Bro, SAME. I was like, "Design looks a bit messed up, and it looks irritated, but idk why these guys seem to be talking like it's so ba-- OH MY GOD-- OH MY GOD-- IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE-- JFC-- DEAR LORD OMG"
I was saying huh doesn’t look too bad. I scrolled slowly I was inspecting it at each picture and I’m thinking not too bad as it went on I was like nope absolutely not holy shit
Same. I thought it was just two pictures and was like “eh, infected - yes. But the worst, nah.” Then I realized there were more pictures and I am freaking devastated for this person! Yikes!!!!
Yea like I would love for a tattoo artist to chime in here?! I mean my guess is the needles were not sterilized, like they were just used putting a tattoo on the ass of a cat, is that a strong assumption?!?!
Ohhh, not that it’s a competition or should ever be one lol, but there’s an old video of a guy laying on a bed with —from what I remember— like a full back tattoo that was so infected that it gave me a pit in my stomach when I realized how bad it was. he was laying on his stomach and a lady was over him pressing a rag around his entire back to try and drain the infection; in my memory it was like someone pressing down and running their hands over a waterbed mattress that’s not completely filled to empty the water out through the valve. Jfc I’m not even kidding, the…let’s just say “fluid” was fucking *gushing* across his back and settling in pools along the side of his body. I feel like i also remember multiple people in the room saying a word here and there, but for the most part were holy-shit-he-is-gonna-die quiet. The lore at the time was that the poor guy died not long after the video was taken, but omfg, I hope that whatever happened to him, he was able to find relief from that absolutely horrific infection.
Btw, someone correct me if I’m remembering that wrong, because I KNOW there are many ppl here who know exactly wtf I’m talking about…I have to get some sleep now and simply will not if I go spelunking into the depths of that internet realm lol
I believe I unfortunately found it.
[about as bad as it was described](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3667793/amp/Getting-tattoo-Watch-truly-horrific-video-Man-infected-skin-clumps-pus-dragged-NAIL-CLIPPERS-triggering-eruption-brown-fluid.html)
Oh, dear god. I could SMELL this video. Probably why the cameraman has to exit the room rapidly for a bit after the thing bursts.
My sister got an infected cyst thing that wasn't much bigger than a spot recently. The memory of the smell when it popped makes me dry heave just thinking about it now and that was something tiny in comparison. I cannot imagine what this poor guy stank like!
I'm not particularly squeamish, but I really, really regret clicking on that video.
No tegaderm is a big red flag for me. A fresh tat is absolutely ripe for infection. Sooooo many little microtears in the surface of the skin for shit to get in. Even if they used brand new ink, brand new needles, wiped the shop and chair down with bleach wipes, used fresh clean gloves…none of that matters if they don’t cover the piece before they send the person home. If OP is already colonized with MRSA, contamination is not only likely, it’s imminent.
Not really a red flag when it's pretty standard to just wrap you up with clingfilm at the end. I love second skin and keep a supply at home for after I get tattooed, but the majority of artists don't use it in my experience. It's expensive to keep stocked up and lots of people are allergic, so often it's better to just stick with the old methods.
Second this. I have a roll that I bought but it makes some artists wary - I always wet heal so was used to babying a new tattoo with multiple wash downs and clingfilm changes a day but saniderm / second skin is just less hassle - my skin HATES the adhesive though.
With a history of MRSA I wouldn’t want any sort of large surface area open wound anywhere on my body. History of MRSA means he is colonized with it. It never goes away. I would absolutely want something covering the tattoo for a few days minimum until the skin tears heal over.
> History of MRSA means he is colonized with it. It never goes away.
TIL something new and horrifying. Now I'm even more scared of getting MRSA than I was before.
MRSA is common enough that my entire hospital system (which is one of the largest in my state) has stopped requiring automatic contact precautions on anyone who has previously had MRSA. They will always come back positive with a nasal swab, so as long as they don’t have an active overgrowth in a wound, we don’t place them in precautions. Half the hospital would be in precautions otherwise.
The tattoo itself looked horrible before, at least if it was from an expert I’d get my money back. But this looks like a home tattoo job or cheap kit type tattoo.
Saw your original post, please please keep reposting this if it gets taken down so we can know when you get better.
Document everything and make sure the tattoo shop knows, this is serious
There are many here very concerned for your well being.. red streaks going up are not a good sign.. I had this after stepping on glass and just kept walking on it as a kid.. blood poisoning . Wishing you a healthy recovery.
Seriously I saw your other post and I’ve been genuinely concerned, even told my wife that I hope you get that cleared up soon. Was it a “professional” shop? I just say because after care is important but it can be from their hygiene, their equipment, or their ink also. It can also be your imune system was a little weak, or if your like me eczema can be a factor as well. Keep us posted bud!
Staph lives on everyone's skin... Once you are susceptible to a MRSA case then essentially any cut or wound (like a tattoo needle) can cause the infections for the rest of your life.
I would definitely make sure the shop is up to code, but also I wouldn't make any unproven accusations, because OP said he had a history with MRSA. Meaning it's most likely just recurring as this is it's nature once your body fails to fight it off once.
I can confirm, at least partially. I've been hit with MRSA twice, and all the doctors involved told me it's high risk for me to get any more tattoos. Thankfully the two I have were before the infections.
I’ve had MRSA multiple times in my life already since childhood. I also have 12 tattoos. That has never happened to me. This looks to be a very severe allergic reaction or possible dirty tools. I’m meaning more towards allergic reaction however
Allergic reaction and staph infection aren’t mutually exclusive. An allergic reaction could have created the right conditions for a nasty staph infection.
Yep and considering the timeline and thats its resisting antibiotics, the fact OP mentioned he is colonized with MRSA, and the pus filled boils, it's likely antibiotic resistant staphylococcus. They worst kind to have.
