Healing issue with Rapier 2

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Originally Posted by Inkslingers

You may have missed this in the post, but this is something that has happened 3 times...so I'd tend to rule out the healing factor as been the cause (unless by way of total fluke they all healed their tattoos the same way). A staph could be the cause, but again, if 3 people have the same issue it would have most likely originated from the studio that the work was done. Something you may want to consider. Keep in mind that many forms of staph can live on a surface for weeks, even months in some cases.

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That's why I'm trying to figure out whats going on and asking if anyone else has had a similar issue...I never said this was solely a problem with them healing, I'm aware the problem could be something I'm doing. Telling me that I could be transferring stapf doesn't help if this is not a staph infection. There are 3 different clients that could have 3 completely unrelated things going on. Why has it only happened to 3% of people I have used the same grey wash on? If it was staph shouldn't I be seeing it in color and line work and most likely other people in the shop? I'd bet my left nut that 99% of people who have healing issues get them from sleeping on dirty sheets with their dog and the skank they just picked up from a bar, not my immaculate studio. Sorry if this comes off defensive but I'm looking for things I can look for, like stanky greywash, and what I can do to help my clients that got it...not to hear I'm transferring staph with no evidence that's what it is...

To be clear I was not accusing you of spreading staph, I know people that are chronic carriers of impetigo and will have reactions on healed tattooos when getting work on another part of their body. Asking them how they took care of the tattoo can help sort out what it could have been that was the cause.

MRSA is a big buzz word in the community right now. There are multiple other skin issues that can be picked up from dirty sheets and pets that are still staph and all a result of clients not paying attention to their tattoo while it heals or never washing their hands before and after putting anything into the new tattoo. Getting a good wiff of your washes might be a good thing to do as pointed out earlier. There has been more than one recall in the past with multiple pigment manufacturers due to mold.

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Originally Posted by CRose801

I agree 100% that its not the machine... I may have left the tops open on the bottles once or twice... I bought a new set of greywash (fusion) just the other day so I can't smell the old bottles but I have a feeling that could of been an issue. I smelled the new bottles and one of them does have a little vinegar smell. We smelled some of the other fusion greywash sets and a couple bottles smelled horrible, like rotten lunch meat... those bottles were tossed. I do a ton of black and grey and Ive only seen the problem 3 times, in my 3 favorites, only in the greywash never in the black. Is there anything topical I can recommend using? The first guy I saw this in was a sewer worker who was 50 years old, 300 lbs, 6'6 and was later told diabetic. I tried to get him to go to the Dr. for months and he wouldn't... he finally did and the Dr. gave him a name for what he had, but of course he cant remember...

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Diabetic will open them up to so much!

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Originally Posted by CRose801

This is right below a bellow button.. right below the picture is ridiculous thunderbush

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Could also be a reaction to his own button on his pants if he has a metal or polymer allergy. My mom has horrible skin conditions on her hands brought on from working as a cleaning lady for almost 40 years she has to drive with gloves one cause she is allergic to the inside of her car.

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Originally Posted by CRose801

Is there anything topical I can recommend using? The first guy I saw this in was a sewer worker who was 50 years old, 300 lbs, 6'6 and was later told diabetic. I tried to get him to go to the Dr. for months and he wouldn't... he finally did and the Dr. gave him a name for what he had, but of course he cant remember...

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Be careful about recommending anything. There are some crazy people out there. If you recommend a medicinal product, and they have any sort of reaction/problem with that product, YOU will be to blame, and some people are sue-happy. I prefer to remind people that I am an artist and not a doctor. If they want a diagnosis, they are best to go to a medical practicioner.

I agree, not the machine - if it were, it would happen more often, and on all types of tattoos.

Maybe the ink - though, if it were the ink, and there were fungus/bacteria of some sort in it, almost everyone you used that ink on would have a reaction to it - kind of like if you made something to eat and it had bacteria and everyone who ate it threw up. If the tops of the bottles are left open often enough, do you think some of the alcohol/preservative could have evaporated, leaving water and pigment to eventually spoil?

Are you using any new equipment? Ordering needles from another supplier? Is the packaging always intact? I've bought needles from suppliers (that I won't buy from anymore) because sometimes I'd open up a needle, and the paper was barely sticking to the blister plastic part. If the needles weren't sterilized properly, or were compromised by poor packaging (this even goes for disposable tubes), bacteria could be present. You could have one needle out of every 5 that are compromised, which could result in intermittent reactions.

Also, how often do you change your wash bottle? Do you sanitize or sterilize it in the autoclave? How often do you do this? I've always been taught to never leave water/soap mix or even plain water in a bottle for more than 48 hours. Food for thought - some bottled waters contain an 'acceptable' amount of e-coli bacteria in them (which reminds me of the 'acceptable' amount of cockroach legs in chocolate bars which I am no longer craving).

Does the client have pets at home? Do they wash their hands before they apply ointment to the tattoo? Do they wash their tattoo at all? Or do they have a compromised immune system (because of a current or chronic illness)? Or are they prone to ingrown hairs? Do they shower every day?

Did I read it correctly about the location of the tattoo? That it is between his groin and navel? That, for many men can be an area where, if shaved, can easily result in ingrown hairs - many times because of the new friction of clothing on a spot that isn't shaved often (if at all).

Sooo many variables! Unless there is a definite diagnosis, allergy/bacterial infection/viral infection/chronic condition/neurological response etc, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what would be causing it.

Must add...in the case i mentioned earlier...the spots/rash appeared on random B&G customers but not all.

I had this issue about 12 yrs ago on a guy that had area's of Black/grey freshly put in. I had the bottle from a supply house here in the UK in Brum. 'No names for obv reasons' It was first time I'd used this supplier for shade inks and threw em out as soon as the guy came to show me. It turned out it was an 'off batch' that they notified the buyers of it for a call back as a few guys were having issues. Luckily I'd only done the 1 Tattoo with it then put it aside until I could see the results. Needless to say I moved on to other brands. I think it is more than likely a mould issue of some sort.

We have had reactions in our shop from one guys new grey wash set. The reactions were from a batch or premixed grey wash its happened to about 75 percent of the people it was used on within a couple of weeks with the grey wash. Its a big name company but the reactions eventually went away. They were not as bad as yours but similar. Its most likely the grey wash. This happened very recently. Pm me what grey wash you were using.

Any ideas in general why this is happening with greywash? Maybe the greywashes you guys talk about were just regular black mixed with water and by that reduced the ratio of the preservative?

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Originally Posted by wildboy

Any ideas in general why this is happening with greywash? Maybe the greywashes you guys talk about were just regular black mixed with water and by that reduced the ratio of the preservative?

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I only used a pre-mixed greywash... I was using fusions set (I don't have a problem saying that because I'm not accusing them of anything) and now that I think about it it was near the end of the bottles so mold could def be the factor due to leaving lids open... So much food for thought, Thanks Alie

I still do it old school and mix my own with witch hazel. You really have to pick the right blacks for the job, but you never have to worry about this. And if you only get 4-8oz bottles of black, you ( if you do any volume. ) will use it before it goes bad. I also use the witch hazel with some alcohol in it. I typically unless doing tribal, add a few drops to my lining black too. You can never be too careful.