Ok, I got a tattoo of my son's footprints on the top and side of my foot 11 days ago. Well, I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but the one on the side is red all around it with some raw spots and the one one the top has developed a rash around it. From reading on here I see that I have overused the A&D and caused the rash, but the one on the side is the one that concerns me. My tattoo artist told me because I had put on a sock less than a week after my tat and it had actually stuck in a few places that I have ripped some of the skin off. Causing the rawness. And the fact that I walk a lot during the day that the constant motion on the side of my foot is opening the tattoo up repeatedly and that it would probably take another week or two to heal. I don't have any fragrance free lotion, so I'm going to go get some curel. Is there anything else I can do to make this thing hurry up and heal? I've just been wearing flip flops everywhere.

Ok, here's a little more info. My tattoo is a 3 part tattoo.... one on the ankle, one on the top of my foot, and one on the outside side of my foot below my ankle bone. The one on my leg and the top of my foot are pretty much healed now. The one on the side is still swelling and red, tender. The skin over it is almost like when you get burned. All one piece that's very thin, and only peeling on the edges. It itches. I had gotten dirt in it one day, but I cleaned it out.... maybe that's a lot to do with this, along with wearing that sock that day.... I've started taking Benadryl to keep the swelling down, but I'm about to start a new job so I'm going to have to start wearing shoes. I've been letting it dry out to keep the layer of skin from coming off. Anybody know what else I can do to get this thing to heal any faster??

Here is something that I posted in another thread....also switch to aquaphor it's like A&D but unlike A&D it's water soluable and acts like a lotion as well and will not clog pores. It's also frangrance free. It's all I use during the healing process. Also go get some non-stick surgipads. Cut them into the size you need and then using a latex free cloth tape...tape the pad down over the bad spots when you are on your feet. Maybe this will help it be less irratated....

I just got a foot tattoo in Dec and one last thurs on the other foot so they would match up...I wore socks all the time and shoes and no problem. I wore the fuzzy soft chenille socks around the house and breathable cotton socks out with slip on tennies or a cotton trouser sock with a soft leather shoe for work. I was told it was good to wear socks while walking around the first 2 or 3 days to keep dirt and dust out of the tattoo. As for shaving since my foot tattoo creeped up the leg a bit I was told it was ok to do that after the peeling was done and then be very light handed...I was told that by someone who had been there not an artist..just so ya know...I shave around it and then get into the tight spots near the tattoo with one of those trimmers that old ladies use to shave their upper lip. I figured since I would be an old lady someday I might as well pick one up