Really hope OP gets well and keeps updated.
Holy schnikes!!! That’s awful, man! My heart goes out to you so hard. If you don’t see improvements in the next 24 hours- I’d see a different medical institution, especially since you have a hx of MRSA. That looks really bad.
someone was monitoring it, you could see the markers for redness, then new markers, as the redness grew wider and wider. Very scary, looked like cellulitis
If you don't think you are being properly cared for/dismissed, try going to a different hospital for another opinion, voice your concerns, and be firm with them.
Looks like they used dirty equipment on you , you need to report this to your local health department , there are rules and this shop and guy calling himself an artist are not up to code , fuck I’ve seen big black tats get gnarly for a week or so after and come out fine but this is another level , that green is sinister
This was my first thought. It is clear that it was the tool, or ink, that was contaminated, given the infection "bloomed" everywhere ink was laid.
Someone is about to lose a license, and face hefty fees.
They are also liable for OP's damages. They should seek legal council.
What the fuck did they sterilised their equipment with? 3 months old manure? Or did they give you that manure as tattoo care? I have seen burns less infected than this and never a tattoo this bad.
Yeah looks like they don’t autoclave stuff maybe. Or not following standard procedure to keep things clean. From what it looks like it could be a house tattoo. If this is a shop tattoo then man that shop needs to hire better and safer artists.
I think it’s likely due to not properly covering the piece after. No tegaderm. Those are supposed to be on for 3-5 days to allow the top layer of skin to heal. OP is already colonized with MRSA. Leaving a fresh tattoo open like that on a person with a history of MRSA is the definition of fucking around and finding out.
Ive never seen an infection look this bad on a tattoo! Do you have a different ER you can go to? I feel like they should've definitely admitted you, this can turn into sepsis really fast
There are several ways you can use "discharge" and "infection" together in a sentence. Your example is one of the milder ones but I feel like you could draw on experience to create some real doozies.
We joke to take the edge off of horror. Seriously though, I hope you're better soon.
~~For what it is worth, had sepsis a few years back, black veins up past the elbow, halfway to the shoulder. IV antibiotics, and sent home. Got a fever that night and thought I was going to die after checking Dr. Google lol. Had to follow it up the next day with another round of IV antibiotics, then switched to oral antibioitics. So...surprising, but apparently ok?~~
Never mind, I'm not a doctor and don't want to be responsible if you die - I don't have MRSA. Do what you need to do, OP.
Seriously OP, this sounds like they are *not* taking this seriously at your local. Swollen, discolored veins could be a sign of blood poisoning, and that infection looks like it's advancing *very* rapidly and could easily go necrotic, especially with the previous mrsa and what sounds like a bad reaction to the first round of antibiotics they gave you.
Hi I almost died to sepsis from a small cut on my foot which travelled into my hip, made an abscess around the bones and I didnt know, it eventually pushed my hip out of the socket. I spent 6 weeks in the infection clinic inpatient, 18 months learning to walk again, and another further 18 months still on heavy antibiotics. PLEASE GO TO ANOTHER ER. Dont be like me and ignore your symptoms until it is almost too late. My infection wasnt even MRSA it was just Strep A.
You would be surprised by how many people get seriously ill from mani’s and pedi’s. There was a lady recently who nearly died from a dirty implement breaking the skin on her cuticle and making her bleed.
I used to work burn unit and we got all the necrotizing fasciitis and it was almost always from shaving. Microscopic skin tears to missing half your belly ass and what ever junk you have. And intubated on the icu.. we saved alot but some not so much, I’m sorry about your mil
Were you immunocompromised? I mean, had you some other concurrent sickness, either chronical or acute, that weakened your immune system? Was, for example, your spleen surgically removed after some accident, or are you diabetic or had some genetic condition? Because a healthy, normal immune system wouldn't normally let the bacteriaes pass through, moreover, it would trigger constant fever and a lot of other constant symptoms. If you are not aware of having some condition that can weak your immune system, you should check directly with an immunologyst. There are, for example, some deficiencies of the immune complement, which is a group of complex molecules that help destroying bacteria. And there are other conditions hard to detect by other specialities, so is commonly not diagnosed. Directly treating that, in case it exists, would radically reduce the frequency of infections, their severity, and would improve your quality of life a lot.
Sorry if my english is not that good, is not my native language.
As a matter of fact my immune system while not compromised, has never worked well. I even caught aalmonella from a human carrier as a kid! But to my knowledge theres no official conditions, im just unlucky :)
Looks a lot like one of these cases. For example, there are some cases where a molecule has, for example, a minor distortion in it's tridimensional configuration (*imagine it like an error in a word, that make it impossible to being understood, or a chair whose "leg" is bended to the inside and that renders the chair useless, and it breaks an immune chain of "reactions" that needed to stack things over that chair, and hence, also needed that chair to be perfectly shaped*), sometimes because an aminoacid (the little pieces that form the molecule) is replaced by a similar one that has different properties, or is not there at all; all because an error in one of the parents and was inherited to that person, or a genetic tiny error while the fecundation. These are people that suffer too much because it is misdiagnosed, and is not fair and that should change. You should keep in mind this, getting an opinion from an immunologyst. If you do, be prepared as I think it will not be cheap, as he will ask for studies and not-so-common blood tests, but believe me, if it's your case, is worth the money.
I will talk to my GP next week when i see him for my yearly, thankfully i live in canada so these tests will be free i will just need to wait for them, thanks for the great tip!
Hi! ER RN here, experience with lots of patients who fail outpatient therapy along with what generally needs to be admitted, I’m no doctor but with the history of MRSA along with how absolutely terrible that looks you need IV antibiotics for sure! For multiple days. Maybe even a debridement to be honest with you to get all that crap out at the top layer. There may not be gas in your arm, but that looks fucking terrible!!
