The most painful places to get a tattoo are areas that have less muscle, lots of nerve endings, minimal fat, thin skin, and are close to bone. This includes obvious spots like your head, chest & rib cage, stomach, nipples, face, ears, neck, groin, and armpits.
The most painful spots to get a tattoo are your ribs, spine, fingers, and shins. The least painful spots to get a tattoo are your forearms, stomach, and outer thighs.
You can expect it to be uncomfortable, of course, but just how uncomfortable depends on the hand and skill of your artist, the location of the tattoo, and your pain tolerance. You can expect to feel more than a pinprick when you get a tattoo, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to handle it.
While no tattoo will be completely painless, Wiwi points out that fine line tattoos hurt less as they use small needles. However, Boyle points out that placement can greatly affect how much getting a tattoo hurts, not to mention the skill level of the artist.
You do not want the scabs picked off. The scabbing stage can last a few days. The tattooed area is unlikely to still feel sore after about two weeks.
Myth or Truth: Getting a tattoo hurts more than giving birth to a child. Myth: In reality, getting tattooed does hurt -- but it does not produce the same type of pain as childbirth. The pain of getting a tattoo feels more like scratching a bad sunburn.
The least painful places to get a tattoo are areas of your body with fewer nerve endings. Think outer shoulder, calf, buttocks, and outer arm. While people generally focus on the location on the body, Stanley Kovak, a cosmetic physician, theorizes that pain is more about size.
The first moments of getting your tattoo will probably be the most painful. Don't worry — that feeling won't be as intense the whole time. "As your body builds up natural adrenaline, the pain generally begins to taper off," Abad explains. "Just keep this in mind to help you get through the pain of a tattoo."
Tiny tattoos are a popular first choice as well. Whether it's hearts, stars, or zodiac symbols, fine line techniques are ideal for a first tattoo because of their delicate design and barely-there size. Another memorable first tattoo choice is a word or mantra that defines who you are.
Our skin becomes thinner as we age and its elasticity also reduces. The more exposure you've had to the sun over the years, the thinner your skin may become, and this can affect how painful it is to get a tattoo.
Contrary to what you might expect, many people report that the shading hurts significantly less than the outlining of the tattoo. If you've already made it through your line work, pat yourself on the back. You've likely conquered the most painful part already.
With that said, don't take painkillers before getting a tattoo either. Painkillers like Advil and Ibuprofen also thin the blood, which will lead to similar issues that alcohol has. Acetaminophen may potentially be fine to take, but should be discussed with the artist beforehand.
Expect about half an hour to an hour for a simple, small tattoo. Keep in mind, however, a small tattoo with lots of color, line work, details, or a tricky placement could take several hours. Small tattoos are great for people who don't want to go through a lengthy tattoo process, but still want some cool ink.
A Tattoo needle penetrates 5 layers of the epidermis
That may sound like a lot of skin, but in reality it is only 1/16th of an inch, about 1-2mm. That's pretty tiny. It goes through five layers of the epidermis, through the dermal layer, and into the topmost layer of the dermis.
Drink a lot of water during the week; avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before getting tattooed. Please do not shave the area; we will do it for you at your appointment. Avoid aspirin or blood thinning medication at least 24 hours before your tattoo; ibuprofen, acetaminophen, & other NSAID pain relievers are OK.
Tattoo artists may use numbing cream to reduce the discomfort that their clients may experience during the tattooing process. The use of numbing cream may also help the artist work on a larger area of the skin in one session, as the client may be more comfortable with less pain.
However, one thing is for sure: single needle tattoos hurt more than those with a standard tattoo machine. The reason is that each needle punctures the skin individually, resulting in a more intense sensation.
This may be because the process of applying color to the skin involves multiple passes with the tattoo needle, which can be more painful than applying black ink. Additionally, the vibrance and intensity of color tattoos may make them more noticeable and more painful for some people.
Small tattoos usually take under an hour to make. Palm-sized tattoo would take from one to three hours to make. Hand sized tattoo can take up to 5 hours to make. Full sleeve tattoo can take 6-10 hours to make.