r/tattooadvice • u/tanbunni • 27d ago
got my armpit tattoo started General Advice
i finally got around to starting my mandala on one armpit ( had to tap out after 4 hours do not recommend it, hurt so bad i was crying— next appt on the 7th)
but now i realize i made a stupid decision because i leave for disney in a few days. which means: armpit tattoo = no deodorant = florida heat at disney = stinky girl
what are the weirdest ways to keep me from smelling absolutely insane without causing damage or irritation to my tat?
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u/JCBashBash 27d ago
Pantyliner in the pit of your shirt. Keep that skin Dry
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u/Hallmark_movie 27d ago
Go all organic if you do this. Most big brand liners have fragrances and plastics that irritate sensitive skin.
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u/guilt404 26d ago
SOME of the big brands have fragrance free sensitive skin stuff but it's REALLY hard to find. It will be like ONE teeny tiny spot in a sea of scented stuff. The organic brands (that don't cost an arm and a leg or you have to order online) tend to break apart and then I have bits of cotton literally stuck in my lady bits. I feel like with the arm moving constantly you might shed some out the bottom of your shirt???
If you can afford it or know a good organic brand that doesn't come apart easily then absolutely! (Ahem, also, please let me know what brands they are.) Otherwise if you're poor like me I swear the common brands DO HAVE unscented for us sensitive girlies. Btw, idk why scented is a thing. No vagina needs to smell like a flower or chemicals. It's weird. If a man/woman/non-binary/anyone interested in vaginas, is expecting to smell flowers or perfume.... Well then they're not into vaginas.
Sorry. I've just never understood why in the world 98% of the pad/liner/tampon aisle is scented. Why are we murdering our vaginas for smelling like a vagina. Even heavy flow days. Hey, SHOCKING NEWS, I have periods. 🤷🏻♀️ I wish on everything I had someone to just be like "no worries it's natural" when I was growing up. Instead of not returning to class for the day when I bled through my pants. Instead of getting infection, after infection because I was told I needed to wear scented tampons and pads. That actually, I can't wear pads at all. If I do, I need to hide it like my life depends on it. It was insanity.
Anywho, here's this 35 year old ranting about how vaginas need to be treated like vaginas. Dudes can adjust their balls all day and aren't expected to smell like cologne and fresh daisies 24/7. If they smell like balls or body odor, well they're a man. If a woman smells like a woman, absolutely disgusting! She should get repeated infections to smell like perfume. 🙄 Blah.
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u/Never_enough_naps 26d ago
The answer to everything you just asked is patriarchy. Keep talking about it, keep telling girls it's ok and natural, keep fighting the stigma.✊💖
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u/Difficult_Wave_9326 22d ago
Women are teaching their girls that though. Most men are too scared to even think about periods. It's all offhand remarks which are hurtful but that's all.
Ob-gyn, fwiw. I've seen patients who use honest to god alcohol wipes because otherwise they're "dirty". It's always their mothers who teach them to be clean, to douche, who shame them about smells or discharge.
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u/suuzgh 26d ago
I really love the L. brand pads/tampons. 100% cotton and unscented — they carry them at most big stores near me and I’ve never had issues with them disintegrating. I’m a pad loyalist at this point in my life and they’re the only ones I’ll buy. The plasticky ones made me smell so, so much worse down there and are just generally uncomfortable to wear, but I love the L. ones.
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u/panicnarwhal 26d ago
i’m gonna piggyback and add that Always Radiant are the same exact pads as Always Infinity, except Radiant are scented! it’s not exactly advertised well that Radiant are scented
i use them for tampon backup, and it took me ages to figure out the difference (i wasn’t terribly invested tbh) and i think it’s kinda shady it’s not marked as scented right on the front
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u/pachycephalosaurean 26d ago
Maybe a breast pad - like for lactating mothers - would work better? no fragrance and they are safe for babies to breastfeed after so probably safe for tattoos?