Editing: my grammar is trash sometimes and I don’t proof read
Yeah, definitely. OP, if you need more nurses to tell you to go to another ER and insist on IV antibiotics you can add me to the list. Some ER departments (ok, most) are massively overwhelmed and understaffed and your janky tattoo isn't going to kill you in the next 12-24 hours so you are "safe" to discharge. They assume you'll come back when you're about to die.
I'm also a nurse, I work in operating theatres and I've seen debridements done for wounds not dissimilar to this. Please go to another ER straight away, you need IV antibiotics for that
If he has a level 1 or a burn unit they’ll take him. Former burn nurse here. That would be something my old hospital would have sent to us. We got all the nasty wounds
Hey OP get your heart valves checked once it’s healed. Get a EKG and an echo. Infections like this get in blood and latch onto hearth valves. Next thing you know you have indocarditus. Please check.
If you have a foot, hand, finger swell up and it’s incredibly painful in the next year get to the ER and ask to look for indocarditus.
Took a year for them to diagnose me and it almost killed me.
If it’s a shop there is insurance for things like this but also you sign paper work also. If it’s from
A house then someone is in serious damn trouble.
Holy shit dude I’ve never seen a reaction like that. I’d try a different hospital at that point, if antibiotics aren’t helping and things are getting worse I’m seriously worried for you bro.
If you think the tattoo parlor is negligent, then you need to consult with a personal injury lawyer ASAP. There might be a statute of limitations, so act quickly on this. Keep your medical documentation in order (get all doctor notes, too). You and your personal injury lawyer will need to determine the source of the infection.
And definitely seek more medical help now. Urgently go to another ER. Get IV antibiotics. Ask for guidance on debridement. You're almost definitely going to have a scar on your arm now. You may as well do everything necessary to protect and keep your arm. Don't let it get worse. Go get medical help now.
I'm sorry this happened to you. This is going to be a long, painful, traumatic experience. It's not over yet, but I hope you get through it. I hope you get better.
u/OtherwiseRevenue325 please update asap. Lots of people worried about you! Hopefully you’re back in another hospital who takes this seriously *as they should have in the first place*. So sorry that this happened to you!
There is a lot of medical misinformation (while all in good faith) being tossed around in this thread. The patient came in with a purulent soft tissue infection, trialed outpatient management and had to switch antibiotics (which is not uncommon). Diagnostically, gram stain and cultures are not routinely recommended even if CA-MRSA (Community acquired MRSA) is suspected. Based on the posts, you aren't having systemic symptoms (Fever, chills, etc), there is no concern for deeper infection (no gas on X-ray or abscess formation), and you are not immunocompromised so it is not indicated that you need inpatient management. Lastly, the severity of a SSTI is not based on how ugly it looks (which they can look pretty ugly lol), there are defined grading scales based on if it is locally confined, systemic, or has severe symptoms.
If this new set of antibiotics does not work (give it 24 hours), or you start to feel systemic symptoms such as fever, fatigue, chills, confusion, headache, joint pain, muscle aches etc, THEN that warrants a repeat visit to ER for inpatient management
Lastly, the red lines you're seeing is called lymphangitis and is an additional feature seen in soft tissue infections. Hope this info helps!
Cellulitis is an infection of the subcutaneous tissues and occasionally the dermis of the skin. Staphyloccocus aureus and GABHS are the two most common bacterial causes [ 1. Bisno A.L. Stevens D.L.
Your body is definitely rejecting the ink, looks so painful, I’m so sorry. MRSA isn’t a joke definitely go to another hospital and don’t take no for an answer and keep pushing until they actually do something for you. Good luck
Thought of an allergic reaction at first, but this seems like the tattoo shop doesn't clean their shit. Terrible that you have to go through this because of their incompetence.
GO. TO. THE. HOSPITAL… and get a lawyer. If there’s permanent damage you’re getting paid… but bare minimum your hospital bills and some pain and suffering cash is coming your way
Seen this from tattoo advice and followed you over too here being concerned, I’ve had a bunch of tattoos and nothing like this has ever happened to me, please keep us updated and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and keep posting and taking photographs and evidence of this. The hospital shouldn’t have turned you away cause honestly this infection isn’t a joke.
Are you having any pain or fever associated with it?
I left r/tattooadvice because every third post is someone positing a perfectly normal two day old tattoo with some redness around it asking if its infected and being told by a mob of ink master watching dipshits that they have to go to the “emergency room now!”
I’ve been tattooing for 25 years and never in my life seen an infection this bad, this is scary, I’m absolutely shocked he’s not in the hospital getting IV antibiotics. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery
This is incredibly rare and not something that should scare you off. I’ve got multiple tattoos from multiple studios and never had an infection, as many others will tell you as well
ICU RN HERE - holy fucking staph! Go to a different ER, emphasize your history of MRSA and demand a swab be taken. Like- I can see it with my own fucking eyeballs but it won’t get better unless they do the test and prescribe the right antibiotic. Please stay safe and keep us posted!
ETA: THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.
If you have a history of MRSA why the fuck you getting tattooed ? In the past I e gotten keloids due to wounds, which is why I don’t get tats - feeling I’d get some weird infection like you got. Think dude next time !
Am nurse. They may have taken blood samples for a blood culture to see if you have an active blood infection. Wound culture aside, the culture and sensitivity for the type of ABX will take 5 days. They may call you and put you on another/different abx if they find a different one works better.
