Tattoos and Pain

 

Getting a tattoo involves a machine piercing your skin with tiny needles hundreds of thousands of times in a single session. That is going to involve a level of pain. For some the pain is minimal. For others it could be a lot worse. 

Some of those more generally agreed upon painful spots include:

The head: This is generally agreed to be one of the most sensitive spots to tattoo.

The Ribcage and Chest: The skin is typically thinner and immediately over bones that can cause some pain.

The stomach: This area can be painful because the skin is highly elastic and stretches easily. This spot has been said to be very painful to some, and very mild to others. 

Nipples and Breasts: There are lots of nerve endings that can cause some serious discomfort.

Hands, Feet, Fingers, and Toes: The skin is relatively thin and there are various nerve endings that can cause pain. 

Neck and Spine: In the neck the movement of the needle might stimulate nerves on the back and sides causing pain. And the spine is not as padded with muscle or fat with numerous nerves. 

Armpits: This is a spot that most tattoo artists warn is a very painful spot. The axillary nerve travels through the armpit and this nerve can be very painful to get tattooed on or around. 

While these areas have been said to be painful it is hard to judge personally how painful the tattoo will be. Getting a tattoo will always involve a level of pain and because everyone has different levels of  thresholds it is hard to claim one spot is more painful than another. 

It is very important to keep in mind that even if the area might be more sensitive than others it is up to you individually to manage that pain. You are in control of your body and mindset. If you go into a tattoo and psych yourself out imagining loads of pain it is very likely that your tattoo experience will be unpleasant. The saying "Mind Over Matter" truly does apply when it comes to managing your expectations of pain and the experience that you will have. The more you focus on the pain, the more uncomfortable you will be during the appointment. Keeping yourself calm and focused on something else will help in the duration of the tattoo. If you can distract yourself with music or watching something on your phone that can help with pain management. If it is acceptable you might bring a friend to talk to and distract you. If you can find a way to distract from the needles piercing your skin you will find the entire experience much more enjoyable. 

At the end of the day tattoos hurt and it is all up to your individual mindset that you bring in to the appointment. If you can make it through then you can end up with some incredible art displayed on your body.