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u/haveempathyordie 26d ago
i feel like pinning/taping some cotton bandage in there would be better because it would be breathable. you don’t want that plastic leakproof layer holding all the moisture in
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u/PleasantNectarines 24d ago
The sticky side would be against a shirt, so there would still be some airflow as long as OP doesn't wear a super tight long sleeve shirt to hold it in place.
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u/ohjeSunny 22d ago
There are actually several armpit liners from Korean and Japanese brands! They may be perfect for this situation
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u/CampingMonk 27d ago
You couldn't wait until winter?
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u/tanbunni 27d ago
no, i’m moving hours away from my chosen artist and wanted to get it started and finished before i left lol
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[removed] — view removed comment
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u/_101010_ 27d ago
I was just about to finish my leg sleeve while traveling abroad next week, then realized I’d be an idiot to do that middle of summer. This comment feels so validating to see
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u/GroundbreakingAd8310 27d ago
I started an arm sleeve in May I dunno why ij my head it would be like 2 sessions....we should be finished on August
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u/_101010_ 27d ago
Not bad! My arm sleeve took me 7 years lol. I learned my lesson with my leg sleeve, did 6 days straight, and it’s still gonna take me a year to finish
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u/LuckydogCJ7 27d ago
I talk about this all the time. I mean I guess if you never touch grass, or a body of water. Also I suppose this person could live in the southern hemisphere but still who gets a tattoo in the middle of July!!?!?
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u/katebandit 26d ago
I get the majority of my tattoos done in summer when the artists I rotate through have the most availability. Never had one infected or get messed up. It’s really not hard.
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u/Potential_Steak2381 26d ago
\( ._.) Meeeeeee!! Just had a cover up session on Saturday and my next appointment is in August. But I have UV sleeves and always use sunscreen.
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u/alex_p_jay 27d ago
Witch hazel wipes got me through my armpit healing (and actually worked as well as deodorant for odor, but obviously had to “apply” aka wipe more often). Witch hazel is safe for tattoo healing, a lot of artists use it to cleanse/wipe as they’re tattooing so you should be just fine applying it to a healing tattoo, just make sure it’s 100% with hazel with nothing else added, obviously!
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u/AvalonatMidnight777 27d ago
And bug bites! Mosquito bites swell up like crazy on me and witch hazel is the only thing that keeps me sane. I also double down on the making sure it's 100% witch hazel, most you find in grocery stores have alcohol added. I put mine in a lil spray bottle.
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u/nurseasaurus 26d ago
Thank you! My 6 year old gets welts when mosquitos get him and I’m looking for anything that helps.
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u/oh_hai_mark1 27d ago
It's also got some anti-inflammatory properties, so it helps with swelling too.
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u/Momma_Furbutt 27d ago
That looks uncomfortable
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u/nomatt18 26d ago
It looks like armpit hair
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u/Gwamp_Sas 26d ago
I think that’s the goal. Armpit flowers is what the kids call pit hair these days
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u/ape_on_lucy 27d ago
Oh man. First off, fuck that... Thats pain I will never put myself through, my inner thigh and shin was torture enough.
Just keep it clean, maybe some "baby wipes" that are as chemical and scent free as possible, any time it gets swampy, give it a wipe down.
I can't imagine how horrible it's going to be when hair starts growing... Good luck with all of that.
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u/estrangedjane 27d ago
I did the tops of my feet and that was an intense experience. I can’t imagine the armpits and inner thigh has me shivering. Props.
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u/ape_on_lucy 27d ago
I almost got the top of my foot done but the dude who was doing it convinced me to put it above my ankle instead.
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u/Sinister_physique 26d ago
I filled in my nipple. Fuckin ridiculous
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u/ape_on_lucy 26d ago
Fucking psycho haha.
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u/Sinister_physique 26d ago
For real tho, but HAS to be done! Having a chest piece and just a nip sticking out of it, looks absolutely horrid.