Hey, I posted on another one saying you can update on your own page, and you (or maybe your brother) asked how people would be able to find you, but replies are locked now. People are able to find your page through the old comments of the ones taken down. Those are still up, the post itself is just gone. People who commented can click on their own comments and find you that way (that's how I found you). They can also follow your profile for updates.
These photos are horrifying and look so so painful. I'm sorry the doctors didn't take this seriously, because... it's pretty serious. Are you able to go to another hospital?
You should definitely be suing some people, your tattoo artist for clearly not cleaning their equipment and the doctors for not taking the infection seriously
Dude, I was planning on getting a tattoo for the first time in a few months time but this has made me seriously hesitant. I know this is a rare case but it add to the one more thing I didn't know was possible list.
I've had a couple of my tattoos get infected and they looked just like this. I stupidly didn't go to the hospital for either of them, somehow I was okay. Neither was kept covered up. First one was done immediately before going to a sixflags for the day with a ton of insects around that kept landing on it. The second one got licked by a dog while I was asleep, and I just went back to sleep without washing it.
You will lose almost all the ink from it, and it'll look like shit after it heals.
Holding your arm up will make it hurt less.
It will have to be re-done.
Sorry bud. Hope you're okay.
You have antibiotics on board and have been treated. I know it looks bad but the antibiotics will kick in soon enough. Did they take a culture? FYI I work as a nurse.
They did take blood but didn't take a sample from the infected area. You are right about the antibiotics they are starting to kick in.
I posted an update too
Holy fuck man that does NOT look good. I hope the doctors fix you up because that infection looks crazy.
This is the most infected fucking tattoo I have ever seen. I am terrified for this man.
Me, too. This is horrifying. I have never seen anything like it. Wishing OP a successful recovery. That has to hurt like a motherfker.
I’ve seen many weird and messed up things on Reddit. But this…this is on another level that gets me for some reason. Yikes.
To me, it’s the amazing pictures of the progression of this monster. It happened so quickly, like it had a mind of its own. Yikes.
I didn't notice it was multiple pictures and was wondering what everyone was going off about. Then I scrolled back up and was like oh... Oh NO
Bro, SAME. I was like, "Design looks a bit messed up, and it looks irritated, but idk why these guys seem to be talking like it's so ba-- OH MY GOD-- OH MY GOD-- IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE-- JFC-- DEAR LORD OMG"
I was saying huh doesn’t look too bad. I scrolled slowly I was inspecting it at each picture and I’m thinking not too bad as it went on I was like nope absolutely not holy shit
It's like pictures of a petri dish with a robust bacterial culture thriving on it
Same. I thought it was just two pictures and was like “eh, infected - yes. But the worst, nah.” Then I realized there were more pictures and I am freaking devastated for this person! Yikes!!!!
Reminds me of smallpox tbh
Yeah. I can see that. Or shingles.
I know.. what did they use for ink? Human shit? That is truely terrifying.
Yea like I would love for a tattoo artist to chime in here?! I mean my guess is the needles were not sterilized, like they were just used putting a tattoo on the ass of a cat, is that a strong assumption?!?!
Ohhh, not that it’s a competition or should ever be one lol, but there’s an old video of a guy laying on a bed with —from what I remember— like a full back tattoo that was so infected that it gave me a pit in my stomach when I realized how bad it was. he was laying on his stomach and a lady was over him pressing a rag around his entire back to try and drain the infection; in my memory it was like someone pressing down and running their hands over a waterbed mattress that’s not completely filled to empty the water out through the valve. Jfc I’m not even kidding, the…let’s just say “fluid” was fucking *gushing* across his back and settling in pools along the side of his body. I feel like i also remember multiple people in the room saying a word here and there, but for the most part were holy-shit-he-is-gonna-die quiet. The lore at the time was that the poor guy died not long after the video was taken, but omfg, I hope that whatever happened to him, he was able to find relief from that absolutely horrific infection. Btw, someone correct me if I’m remembering that wrong, because I KNOW there are many ppl here who know exactly wtf I’m talking about…I have to get some sleep now and simply will not if I go spelunking into the depths of that internet realm lol
Okay well now I need to see this. Anyone got me?
I believe I unfortunately found it. [about as bad as it was described](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3667793/amp/Getting-tattoo-Watch-truly-horrific-video-Man-infected-skin-clumps-pus-dragged-NAIL-CLIPPERS-triggering-eruption-brown-fluid.html)
Yep, that’s officially the most disgusting tattoo infection I’ve seen. Thank you for your service. 😆
It’s so early and I need to get ready for work yet I couldn’t help myself but to eagerly search for some day ruining shit
I do this often myself. Paying it forward. :-) Have a good day at work!
I'm currently trying to resist so badly. As Johnny Bravo once said: "I'm sickened, yet curious"
Nah, that link is staying blue this morning.
[удалено]
So vile, thank dog for bad camera work and lacking pixels.
Holy shit, that practically had a pulse!
They weren’t playing when the video said Live Leak
NAIL CLIPPERS?! I’m weak.
Oh, dear god. I could SMELL this video. Probably why the cameraman has to exit the room rapidly for a bit after the thing bursts. My sister got an infected cyst thing that wasn't much bigger than a spot recently. The memory of the smell when it popped makes me dry heave just thinking about it now and that was something tiny in comparison. I cannot imagine what this poor guy stank like! I'm not particularly squeamish, but I really, really regret clicking on that video.
just give yourself a tattoo using your poop knife
Following, although unsure if I really want to lol
It has now been posted in reply, and it is indeed gross AF. Do recommend. 😆👍
tattoo taking on another life form
It's a 3D tattoo
Braille
I laughed like a teapot thanks
Now I'm just imagining a blind person rub it. Slaps the shit out of op. Blind guy: "You said what about my mother?!"
