Acts of body modification, even when performed by experienced professionals, can still have unpredictable results, and even the best-laid plans can go unexpectedly awry. Such was the case for this gentleman above, who, following a cutting, thought he was well upon his way into healing when things took an unfortunate turn.
This just goes to show you, even in a sterile environment and with proper aftercare, things can still go wrong. I followed precise aftercare, cleaning and re-dressing my wound 2-3 times a day, etc. Everything was going great until the seventh day of healing, when I developed two small pink areas. Talking to my artist via phone (who will go unnamed) we discussed the possibility of a heat rash but he wouldn’t know until he saw it in person and told me to stop wrapping it. I woke up the next morning and I saw what you see in the photo, which took about only nine hours to develop. Needless to say, I’m now taking two types of antibiotics, four pills a day; hopefully it will clear up soon. I can’t help but feel bummed because less than two days ago, everything looked perfect. Over the years, this is my first body modification to ever go wrong or become infected.
See more in “Misc. Cuttings“ (Scarification)
Comments
110 responses to “Cutting Gone Wrong”
I really like the design and placement. I hope the infection clears up 🙁
I really like the design and placement. I hope the infection clears up 🙁
I agree with Spiral about the design and placement; I hope it heals really well. Awesome plugs too! Good luck Mister!
I agree with Spiral about the design and placement; I hope it heals really well. Awesome plugs too! Good luck Mister!
when i had my tattoo covered with clingfilm i get rashes like this, so i’d say it’s irritation from being covered. mine is quite itchy for quite a few days but then gradually goes away. sucks doesn’t it 🙁
when i had my tattoo covered with clingfilm i get rashes like this, so i’d say it’s irritation from being covered. mine is quite itchy for quite a few days but then gradually goes away. sucks doesn’t it 🙁
I wrapped up a scar once too. Eventually I got this same reaction. EXCEPT I noticed the skin reaction before it got to this point. So I unwrapped it, didn’t put anything on it ointment/ lotion wise and gave it plenty of air and it cleared up. My girlfriend has had the same reaction with a scar of hers and noticed it before it got to this point. If the practitioner told you any sort of ointment, it could be the petroleum in it, or tons of other things that are common in ointments like camphor or lanolin.
I wrapped up a scar once too. Eventually I got this same reaction. EXCEPT I noticed the skin reaction before it got to this point. So I unwrapped it, didn’t put anything on it ointment/ lotion wise and gave it plenty of air and it cleared up. My girlfriend has had the same reaction with a scar of hers and noticed it before it got to this point. If the practitioner told you any sort of ointment, it could be the petroleum in it, or tons of other things that are common in ointments like camphor or lanolin.
man that just looks awful. but i love those plugs.
man that just looks awful. but i love those plugs.
Looks like a fungal infection.
Looks like a fungal infection.
gosh a reaction to something.. well hope i will it’ll add a nice after effect to ur piece! =p
gosh a reaction to something.. well hope i will it’ll add a nice after effect to ur piece! =p
Doesn’t really look like a classical infection, and definitely not cellulitis. If I were putting money on it I’d say it was a allergic or irritant reaction.
Doesn’t really look like a classical infection, and definitely not cellulitis. If I were putting money on it I’d say it was a allergic or irritant reaction.
there are two dots on either side of his neck. the look like he had microdermals there that got infected or something!
there are two dots on either side of his neck. the look like he had microdermals there that got infected or something!
speaking from experience- of having had a pretty nasty staph infection after a tattoo last summer— looks like a cellulitis in its begining stages— which is very easily mistaken for an allergic reaction because the first symptoms are intense itching and redness, not pimples or pus or crustiness or other stereotypical “infection” symptoms—
MRSA, is a variety of staph, just more serious because it does not respond to the antibiotics used to treat garden variety staph, the same bacteria that causes boils and monster zits—- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staphylococcus_aureus / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulitis—
it´s very important to treat it with the right antibiotics if it has spread to like the one pictured, because it can get into the blood stream and make you very sick, very quickly.
It´s not necessarily a hygeine/cross-contamination thing at the moment you do a tattoo/cutting, and it´s why infections of this type often don´t present symptoms until a few days after—staph bacteria often live normally in/on our bodies and homes- and it is why scratching/touching your fresh tattoo/cutting/piercing is such a no-no, as the bacteria can very easily infect broken or irritated skin, especially in an individual with a weaker immune system — by which I don´t mean AIDS or cancer, just your typical gets a lot of colds/ has allergies/ stressed-out/play hard/work hard type person. Some people are just more prone to skin infections than others, especially in summer heat. The best way to look at it is as a wake up call about your general health— should you sleep more, drink & stress less, and maybe consider working on your immune system with herbs/acupuncture for a while before modding again?
speaking from experience- of having had a pretty nasty staph infection after a tattoo last summer— looks like a cellulitis in its begining stages— which is very easily mistaken for an allergic reaction because the first symptoms are intense itching and redness, not pimples or pus or crustiness or other stereotypical “infection” symptoms—
MRSA, is a variety of staph, just more serious because it does not respond to the antibiotics used to treat garden variety staph, the same bacteria that causes boils and monster zits—- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staphylococcus_aureus / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulitis—
it´s very important to treat it with the right antibiotics if it has spread to like the one pictured, because it can get into the blood stream and make you very sick, very quickly.
