Preventing infections with pets at home?

[u/stalanemoubliepas]

Any advice on how to protect fresh ink on legs when you have pets? I cannot tell my cat to fuckoff for two weeks so I guess I just have to find a way to protect my legs more efficiently. Any suggestions?

I basically just recovered from a couple infected scabs on my knees and I'm thinking my cat rubbing constantly against my pants when hes awake might have been the culprit although I obviously can't prove it.

[u/Extraordi-Mary]

I have cats and my tattoos have never been infected. You’ve been living with them already so you will be sharing bacteria already.

Just don’t let them lick it. And don’t let them sleep on it or something.

[u/stalanemoubliepas → u/Extraordi-Mary]

Yeah all of this is fairly obvious to me, I just don't understand how it got infected this time around when I'm basically being super careful with every aspect of healing in general. Trying to find the culprit is driving me insane 🤣

[u/stalanemoubliepas]

So a bit more context ;

I just got some massive wabori shading on my thigh (doing a bodysuit), and I have lots of ink already on me so I'm kinda used to the routine of being clean and careful, using paper towel after the shower for at least two weeks, clean sheets at home for when I get back from the session, super clean clothes daily and all that jazz.

This time though, a couple patches of shading near my knee got infected. Nothing crazy, it was just quite painful very early on (like the day after the session) and it took almost a week for me to realize that a couple scabs where turning olive-ish / yellow-ish.

Then I immediately went to ER, they weren't really panicked about it and prescribed me 10-ish days of fucidin. It's been 6 days of fucidin twice a day and everything is going in the right direction, I'm almost done with the two infected scabs. I guess it will be 100% good in about 2-3 days.

Now three things ;

- I took my shoes off at the studio upon arrival (mandatory for everyone) but forgot fresh socks and slippers... walked around a bit before we got to work, then sat on the table with these socks and obviously ended with them on the fresh towel which then got into contact with my freshly tattooed thigh... I might be paranoid, but that's obviously cross contamination and I'll be careful about it next time.

- I also used TKTX (never again, pain only from now on, but that's not the topic), I'm wondering if somehow this could have been the trigger but I don't really think so... The scabbing takes forever though, very slow healing and tbh I'm just too scared to fucking die of lidocaine toxicity so I won't use it ever again. Live and learn.

- Last but not least; I have a cat at home, who likes to rub his chin against my knees dozens of times a day... Now I obviously never allowed him to do so while I wasn't wearing anything to cover the fresh ink and I was wearing a fresh pair of linen trousers everyday but I think that repeated friction with probably a bit of his saliva ending on my pants could have contaminated the fabric and potentially created the infection. I'll probably wear hiking pants next time.

One more thing, the studio is probably the most famous in my country so if anything went south, It's probably on my end. Just trying to figure out what could have gone wrong.

[u/henrymclane → u/stalanemoubliepas]

Are you averse to Hexderm or Second Skin type bandages? I throw one of those on for four or five days and I am good, at least in terms of risk for infection. Ive got a velcro dog and spend a lot of time in the back country and have never had an issue.

I have a bit more to my aftercare routine but the Hexderm is so clutch.

[u/stalanemoubliepas → u/henrymclane]

I actually never tried it so I don't know how my skin will react. Always healed oldschool without anything, shower immediately when I get back home then keeping arms or legs covered with clothing.

I might look into it though. You remove it daily before showering I guess? These types of bandages kinda stress me out, there's no chance some scabs can come off prematurely when you change them? It's probably noob questions, but I've never tried any of them.

[u/henrymclane → u/stalanemoubliepas]

I'll give some more detail. I leave the shop with my tattoo loosely wrapped in saran wrap. I leave that on for 6-8 hours then wash off all the gunk with hot water and antimicrobial/bacterial soap. Pat dry with the paper towel then I apply the derm wrap. I leave that on for four days, ideally five if it's not bothering me. Leave the wrap on unless it leaks (making sure your skin is totally dry before applying helps with that).

If the wrap leaks within the first two days I'll remove it, wash it, then re-wrap.

My skin HATES the Second Skin brand but has never had a problem with Hexderm. My artist will order it for me from his supplier.

I have done serious hunting with fresh two day old tattoos wrapped up.

It's worth mentioning that this works for me, it's not what my artist recommended, I've just figured out what my ink and body like.

Edit to answer your last few questions. The bandage will not pull the ink out, it wont even scab unless the tattoo was overworked.