It’s turning the image into reality
💀
Bro wrong for that💀💀💀
Literally something from the abyss
Yeah that’s pretty wild I would also say the body is rejecting the ink on top of it
It’s weird the it’s where the tattoo wasn’t, where it first started reacting
Where the black ink may have been diluted with tap water/dirty water is my hypothesis
Dudes got that requiem for a dream ending shit.
What the fuck did they tattoo you with? Squid ink?
And dirty needles. Maybe no gloves. Tattoo “artist” just sneezing all over it while working.
And that's the last time i except a free tattoo from a homeless man under a bridge!
You said you were pleased with it when I'd finished 😔
I liked mine. The black fingers really made the green wrist pop. Best ankle tattoo, thanks.
at least don't let him jerk off all over it after its finished.
But that was part of the deal
How do you aftercare your tatts if not hobo jizz?
It ain’t finished til he’s finished!!
No tegaderm is a big red flag for me. A fresh tat is absolutely ripe for infection. Sooooo many little microtears in the surface of the skin for shit to get in. Even if they used brand new ink, brand new needles, wiped the shop and chair down with bleach wipes, used fresh clean gloves…none of that matters if they don’t cover the piece before they send the person home. If OP is already colonized with MRSA, contamination is not only likely, it’s imminent.
Not really a red flag when it's pretty standard to just wrap you up with clingfilm at the end. I love second skin and keep a supply at home for after I get tattooed, but the majority of artists don't use it in my experience. It's expensive to keep stocked up and lots of people are allergic, so often it's better to just stick with the old methods.
Second this. I have a roll that I bought but it makes some artists wary - I always wet heal so was used to babying a new tattoo with multiple wash downs and clingfilm changes a day but saniderm / second skin is just less hassle - my skin HATES the adhesive though.
Tegaderm can help but isn't necessary.
With a history of MRSA I wouldn’t want any sort of large surface area open wound anywhere on my body. History of MRSA means he is colonized with it. It never goes away. I would absolutely want something covering the tattoo for a few days minimum until the skin tears heal over.
> History of MRSA means he is colonized with it. It never goes away. TIL something new and horrifying. Now I'm even more scared of getting MRSA than I was before.
MRSA is common enough that my entire hospital system (which is one of the largest in my state) has stopped requiring automatic contact precautions on anyone who has previously had MRSA. They will always come back positive with a nasal swab, so as long as they don’t have an active overgrowth in a wound, we don’t place them in precautions. Half the hospital would be in precautions otherwise.
Artist licked all the blood and extra ink off instead of using sterile gauze cuz environment(defo not cost saving)
The tattoo itself looked horrible before, at least if it was from an expert I’d get my money back. But this looks like a home tattoo job or cheap kit type tattoo.
Saw your original post, please please keep reposting this if it gets taken down so we can know when you get better. Document everything and make sure the tattoo shop knows, this is serious
I'll keep updating as much as possible. Thanks for the support 🙏
There are many here very concerned for your well being.. red streaks going up are not a good sign.. I had this after stepping on glass and just kept walking on it as a kid.. blood poisoning . Wishing you a healthy recovery.
Seriously I saw your other post and I’ve been genuinely concerned, even told my wife that I hope you get that cleared up soon. Was it a “professional” shop? I just say because after care is important but it can be from their hygiene, their equipment, or their ink also. It can also be your imune system was a little weak, or if your like me eczema can be a factor as well. Keep us posted bud!
Staph lives on everyone's skin... Once you are susceptible to a MRSA case then essentially any cut or wound (like a tattoo needle) can cause the infections for the rest of your life. I would definitely make sure the shop is up to code, but also I wouldn't make any unproven accusations, because OP said he had a history with MRSA. Meaning it's most likely just recurring as this is it's nature once your body fails to fight it off once.
I can confirm, at least partially. I've been hit with MRSA twice, and all the doctors involved told me it's high risk for me to get any more tattoos. Thankfully the two I have were before the infections.
I’ve had MRSA multiple times in my life already since childhood. I also have 12 tattoos. That has never happened to me. This looks to be a very severe allergic reaction or possible dirty tools. I’m meaning more towards allergic reaction however
Allergic reaction and staph infection aren’t mutually exclusive. An allergic reaction could have created the right conditions for a nasty staph infection.
These types of pustules really seem like staph. They’re unique to staph infections.
Yep and considering the timeline and thats its resisting antibiotics, the fact OP mentioned he is colonized with MRSA, and the pus filled boils, it's likely antibiotic resistant staphylococcus. They worst kind to have. Really hope OP gets well and keeps updated.
all you can do it hope its mrsa and not vre. If its vre there is a damn good chance this will result in amputation.
>If its vre there is a damn good chance this will result in amputation. Damn, pay all that money for a tattoo, and then you don't even get to keep it.
I seriously had to double-check the sub I was in!! A professional shop!!
Should’ve said professional artist, my bad. One would hope that a shop would be at least professional.
Idk, now a days you can never be too sure Lol
I thought I was on r/popping for a minute. Wait until they see this!
Holy schnikes!!! That’s awful, man! My heart goes out to you so hard. If you don’t see improvements in the next 24 hours- I’d see a different medical institution, especially since you have a hx of MRSA. That looks really bad.
someone was monitoring it, you could see the markers for redness, then new markers, as the redness grew wider and wider. Very scary, looked like cellulitis
Update us from the fucking ER bro
You should cross post this to r/medizzy
If you don't think you are being properly cared for/dismissed, try going to a different hospital for another opinion, voice your concerns, and be firm with them.
Jesus Christ it kept getting worse, did it burned like hell?