It´s not necessarily a hygeine/cross-contamination thing at the moment you do a tattoo/cutting, and it´s why infections of this type often don´t present symptoms until a few days after—staph bacteria often live normally in/on our bodies and homes- and it is why scratching/touching your fresh tattoo/cutting/piercing is such a no-no, as the bacteria can very easily infect broken or irritated skin, especially in an individual with a weaker immune system — by which I don´t mean AIDS or cancer, just your typical gets a lot of colds/ has allergies/ stressed-out/play hard/work hard type person. Some people are just more prone to skin infections than others, especially in summer heat. The best way to look at it is as a wake up call about your general health— should you sleep more, drink & stress less, and maybe consider working on your immune system with herbs/acupuncture for a while before modding again?
The dots are small (10-12mm) circle skin removals.
The dots are small (10-12mm) circle skin removals.
I just love the “beard”
I just love the “beard”
i get that kind of a rash from bandaids!
i get that kind of a rash from bandaids!
To clear something up, please be careful when using MRSA as a term. MRSA is a very dangerous form of a staph infection that is resistant to most commonly used antibiotics. Most of the infections people get will clear up from taking commonly prescribed drugs, but MRSA requires a more aggressive approach and usually some type of hospital stay to be sure. While all staph infections are dangerous, MRSA’s are particularly so. Throwing out a diagnosis of MRSA right away is reactionary, when it is much more likely that he has an allergic reaction or ‘run of the mill’ infection.
And to me, it looks like he had an allergic reaction to the tape (as seen by the red on the tape lines) AND some sort of infection originating from the what look to be small star cuttings, since the huge red area swells out from them. Hopefully, the antibiotics will take care of anything – they certainly can’t hurt. Good luck.
To clear something up, please be careful when using MRSA as a term. MRSA is a very dangerous form of a staph infection that is resistant to most commonly used antibiotics. Most of the infections people get will clear up from taking commonly prescribed drugs, but MRSA requires a more aggressive approach and usually some type of hospital stay to be sure. While all staph infections are dangerous, MRSA’s are particularly so. Throwing out a diagnosis of MRSA right away is reactionary, when it is much more likely that he has an allergic reaction or ‘run of the mill’ infection.
And to me, it looks like he had an allergic reaction to the tape (as seen by the red on the tape lines) AND some sort of infection originating from the what look to be small star cuttings, since the huge red area swells out from them. Hopefully, the antibiotics will take care of anything – they certainly can’t hurt. Good luck.
Looks like what happened to me on my first scarification piece. It was a large cutting/removal on my leg and part of the healing was to keep it warped between cleanings. my whole lower leg got red/blotchy, and itchy/soar. I stopped wrapping my leg, (and irritating the cutting) gave my leg a good wash with provon and then went about my life with it unwrapped. by the end of the first day it was worse and I was getting worried, woke up the next day and it was much better, and when I woke up the next day it was all gone.
I know it was ether a reaction to my leg sweating under the plastic and the sweat not being able to evaporate, or a reaction to the prolonged exposure to the plastic warp itself, or a combination of both. (I didn’t have tape since I know my body reacts badly to most adhesives)
Looks like what happened to me on my first scarification piece. It was a large cutting/removal on my leg and part of the healing was to keep it warped between cleanings. my whole lower leg got red/blotchy, and itchy/soar. I stopped wrapping my leg, (and irritating the cutting) gave my leg a good wash with provon and then went about my life with it unwrapped. by the end of the first day it was worse and I was getting worried, woke up the next day and it was much better, and when I woke up the next day it was all gone.
I know it was ether a reaction to my leg sweating under the plastic and the sweat not being able to evaporate, or a reaction to the prolonged exposure to the plastic warp itself, or a combination of both. (I didn’t have tape since I know my body reacts badly to most adhesives)
it does seem to follow a pretty distinct barrier, most probably where the adhesive was in contact with the skin?
i’d be interested to see how this ultimately affects the healed piece, especially the removals.
it does seem to follow a pretty distinct barrier, most probably where the adhesive was in contact with the skin?
i’d be interested to see how this ultimately affects the healed piece, especially the removals.
@19 you’re right, it was his 3rd piece done 🙂 (I knew this and never said he was experienced with the procedure in the original email.) Well the scoop was I developed a fungal and a bacteria infection. The doctors didn’t look too much into it, but put me on the pills and later an ointment. It got much worse before it got much better, but came and went relatively quick. Everything is fine now, the swelling from the infection however thinned out the cuts on my left side. The doctor concluded it wasn’t induced by the artist, rather my work environment (I work at a pet spa) or other variables because it developed after a whole week of the procedure (which I wanted to hear most because I trust and am friends with the fellow, although I was still guinea pigging for him). I never received a definite answer as to why it got infected, but all I care about is that it’s fine now 🙂
and please don’t mock my beard, I try. (not really.)
