.
Based on what you are telling me it sounds as though the tattooist may have overworked the skin and went in way to deep. This would be easier to tell if you had attached a photo of the tattoo. Your skin may be severly scarred and you may have pigment bleed under the skin.
My advise to you is to seek out a skilled, qualified, experienced, licensed professional and consult with them about a rework of your tattoo. Also if you are concerned about an infection then I would recommend that you immediately consult with your Physician.
Please remeber this; There is nothing wrong with having a person that is learning to tattoo work on you as long as their teacher is right there beside them, guiding them through the procedure. I never leave my apprentices on their own until they prove themselves. If the teacher is not with the student during the procedure you should get up and leave. Thats not teaching thats throwing scraps to the dogs.
I hope this has been of some help to you. If I can be of any further assistance please let me know.