Yeah, it's extremely unpleasant. The sun is enemy #1
*inhales* # **THE SUN IS A DEADLY LASER**
[There'ssomethingaliveintheocean]
You could make a religion out of this
No Don't
r/unexpectedbillwurtz
"Not anymore there's a blanket"
Looks like they used dirty equipment on you , you need to report this to your local health department , there are rules and this shop and guy calling himself an artist are not up to code , fuck I’ve seen big black tats get gnarly for a week or so after and come out fine but this is another level , that green is sinister
This was my first thought. It is clear that it was the tool, or ink, that was contaminated, given the infection "bloomed" everywhere ink was laid. Someone is about to lose a license, and face hefty fees. They are also liable for OP's damages. They should seek legal council.
[удалено]
What the fuck did they sterilised their equipment with? 3 months old manure? Or did they give you that manure as tattoo care? I have seen burns less infected than this and never a tattoo this bad.
Yeah looks like they don’t autoclave stuff maybe. Or not following standard procedure to keep things clean. From what it looks like it could be a house tattoo. If this is a shop tattoo then man that shop needs to hire better and safer artists.
I think it’s likely due to not properly covering the piece after. No tegaderm. Those are supposed to be on for 3-5 days to allow the top layer of skin to heal. OP is already colonized with MRSA. Leaving a fresh tattoo open like that on a person with a history of MRSA is the definition of fucking around and finding out.
Ive never seen an infection look this bad on a tattoo! Do you have a different ER you can go to? I feel like they should've definitely admitted you, this can turn into sepsis really fast
I was shocked when they told me I can be discharged before the infection is under control. It's wild...
There are several ways you can use "discharge" and "infection" together in a sentence. Your example is one of the milder ones but I feel like you could draw on experience to create some real doozies. We joke to take the edge off of horror. Seriously though, I hope you're better soon.
~~For what it is worth, had sepsis a few years back, black veins up past the elbow, halfway to the shoulder. IV antibiotics, and sent home. Got a fever that night and thought I was going to die after checking Dr. Google lol. Had to follow it up the next day with another round of IV antibiotics, then switched to oral antibioitics. So...surprising, but apparently ok?~~ Never mind, I'm not a doctor and don't want to be responsible if you die - I don't have MRSA. Do what you need to do, OP.
You probably would've died if you didn't get treatment. Sepsis is a scary word.
My cousin’s mom literally died from a sepsis infection she got from a tattoo.
Seriously OP, this sounds like they are *not* taking this seriously at your local. Swollen, discolored veins could be a sign of blood poisoning, and that infection looks like it's advancing *very* rapidly and could easily go necrotic, especially with the previous mrsa and what sounds like a bad reaction to the first round of antibiotics they gave you.
You definitely need a 2nd opinion. Mess of years on an ambulance and have never seen one this bad
Ouch. I hope you can find someone that takes you seriously. I would contact a lawyer as well.
Go to a different ER, especially with a history of MRSA
bro, your tattoo looks deep fried. you need to get a 2nd opinion. your typical infected tat does *not* look like that.
That’s literally what I thought. My brain is legit having a hard time figuring out what it’s looking at. Like, **what is supposed to be done now?!?**
Hi I almost died to sepsis from a small cut on my foot which travelled into my hip, made an abscess around the bones and I didnt know, it eventually pushed my hip out of the socket. I spent 6 weeks in the infection clinic inpatient, 18 months learning to walk again, and another further 18 months still on heavy antibiotics. PLEASE GO TO ANOTHER ER. Dont be like me and ignore your symptoms until it is almost too late. My infection wasnt even MRSA it was just Strep A.
My mother in law went from pedicure to backpain to dead in a matter of weeks because of MRSA/sepsis that got in her spine and brain.
That’s fucked up. I’m sorry she had to go through that.
You would be surprised by how many people get seriously ill from mani’s and pedi’s. There was a lady recently who nearly died from a dirty implement breaking the skin on her cuticle and making her bleed.
I had a gnarly toe infection from a pedicure once. It was terrifying
I’m now afraid to get pedicures
I don’t go any more, it’s not worth it. If they did a really good massage I might risk my life but I can paint my own toe nails
I used to work burn unit and we got all the necrotizing fasciitis and it was almost always from shaving. Microscopic skin tears to missing half your belly ass and what ever junk you have. And intubated on the icu.. we saved alot but some not so much, I’m sorry about your mil
New fear unlocked. I’m so sorry 😔
Were you immunocompromised? I mean, had you some other concurrent sickness, either chronical or acute, that weakened your immune system? Was, for example, your spleen surgically removed after some accident, or are you diabetic or had some genetic condition? Because a healthy, normal immune system wouldn't normally let the bacteriaes pass through, moreover, it would trigger constant fever and a lot of other constant symptoms. If you are not aware of having some condition that can weak your immune system, you should check directly with an immunologyst. There are, for example, some deficiencies of the immune complement, which is a group of complex molecules that help destroying bacteria. And there are other conditions hard to detect by other specialities, so is commonly not diagnosed. Directly treating that, in case it exists, would radically reduce the frequency of infections, their severity, and would improve your quality of life a lot. Sorry if my english is not that good, is not my native language.
As a matter of fact my immune system while not compromised, has never worked well. I even caught aalmonella from a human carrier as a kid! But to my knowledge theres no official conditions, im just unlucky :)
Looks a lot like one of these cases. For example, there are some cases where a molecule has, for example, a minor distortion in it's tridimensional configuration (*imagine it like an error in a word, that make it impossible to being understood, or a chair whose "leg" is bended to the inside and that renders the chair useless, and it breaks an immune chain of "reactions" that needed to stack things over that chair, and hence, also needed that chair to be perfectly shaped*), sometimes because an aminoacid (the little pieces that form the molecule) is replaced by a similar one that has different properties, or is not there at all; all because an error in one of the parents and was inherited to that person, or a genetic tiny error while the fecundation. These are people that suffer too much because it is misdiagnosed, and is not fair and that should change. You should keep in mind this, getting an opinion from an immunologyst. If you do, be prepared as I think it will not be cheap, as he will ask for studies and not-so-common blood tests, but believe me, if it's your case, is worth the money.