@19 you’re right, it was his 3rd piece done 🙂 (I knew this and never said he was experienced with the procedure in the original email.) Well the scoop was I developed a fungal and a bacteria infection. The doctors didn’t look too much into it, but put me on the pills and later an ointment. It got much worse before it got much better, but came and went relatively quick. Everything is fine now, the swelling from the infection however thinned out the cuts on my left side. The doctor concluded it wasn’t induced by the artist, rather my work environment (I work at a pet spa) or other variables because it developed after a whole week of the procedure (which I wanted to hear most because I trust and am friends with the fellow, although I was still guinea pigging for him). I never received a definite answer as to why it got infected, but all I care about is that it’s fine now 🙂
and please don’t mock my beard, I try. (not really.)
Bet the doc had an absolute field day telling him what a silly bugger he was getting pieces of skin removed for the sake of vanity 😀
Bet the doc had an absolute field day telling him what a silly bugger he was getting pieces of skin removed for the sake of vanity 😀
Brendan, did your doctor swab the affected area?
Without a swab – you’re not going to get a definitely accurate diagnoses.
It “Looks” like a lot of things. Irritated? Yes. Infected? Possibly…? You’d know with a swab testing of the area.
Doctors are very quick to diagnose “Infection” and prescribe antibiotics. Unfortunately, this is partly why we have MRSA to begin with. Drug resistant Staph. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. Misdiagnosis, people not finishing their antibiotic runs or saving them for later, etc.
Brendan, did your doctor swab the affected area?
Without a swab – you’re not going to get a definitely accurate diagnoses.
It “Looks” like a lot of things. Irritated? Yes. Infected? Possibly…? You’d know with a swab testing of the area.
Doctors are very quick to diagnose “Infection” and prescribe antibiotics. Unfortunately, this is partly why we have MRSA to begin with. Drug resistant Staph. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. Misdiagnosis, people not finishing their antibiotic runs or saving them for later, etc.
Yo he tenido reacciones similares (no tan extremas) por cubrir mis escarificaciones. Me llegaron a salir pequeños granitos de pus pero dejando de tapar la scar y limpiandolo bien desaparece en unos dias.
Yo he tenido reacciones similares (no tan extremas) por cubrir mis escarificaciones. Me llegaron a salir pequeños granitos de pus pero dejando de tapar la scar y limpiandolo bien desaparece en unos dias.
yes, she did swab the area, sent it to a lab and called two days later with a diagnosis.
yes, she did swab the area, sent it to a lab and called two days later with a diagnosis.
Oh thats look bad 🙁
happy to hear its all healed up
I will say tho the last time i got tattoo the artist covered my back with cling wrap and surigical tape and resulted in a big mess rashes. Which is fairly funny. Coz i use them materials everyday at work mainly the latex/ surgical tape..
but atlease its all healed up now 🙂
and thats a shocker of a beard lol
Oh thats look bad 🙁
happy to hear its all healed up
I will say tho the last time i got tattoo the artist covered my back with cling wrap and surigical tape and resulted in a big mess rashes. Which is fairly funny. Coz i use them materials everyday at work mainly the latex/ surgical tape..
but atlease its all healed up now 🙂
and thats a shocker of a beard lol
At least he has pretty ear lobes. 🙂
At least he has pretty ear lobes. 🙂
Maybe the tape had the fungus on it? =D
Maybe the tape had the fungus on it? =D
This reminds me a lot of a “infection” i had. My stretched lobes got really, Really irritated at one point. They were all red and scabby and all that fun stuff. My “doctor” obviously thought i was stupid for doing that sort of stuff to my body and said it was an allergic reaction to the A-grade surgical steel plugs i wear. When me AND the nurse confronted him about the fact that i use the exact same material with my other piercings, he said “yeah, allergic reactions can be very quick and random, if you continue to put any form of jewelry in your lobes it will happen again. I have been having happily stretched lobes for over a year now, and my allergic reaction was to my shaving cream i found out later. Thanks doc, not all people with piercings and tattoos are stupid and some actually know what the fuck they’re doing.
This reminds me a lot of a “infection” i had. My stretched lobes got really, Really irritated at one point. They were all red and scabby and all that fun stuff. My “doctor” obviously thought i was stupid for doing that sort of stuff to my body and said it was an allergic reaction to the A-grade surgical steel plugs i wear. When me AND the nurse confronted him about the fact that i use the exact same material with my other piercings, he said “yeah, allergic reactions can be very quick and random, if you continue to put any form of jewelry in your lobes it will happen again. I have been having happily stretched lobes for over a year now, and my allergic reaction was to my shaving cream i found out later. Thanks doc, not all people with piercings and tattoos are stupid and some actually know what the fuck they’re doing.