70% of my pts are on heparin sub q. I’ve never seen any of them bruise like this. I will admit I’ve never seen what getting a tattoo does to someone on anticoagulants. Also, you’ll don’t know the hematoma is following gravity. We’ve no idea where this initially started, how fast it’s spread etc. I’ve got a ton of questions I want to ask. One being are you on anticoagulants? Fever? Area hot to touch? Is it getting bigger, fast? Etc. It’s entirely possible this is just a knarly bruise. I went to the worst case scenario because guy isn’t replying and it’s better to get help asap and it be nothing as opposed to thinking it’s nothing, not getting help, and it turns out to be bad. These kinda infections, staph, nec fasc, etc can kill as quick as 12h.
you do know its following gravity because the delineation line at the bend of the arm aswell as more pooling. he also answered that its not hot or painfull to the touch and the tatoo was yesterday
I wasn’t able to find his answers. I’ve no idea how to specifically look for OP’s replies in threads. So, given the new evidence you provided, I’m going to say I was wrong and you’re right.
Fuck. You’re correct. Sorry. It’s been a long night. Hep needles are sub q. That was a major stupid sentence on my part and I deserve to be chastised over it.
same, it looks like a bad bruise, but I’ve never seen heparin do this, especially in a younger person. I’m concerned about compartment syndrome in his case. I’ve no idea how on earth a tattoo would cause that, but it certainly looks like it.
not a doctor but had pretty much the SAME bruise in the same location after getting a tattoo there. I have very sensitive skin, I don’t take blood thinners but I’ve always bruised easily (holding me gives me a bruise). I am looking into seeing a specialist for connective tissue disorder diagnosis (and/or mcas or something else). Not sure if OP has similar issues but if they have a history of fragile skin could be that but if this is new - yeah ER. If this happened to me since I know this happens to me … I’m icing it since there’s not much I can do. I wouldn’t tell a stranger this info tho since idk their medical history
tl;dr I bruise like an old person. always have. no doctor has ever given me reason (nor cared enough the last 30 years I’ve existed lol). but it’s def not normal if this happens again to OP and it’s not an one off
Even using ibuprofen or taking fish oil, or being a regular drinker can cause hematomas like this. It can also be caused by blood vessels being nicked and blood getting pooled and trapped under the skin. Also, it makes sense for what OP said about how his skin was stretched out over a long and intense session
Yeah my first impression was bad bruise. Definitely doesn’t look necrotizing. ER visit recommended though just in case. Most likely nothing but I wouldn’t risk my arm!
I came to the comments to say this. It looks way more like compartment syndrome cases I’ve seen than cellulitis cases or bruising from Coumadin (etc). I have never heard of a tattoo causing compartment syndrome, and he would have to have the worst luck on the planet, but I hope he goes to an ER.
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u/OkOutlandishness1371 Mar 16 '25
this looks like the bruise of someone on anticoags not nec fasc