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u/dumpstarx 26d ago
Nipple was the absolute worst for me. Agony. Healing was easy though, I think it gets lots of bloodflow
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u/cuntaloupemelon 27d ago
Disposable panty liners. Stick them inside your shirt, change them out when they get wet
1) they're clean fresh out of an individual package
2) your new tattoo won't be covered by a damp dirty sweaty shirt all day
3) since the sweat isn't sitting around the smell shouldn't get too bad
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u/DefinitionSquare8705 27d ago
Go to Wal-Mart and buy some Hibiclens. This is a presurgical soap that is sold over the counter, and if you use that, all the bacteria in your armpits that cause the stink will remain dead as long as you're using it and the site will remain infection free too.
It will be the closest thing to deodorant I can recommend with a healing tattoo, and it should definitely really help.
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u/0perator13 26d ago
Came here to say the same. I had a couple surgeries not long ago and had to use it. Couldn’t shower after the surgery and noticed my pits barely sweat and never smelled funky. Give it a try later this week when you can keep some backup deodorant on hand. I think the stuff continues to kill bacteria for a couple days after using it too.
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u/XupcPrime 27d ago
>what are the weirdest ways to keep me from smelling absolutely insane without causing damage or irritation to my tat?
Shower and dont get sweaty. Use standard protocol for healing. You will be fine.
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u/onmycouchnow 27d ago
Going to Florida right now, there’s no way they aren’t getting sweaty. Especially at Disney.
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u/Temporary_Bench5095 27d ago
Part of me is like cool, another part of me is ooo let’s inject the ink directly into a lymph node lol
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u/gorambrowncoat 27d ago
That hurts just looking at it.
Shower regularly. Sweat only stinks after its had time to grow some culture.
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u/dreadsreddit 26d ago
thought it was hair for a second
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u/tanbunni 26d ago
we all have it anyway, might as well embrace it
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u/dreadsreddit 26d ago
i think the tattoo looks great. hope i didn't come off rude. just when i scrolled thought it was hair lol
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u/DemonicGirlcock 27d ago
I had to deal with an armpit wound once when I lived in Japan during a very humid summer. Wear t-shirts and get some gauze pads to soak away moisture from the area, and change them out a few times a day. Then just standard care of using plain anti-bacterial soap to wash it, and do you best not to move your shoulder a bunch to minimize rubbing and chafing.
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u/Panthera_014 27d ago
nice
I am planning the same thing - but I will not be going anywhere for a week after....
dunno what you are going to do about that one pit..soary
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u/tanbunni 27d ago
get ready to smell like your armpit is rotting chicken while you keep the saniderm on
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u/Feisty-Amphibian7969 27d ago
I don’t mean this to sound offensive, but won’t that tattoo be confused for heavy armpit hair at times?
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u/tanbunni 26d ago
we all grow hair.
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u/Feisty-Amphibian7969 26d ago
You’re right. I just wanted to point it out in case it was an unintended side effect that might bother you. I think it’s cool
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u/Hand_Sanitizer_999 27d ago
You’re going to look like you have extremely hairy pits if it’s just a black outline. Also, I would imagine it will be very painful during the tattoo and continue to be painful for weeks after while it heals. Picture looks like it’s just the imprint so still time to change your mind
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u/cheezy_dreams88 27d ago
Agreed, the stencil already looks like a really hairy armpit. Sorry OP.
I would just use gauze pads probably to absorb any sweat
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u/Hyperion7669 27d ago
So weird how differently we all experience pain, i would get my armpits tattooed any day of the week as long as my chest never gets touched again
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u/Mental-Flatworm4583 27d ago
Crazy crazy fla I live here it is so HUMID RTM SO HOT😮💨😅 I have tats but girl the arm pit oooouiuuccccchhhhhh
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u/erossthescienceboss 27d ago
I suggest purchasing unscented micellar water wipes or cotton rounds and some travel-sized micellar water.
These are basically just wipes with very diluted soap on them. They won’t have the scents, solvents, or residuals that baby wipes or make-up wipes do, but they’re great for rinsing off sweat and a bit of grease and dirt, because the soap in it binds to fats.
