I've been keeping in close contact with my artist, so this question is more about personal observation that "OMG you should get that checked out."

Do you find that your white tattoos tend to look more 'angry' when they are healing because of the revealing nature of the ink color and scabs, or does it tend to look about the same for you? I can't really compare this to any other healing tattoos from myself since this is my first one, I just feel that it looks different from black tattoos that I've seen healing. IMO, it looks much "dirtier" to me because I can see all of the fluids mixed into the scab at this lighter color.

I only have white ink that is part of a multi-colored tattoo, but I have also had pieces with other light colors (pale blue and yellow, specifically) and they all looked "dirty" while healing. The true color has come back once the skin has healed, tho. The white on the dandelion in my thighpiece is 2ish years old and is still very visible (and actually white) with no touch ups.

I used a rinse method instead of outright dry healing or lotioning my atoms and the light yellow and light blue seemed to heal even better than usual and the black was really dark and solid. I know each artist has their own healing instructions and each person learns how their body heals best, but that's definitely worked out best for me, especially with light colors and fine linework to avoid scabbing.

Would you mind detailing the healing method you used? Nick gave me very general aftercare, and he's not going to mind if I deviate from it a little. He did tell me to wash it slightly more than usual because it's so close to the bottom of my foot and it's dirty down there, and I'm not sure at this point whether that's helping or hurting. I just think my tattoo is looking more irritated than it should look.

I dont have an all white tattoo but the white in my tattoos look dirty or murky kind of when healing... But once healed are ok! 

 I have white highlights in a lot of my tattoos and they always look pretty irritated.

I recently got a diamond with a LOT of white highlights and I was worried about the healing because it was pissy looking, but it turned out perfect.

I'm glad to hear that, because it definitely does have a pinkish outline to it right now. Because it was warm today and I didn't have to work, I was able to go around sock-free, and it still looks pissy, but much less so.

Don't worry, it'll definitely look pretty dirty and gross looking within the first week or so but that's not what the finished product will look like.  Once that dirty layer went away, my white tattoo turned a sort of fleshy-white color.  I like that it's very un-noticeable, but there are a few tiny spots where the ink fell out so i'm going to get it touched up very soon.

 A spot on my right foot healed pink... i have no clue why.

scarring, maybe? I've never asked my boy though.

Lindsey, I rinse my stuff with just cool water (warm would be fine too, I just prefer cool) every 1-3 hours and pat it dry to keep the scab forming goo from building up too thick. I tend to scab thickly from wounds in general, so it keeps my body from going crazy without hurting the tattoo at all. I do the rinsing for the first 3 or 4 days, but only wash it with soap first thing in the morning and before bed. After that, I just keep to washing it twice and day and only really tend to it if it feels dry or itchy. I generally just use cool water then too, but in the morning I usually use a little unscented lotion and I'll put aquaphor on if I'm going to be somewhere I might get dirty like outdoors or at a bar to at least give a little barrier between the healing tattoo and outside germs.

I used to scab at least a little on most things, but doing this I only get a peel similar to a sunburn. Stuff heals faster and I haven't needed any touchups or had any hard heals even with lots of fine line and dot work. Even the thick solid black areas on my chest healed really nicely. That said, the light color stuff I've gotten has still looked a little angry til it peeled. I think it's just because you can see the healing skin thru the ink better with light colors and white, as well as the slight amount of "scab" that does form.

I can also say that tattoos on lower extremities heal more slowly, especially if you're standing a lot. Putting your feet up for a bit when you get a chance will help get the blood out of your feet so new can circulate thru more easily.

On another note...does your shower drain well or does water stand in it a bit? Having it that moist for a prolonged period of time could certainly effect how it heals and how angry it looks, too.

It drains well as long as I remove my sisters hair from it I've also been putting my foot up on the side of the tub when I shower, out of the way of the running water. *edit: Jess, you're right. Cool water is way more refreshing than I thought it would be in mid-February. I feel better already.

 I have a cat tattoo on my left arm and i had his eyes made white, with yellow color, granted i'm very pasty, i went ahead and agreed to have that part done white, as well as his muzzle and feet  and end of his tail (or she idk its an it) but its around 6 years old and i can see the white in the cat expecially during the summer time when i have a lil more sun on me...tho ont he tattoo i just got it had alot of lighter colors in the banner like yellow and it looked dirttyy and grungy while it was healing but now its looking great.

 Linds, I think you're fine, when I got my white tattoo I was always retarded paranoid about it, so I checked it in the mirror like 500 times a day, I tried not to fuss with it too much, but I did notice it looking a bit angry as it healed, however once it healed and the scab finally sloughed on its own, it was fine, and the white has been consistant and looks vibrant. 

My scabs are finally starting to come off this week. I just did not expect to scab that thickly, and since this is my first tattoo, I'm not sure whether it's my healing or the fact that Nick is a newer tattoo artist. It definitely still looks a bit gross in two areas specifically, but where the scabs are coming off, it is looking ok so far on the outline, although I fear we might have to fill it in a little more, and I know it was hard for him to tell with the white ink. I have been documenting it, so once I see how it heals, I may post a photo timeline.

 My foot had really thick scabby like flakes... 

 A lot of new tattoo artists go a little too deep... it scabs worse and hurts more, lol.

Hope for lack of blowouts.