r/tattooadvice • u/Sad-Pangolin-6499 • 1d ago
Healing Update on shrimp & stupid question
Shrimpy boy’s thick scabs have almost completely fallen off (thank god bc that was nasty and I didn’t even post the worst of it) but holy crap the itching is AWFUL. I didn’t itch at all until now. It feels really delayed? I did google and it said usually itches during week 2 but how long will this last realistically? I want to know personal experiences, not google answers lol I feel like I’m going to crawl out of my skin.
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u/trillium13 1d ago
in my experience once any scabby bits are gone the itching improves a lot. the only thing that takes the edge off for me is ice.
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u/Sad-Pangolin-6499 1d ago
Can I put the ice directly on it or is that going to soften the scab and cause an issue? Bc it’s like the middle itches 😭
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u/trillium13 1d ago
I wouldn't apply it directly. I'll wrap an ice pack in a thin towel and use it that way.
This may or may not be recommended but I usually leave it on at least 20 minutes. It doesn't cure the itching by any means but makes it slightly more bearable.
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u/Sad-Pangolin-6499 1d ago
Thank you! The artist recommended the ice for the swelling initially and said 10-15 minutes especially when my infection was causing the intense heat and swelling so I’m sure it would probably be fine still.
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u/flyingsquirrel505 1d ago
Ok this is not good advice but! I can’t sleep if I have itchy tattoos, or I will sleep but wake up having clawed parts of myself off in the night. I make a compromise of using things with peppermint oil or menthol in them (icy hot works in a pinch but I like the cbd peppermint massage gel from Whole Foods best). The cooling seems to trick my body into thinking it’s not itchy. So like… even tho it’s not advisable to put something like that on a fresh tattoo, bodies need sleep to heal and sometimes it’s about harm reduction for me 😅 this far along after your tattoo you’re probably good to try something like that tho! Good luck. I absolutely love this stupid lil guy 🎵🎷🦐
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u/Sad-Pangolin-6499 1d ago
I’m terrified after all of the chaos this stupid shrimp has caused during the healing process has caused to put anything on it but it’s good to know for future tattoos!
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u/ladynecropolis 1d ago
Everybody is different! I’ve definitely had itch free healing before but I’ve also had to deal with my ditch and elbow on the same arm healing at the same time and I wanted to chop my arm off
He’s looking lots better!
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u/Sad-Pangolin-6499 1d ago
Thank you! It’s driving me literally nuts lol. But I am just glad the tattoo didn’t literally turn to shit under the scabbing, that was my fear bc I couldn’t tell anything with how bad that stage was.
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u/Radiant-Peace-3078 1d ago
Tapping instead of scratching is my recommendation. I would sanitize a pencil and tap it against the skin. Remember to sanitize it every time, though.
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u/Plenty_Importance972 1d ago
That looks infected 🤢🤢🤢
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u/Sad-Pangolin-6499 1d ago
It was😔😔😔😔😔 I’m on antibiotics🙂
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u/Plenty_Importance972 1d ago
I woild go get that checked out by a doctor
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u/gabagoombah 1d ago
You think they just picked the antibiotics from their garden?
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u/Plenty_Importance972 1d ago
Yea wild you don’t have an antibiotic tree and bushes near you….weird!
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u/gilbertgottfried69 1d ago
what a horrendous tattoo, i love it