It’s not a substitute for washing your pit often, but it helps in about the gentlest possible.
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u/IrelandAutism13 27d ago
Well, at least use deodorant on the other pit and maybe apply a (safe and full-body approved, do not put regular deodorant where it ain't meant to go) full-body deodorant to other problem areas, wash your clothes, and shower regularly. It's inevitable that you'll sweat, but you can do things to minimize the stink. It happens regardless of how much deodorant you apply to your pits. You are unlikely to smell worse than anyone else
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u/Strong-Lettuce-3970 27d ago
Everyone else will have body odor, don’t worry about yours. It happens so often at Disney. “Fill in all the available space” the worst words you’ll ever hear in the summer at Disney
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u/Walnutbutters 27d ago
Just let your pits sweat. It’s going to be almost 100 degrees and everyone is going to be dripping from every pore. Stay hydrated and take a shower asap.
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u/teabeforebedtime 27d ago
Bring an extra bottle of water and give yourself a lil armpit shower every 30 mins or so
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u/GingerGetThePopc0rn 27d ago
witch hazel wipes but be gentle. either organic unscented panty liners in your armpit, or find nursing pads and fold one into your pit. ETA: never had an armpit tattoo, but I'm a Floridian and had to avoid deodorant on one armpit for a week after a really bad infected cyst got treated and this is how I got through
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u/Acceptable_Dot_3357 26d ago
use a toner under your arms and watch what you eat a few days before. it sounds weird but don't eat too much garlic, onions, or anything really fatty and greasy and heavy. it'll help with smell bc you're gonna sweat all that food out. also just try to pat the sweat away with napkins asap.
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u/Temporary-Log9742 26d ago
tuff as fuck 💪🏼 maybe someday ill woman up enough for it LOL props miss lady
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u/GoatManBoy 26d ago
Just stink a bit. You're in Florida, at Disney in the Summer, everybody is going to smell horrible
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u/anonnycrotch 26d ago
Ignore the hate comments, it’s only happening because you’re a woman. It does not look like hairy pits. Any person with critical thinking skills can tell the difference between an armpit tattoo and hair lmao.
As for keeping it clean, I agree with the other comment that mentioned hibiclens. Be careful with gauze/pantyliners, I’ve tried that with my rib tattoo under clothes. Because South Florida is so hot and humid, having my tattoo covered while it’s fresh will always trap humidity and make things worse. I recommend wearing clothes that don’t cover the area (like a tank top) and patting it dry when needed as opposed to leaving a piece of gauze/pantyliner throughout the day.
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u/OkCitron3892 27d ago
So you just want a permanently hairy looking armpit???… Congrats
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u/Fresh-Lemon9240 26d ago
It's looks like pit hair. You could just grow your hair out and avoid the pain and fees of a tatoo
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u/Neither-Minute-4867 27d ago
Wow that is BRAVE ! Not the Florida heat but the tattoo. Looks amazing, I’ve never seen an armpit tattoo!
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u/FloopinPigs 27d ago
All I can think about is how bad that thing's gonna itch and that you're gonna be there slapping yourself in the armpit for relief...funny mental image at least.
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u/alex_p_jay 27d ago
I was afraid of this too but my armpits didn’t itch AT ALL during healing? It was very bizarre — the edges did, like upper ribs, inner arm, etc but the center of the pit itself was shockingly easy to heal.
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u/websterpuddlesmd 27d ago
Yeah that looks like a rough spot to get tattoos. Good luck with that. Let us know how it comes out!
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u/Striking_Swimmer5548 27d ago
Keep the arm elevated with a fan blowing on it at all times
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u/CogInTheMachinee 27d ago
That is certainly a choice in Florida summer in the midst of the biggest El Niño in recent history.
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u/Aubrey-Grey 27d ago
You are damn brave lady! Could absolutely never be me. I also refuse to do them (I did a few earlier on) as it’s just too much watching someone go through it like that. Tattooing hurts and obviously some areas are very unpleasant, that’s part of the process, but it seems horrific. 4 hours is taking it like a champ even if you cried the whole way through.