I will talk to my GP next week when i see him for my yearly, thankfully i live in canada so these tests will be free i will just need to wait for them, thanks for the great tip!
Mate I'm born and bred in England and your English is better than mine lol
Well, thanks brother! I'm trying my best. Greetings from Mexico to England!
Why on earth did I decide to swipe to the next photo... What did I even expect it to be?! 🤮 NOPE indeed, I hope it'll get better soon! :)
Keep swiping, it gets worse as their arm looks like it's Wolverining the ink out of itself.
Oh that's a fun new verb. Wolverining lol.
Hi! ER RN here, experience with lots of patients who fail outpatient therapy along with what generally needs to be admitted, I’m no doctor but with the history of MRSA along with how absolutely terrible that looks you need IV antibiotics for sure! For multiple days. Maybe even a debridement to be honest with you to get all that crap out at the top layer. There may not be gas in your arm, but that looks fucking terrible!! Editing: my grammar is trash sometimes and I don’t proof read
Yeah, definitely. OP, if you need more nurses to tell you to go to another ER and insist on IV antibiotics you can add me to the list. Some ER departments (ok, most) are massively overwhelmed and understaffed and your janky tattoo isn't going to kill you in the next 12-24 hours so you are "safe" to discharge. They assume you'll come back when you're about to die.
I'm also a nurse, I work in operating theatres and I've seen debridements done for wounds not dissimilar to this. Please go to another ER straight away, you need IV antibiotics for that
Yes this. Please please please go to a different ER. This is a seriously bad infection.
I say cut off arm now before it spreads to head
Who let in the civil war doctor?
If he has a level 1 or a burn unit they’ll take him. Former burn nurse here. That would be something my old hospital would have sent to us. We got all the nasty wounds
This is far from right! This is seriously infected.
Hey OP get your heart valves checked once it’s healed. Get a EKG and an echo. Infections like this get in blood and latch onto hearth valves. Next thing you know you have indocarditus. Please check. If you have a foot, hand, finger swell up and it’s incredibly painful in the next year get to the ER and ask to look for indocarditus. Took a year for them to diagnose me and it almost killed me.
Like others have said, you really need to get to a different er asap. This is very serious, and you need to be treated properly.
Why would tattoo advice remove your post? You need all the advice you can get! I'm wishing you a swift recovery 🙏🏾
Hopefully because this goes WAAAAYY beyond what anyone in that sub can offer. I would be going straight to the medical subs with this.
Shouldn't you be under observation. I would be worried about losing the arm or sepsis. Get back to hospital.
In the first picture your skin looks already irritated. Please take care of yourself, post an update sue the m*********** that did this
sue the mothernature?!
The first pic looks pretty standard for a brand spanking new tattoo. Everyone’s skin looks red and irritated the day or two after getting a tattoo.
Get medical help and call a lawyer asap
If it’s a shop there is insurance for things like this but also you sign paper work also. If it’s from A house then someone is in serious damn trouble.
Sounds like the only thing you could do is just post awareness so that others won’t go get tattoos there
Those waivers mean nothing if there's gross negligence.
Blood poisoning?
Holy shit dude I’ve never seen a reaction like that. I’d try a different hospital at that point, if antibiotics aren’t helping and things are getting worse I’m seriously worried for you bro.
If you think the tattoo parlor is negligent, then you need to consult with a personal injury lawyer ASAP. There might be a statute of limitations, so act quickly on this. Keep your medical documentation in order (get all doctor notes, too). You and your personal injury lawyer will need to determine the source of the infection. And definitely seek more medical help now. Urgently go to another ER. Get IV antibiotics. Ask for guidance on debridement. You're almost definitely going to have a scar on your arm now. You may as well do everything necessary to protect and keep your arm. Don't let it get worse. Go get medical help now. I'm sorry this happened to you. This is going to be a long, painful, traumatic experience. It's not over yet, but I hope you get through it. I hope you get better.
u/OtherwiseRevenue325 please update asap. Lots of people worried about you! Hopefully you’re back in another hospital who takes this seriously *as they should have in the first place*. So sorry that this happened to you!
Yooooo you got that 3D ink. Sick
this guy accidently created the future of tattoos. truly out of this world
bacterial culture should be back by now. im curious as to what kind of bacteria it is
If you have a history with infection from MRSA you need to go back to the hospital! This needs to be treated!
There is a lot of medical misinformation (while all in good faith) being tossed around in this thread. The patient came in with a purulent soft tissue infection, trialed outpatient management and had to switch antibiotics (which is not uncommon). Diagnostically, gram stain and cultures are not routinely recommended even if CA-MRSA (Community acquired MRSA) is suspected. Based on the posts, you aren't having systemic symptoms (Fever, chills, etc), there is no concern for deeper infection (no gas on X-ray or abscess formation), and you are not immunocompromised so it is not indicated that you need inpatient management. Lastly, the severity of a SSTI is not based on how ugly it looks (which they can look pretty ugly lol), there are defined grading scales based on if it is locally confined, systemic, or has severe symptoms. If this new set of antibiotics does not work (give it 24 hours), or you start to feel systemic symptoms such as fever, fatigue, chills, confusion, headache, joint pain, muscle aches etc, THEN that warrants a repeat visit to ER for inpatient management Lastly, the red lines you're seeing is called lymphangitis and is an additional feature seen in soft tissue infections. Hope this info helps!
when every swipe you thought it couldn't be any worse. was wrong everytime...