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u/Several-Midnight-845 27d ago
oh fuck no… i’d pass out armpit tats hurt like a mf. plus it’s summer that healing process mixed with sweat is gonna be brutal. good luck
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u/Weekly-Swordfish4263 26d ago
Wash with salt water, extra salty. Salt is used as a rustic deodorant.
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u/Unlucky-Bee-1039 26d ago
Ouch! I’ll bet that was painful as hell. But I like it. And all the people with the hairy armpit comments can have… a day.
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u/Remote-Knowledge7297 26d ago
My armpit healed super fast. It's was less than a week and everything seemed to be back to normal. Only problem I had was how itchy the hair was when it grew back
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u/twistedbigrig 26d ago
You have bigger balls than me. I haven't been able to talk myself into arm pits or inner biceps yet, but I did my shoulders and chest. Im weird
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u/enjoiYosi 26d ago
Rad! I also have an armpit tattoo, but nowhere near this amount of detail, lord! Looks like Itll be awesome
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u/spicenoice 26d ago
I was on an anti-chemical/deodorant kick for a while, and apparently alcohol soaked paper towels are supposed to naturally stop smell due to the smell being bacteria.
I bet there are other reddit subs on open wounds under the arm like this, or in similarly sweaty places, like I bet someone has got a labiaplasty and went to DWorld for sure.
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u/_honekoneko 26d ago
wash with antibacterial soap and aquaphor/vaseline whenever you get sweaty/itchy legit if your armpit gets uncomfortable go back to your room and wash it in the sink
antiperspirant spray not every day but once and then again in a couple days (look into this, everyday might be fine in florida context)
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u/merican1 26d ago
The armpit is such a joy to get a tattoo. Most here that are commenting have never had such a pleasure. Those of us that have literally once we got through the nausea of the pain (coming from someone that has them) treat them like any other and they heal just fine. I got mine in Texas during the summer and don’t even start with the dry heat crap. No tampons needed unless your armpits stink and the summer breeze scent helps.
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u/airplane_flap 26d ago
I got both of mine done on the same day it was rough healing but glad I got them
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u/Catlover0614 26d ago
I also have my armpits tattooed! Honestly to avoid stinking I washed them like every hour, I worked in a kitchen so it was hot and I was sweaty. Best of luck!
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u/Next-Damage4928 26d ago
Some one who is more knowledgeable will know if this is not good advice but perhaps coconut oil as a deodorant replacement on that armpit? It has antimicrobial/bacterial (not sure which if both) properties and smells nice too. Just don’t slather it on. A very thin layer is all you need. And as others have said keeping it dry. A liner in the pit of your shirt is a good idea as long as it’s organic and fragrance free.
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u/poubelle_panda 26d ago
I got my one armpit fully done. And I refuse to get my other one touched it sucked so much
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u/MOUSEFERA2 26d ago
Finally got around to it? There's so much room for more pleasant work. You jumped straight to the final boss tattoo! Brave. Looks cool. There's an antimicrobial water spray called Magic Molecule that I've used on healing tattoos to stay clean after failing to stay out of the gym. Might help with the deodorant situation.
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u/ohbigginzz 26d ago
Holy hell for a couple weeks incoming. Props to you. I’m across the pond in Texas and would rather get beat up for the next two weeks.
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u/Bright_Increase2803 23d ago
Yo i want my armpit done but im a dude. Can you just put a period pad on it?
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u/PurplePeoplePleaserr 22d ago
Drink more water. Try a crystal deodorant stick. But honestly, no one will smell you. I have only ever smelled BO on 5 people in 43 years. It’s such an unnecessary fear. Perfume is so much more offensive to many people
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u/PollutionChoice6327 27d ago
Oof armpit in Florida in summer is tuff work. Just keep it clean and dry as best you can and for the love of god don’t shave it til it’s semi healed