They didn’t give you IV antibiotics???? No cultures!?!?! As an er nurse this is so shocking. Literally like what the fuck.
Fuucckkk.
Oh my lord jesus.. im not usually squeamish but holy hell im gonna puke.. 🤮 They did you so foul.. get better ❤️🩹
if your gonna spew... spew in this 🛍️
Thanks br- BLLUUUGHGHHHHHHHHHGGHGGGGHHGGGRRRBBBBGGGRGH
Cellulitis is an infection of the subcutaneous tissues and occasionally the dermis of the skin. Staphyloccocus aureus and GABHS are the two most common bacterial causes [ 1. Bisno A.L. Stevens D.L.
For fucks sakes get a second *medical* opinion before it gets worse
I’ve been in the tattoo industry since 97. I’ve never seen anything like this.
Holy shit, sending good vibes and positive energy, hope you feel better soon, definitely want updates on this if you’re up for it.
Your body is definitely rejecting the ink, looks so painful, I’m so sorry. MRSA isn’t a joke definitely go to another hospital and don’t take no for an answer and keep pushing until they actually do something for you. Good luck
Thought of an allergic reaction at first, but this seems like the tattoo shop doesn't clean their shit. Terrible that you have to go through this because of their incompetence.
GO. TO. THE. HOSPITAL… and get a lawyer. If there’s permanent damage you’re getting paid… but bare minimum your hospital bills and some pain and suffering cash is coming your way
Seen this from tattoo advice and followed you over too here being concerned, I’ve had a bunch of tattoos and nothing like this has ever happened to me, please keep us updated and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and keep posting and taking photographs and evidence of this. The hospital shouldn’t have turned you away cause honestly this infection isn’t a joke. Are you having any pain or fever associated with it?
I left r/tattooadvice because every third post is someone positing a perfectly normal two day old tattoo with some redness around it asking if its infected and being told by a mob of ink master watching dipshits that they have to go to the “emergency room now!” I’ve been tattooing for 25 years and never in my life seen an infection this bad, this is scary, I’m absolutely shocked he’s not in the hospital getting IV antibiotics. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery
Thank you. I was interested in getting a tattoo....After seeing this. I will never get one
Yep. I’m getting a few temp tattoos (the kid kind you apply with water) in a few weeks. Much more fun and cheaper
whoa calm down their bad ass
Way more bad ass than bad artwork or disasters like the OP had here.
This is incredibly rare and not something that should scare you off. I’ve got multiple tattoos from multiple studios and never had an infection, as many others will tell you as well
What a nightmare. This can be life threatening. It should be grounds to sue
Assholes mustiv tattooed you with an infected needle…
ICU RN HERE - holy fucking staph! Go to a different ER, emphasize your history of MRSA and demand a swab be taken. Like- I can see it with my own fucking eyeballs but it won’t get better unless they do the test and prescribe the right antibiotic. Please stay safe and keep us posted! ETA: THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.
That’s the most infected tattoo I’ve ever seen!! Are you still alive?!
WHY DID I KEEP SCROLLING
Abscess 🪐 May 4th 2024
Holy shit! I kept flipping to the next picture and it just kept getting worse.I thought I was gonna see a picture with your arm cut off.
Go to another ER asap
If you have a history of MRSA why the fuck you getting tattooed ? In the past I e gotten keloids due to wounds, which is why I don’t get tats - feeling I’d get some weird infection like you got. Think dude next time !
Am nurse. They may have taken blood samples for a blood culture to see if you have an active blood infection. Wound culture aside, the culture and sensitivity for the type of ABX will take 5 days. They may call you and put you on another/different abx if they find a different one works better.
why the fuck did the nerds on r/tattoo-advice take that down this is the post that needs that sub more than any other post holy fuck i’m so sorry
Dude holy shit I am SO SORRY for you. I it heals soon!
Hey, I posted on another one saying you can update on your own page, and you (or maybe your brother) asked how people would be able to find you, but replies are locked now. People are able to find your page through the old comments of the ones taken down. Those are still up, the post itself is just gone. People who commented can click on their own comments and find you that way (that's how I found you). They can also follow your profile for updates. These photos are horrifying and look so so painful. I'm sorry the doctors didn't take this seriously, because... it's pretty serious. Are you able to go to another hospital?
Honestly fuck those doctors who sent you home. That isn’t ok.
I kept swiping and swiped to a pop tarts post right after yours. Fitting in a way.
You should definitely be suing some people, your tattoo artist for clearly not cleaning their equipment and the doctors for not taking the infection seriously
Dude, I was planning on getting a tattoo for the first time in a few months time but this has made me seriously hesitant. I know this is a rare case but it add to the one more thing I didn't know was possible list.
I've had a couple of my tattoos get infected and they looked just like this. I stupidly didn't go to the hospital for either of them, somehow I was okay. Neither was kept covered up. First one was done immediately before going to a sixflags for the day with a ton of insects around that kept landing on it. The second one got licked by a dog while I was asleep, and I just went back to sleep without washing it. You will lose almost all the ink from it, and it'll look like shit after it heals. Holding your arm up will make it hurt less. It will have to be re-done. Sorry bud. Hope you're okay.
I thought the second pic was the last and latest. I wish it was.
The nope went from uhhh, to hm mm, to nope, to no, to NO, to GOD NO PLEASE, to *static and garbled pleas for mercy*
You have antibiotics on board and have been treated. I know it looks bad but the antibiotics will kick in soon enough. Did they take a culture? FYI I work as a nurse.
They did take blood but didn't take a sample from the infected area. You are right about the antibiotics they are starting to kick in. I posted an update too
Name of tattoo shop? We gotta stop dirty mfs from doing this to people