Can i handle getting a tattoo

Everyone's pain tolerance is different. While tattoos are uncomfortable for most people, they aren't anywhere near things like childbirth and kidney stones. Most people you talk to should confirm this. Learn where tattoos hurt the most. A good amount of the pain from your tattoo is affected by the location on your body where you get it. If you're looking to minimize your pain, you may want to move it to one of the less-painful areas.

While everyone's body is different, in general: [1] X Research source Areas with lots of muscle arms, legs, upper pectorals and areas with lots of fatty padding glutes, hips, etc.

Sensitive areas breasts, underarms, face, groin and "hard" areas close to bones scalp, face, collarbone, ribs, hands, feet tend to hurt ' the most. Learn which tattoos hurt the most. All tattoos are not created equally. The pain level of your tattoo experience can also be affected by what, exactly, you're getting put onto your body.

While some exceptions exist, in general: The smaller and simpler a tattoo is, the less painful it will be. Large, detailed designs hurt much more.

Black and gray tattoos are less painful and take less time than multi-color tattoos. Areas of solid color hurt the most because they require the artist to go over their work several times. Arrange for someone to come with you. You don't have to endure your tattoo experience alone. If you can, try taking a friend or family member whose company you enjoy.

Having someone who cares for you makes the experience much easier — you'll have someone to talk to about your jitters beforehand and someone to give words of encouragement when you run into pain.

If you aren't too shy, try making a social event out of your tattoo appointment. Many tattoo parlors allow small groups to hang out in the lobby or even in the room where the tattoo is being done if they aren't unruly.

Having a group of people to encourage you — even cheer for you — can make getting a tattoo a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Know that there will be needles and a small amount of blood. A modern tattoo machine is essentially a small set of needles that go in and out of the skin very quickly, leaving a little ink each time. This basically has the effect of making lots of tiny cuts in the area where the tattoo is. Almost everyone who gets a tattoo bleeds a little bit from this. If any of this process makes you feel faint or nauseous, you should plan not to watch.

A good one will be more than happy to help you get through your tattoo with minimal discomfort. Part 2. Calm yourself. It's hard to relax right before the tattoo artist starts drawing, but if you can, your experience will be easier. Try taking a few deep breaths, talking to your friend or family member, or even chatting with the tattoo artist.

These things will help you relax and quit focusing on what's about to happen. If you're very worried going into your appointment, call ahead of time and ask whether you might be allowed to bring items that help you relax. For instance, you might try bringing an MP3 player to listen to your favorite relaxing tunes during your appointment. Many parlors will give you a good deal of freedom as long as your items don't interfere with the tattoo artist's job.

Make yourself as comfortable as possible. Depending on the size and detail level of your tattoo, you may be in the parlor for up to a few hours. While you'll get breaks to get up and move around, a little bit of preparation can make your appointment much more comfortable. Below are a just a few things you may want to consider: Have a meal before your appointment. Have a glass or two of water to avoid dehydration and reduce the possibility of fainting.

Wear loose, comfortable clothing you won't mind sitting in for a long time. Bring anything you'll need to entertain yourself during your appointment music player, reading material, etc. Go to the bathroom before your appointment starts. Squeeze or chew something to relieve pain.

Tensing your muscles in an area you aren't getting tattooed by squeezing something in your hand or biting down on something can actually reduce pain significantly. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile.

Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. What does getting a tattoo feel like? 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.

Curious to know what you're in for? We asked four of our most trusted experts everything there is to know about what getting a tattoo feels like. Keep scrolling for their savvy insight on pain levels, the most painful tattoo spots, the healing process, and more. According to Monikka Velvet , NYC-based tattoo artist at High Hopes Tattoo , when it's time for the main event, you can expect your tattoo artist to start by cleaning your skin, typically with a vegetable- and oil-based soap diluted with distilled water.

Any hair on or directly surrounding the area will also be removed, tattoo artist Mira Mariah adds. It's important to make sure your artist thoroughly cleans your skin before tattooing, says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Rachel Nazarian , as cleansing is a critical safety standard step. Next, the artist will place a stencil onto your skin to act as a blueprint and preview, giving you the final chance to decide whether you like the design and placement.

Your tattoo artist could he really heavy handed or light and gentle. Even eating a breakfast or large meal before getting a tattoo can help lower your amount of pain. The underlying structure of nerves and bone, and the padding from all the fat and muscle play quite a large role too. Truthfully, getting a tattoo will feel different across all parts of your body. Certain places are far easier to ink than others. Areas like the ribcage are bonier, while areas like your butt are far meatier.

Which as you guessed it, affects the sensation you feel greatly. Of course, another to keep in mind, is where all the major nerves run through your body. It certainly does sting a bit. Expect it to feel like a tiny, sharp needle is prodding into you over and over. Tattoo needles go up and down over and over again which creates a lot of vibration and heat. You might end up feeling the burning sensation more so than the stinging. For bonier areas like the ribs for example, you will feel all of the above plus one more thing.

When it comes to major nerve endings, your sensitivity will increase. It will test your pain tolerance as the discomfort goes up and up. These are going to include any parts with the body with an abundance of bone and nerve endings. When it comes to nerves there are large clusters in places like your hands, throat, nipples, genitals, face, solar plexus, etc.

For boney areas places like the ankles, hands and wrists, feet, spine, ribs, collarbone, kneecaps and elbows, etc are going to be quite painful. Although, the tops of your thighs, calves, front arm, etc. Basically any area with a lot of cushion and lack of nerve endings and bone will result in the least painful experience for most.

However, there is one thing to consider before jumping to conclusions here. Some people prefer deep throbbing pressure over higher levels of stinging sensations which comes from inking over muscle abundant areas. Wrist: Not the worst. Generally, wrist tattoos are just plain old average on the pain scale. However, when it comes to sleeves and inking around the sides of the wrist things can start feeling pretty brutal.

Back: One of the least painful places depending on where you ink at. However, in another regard, these can be major annoyances. For this treatment, your skin is numbed with local anesthesia. Strong pulses of light break up the tattoo ink, and your white blood cells remove the ink particles over time. Typically, 6 to 10 sessions are required to lighten a tattoo.

The sessions are done six to eight weeks apart, which gives your white blood cells time to get rid of the pigment. Surgical excision is effective for removing small tattoos.

It involves cutting out the tattoo with a scalpel and stitching up the wound, which creates a surgical scar. After the procedure, the wound may feel like a sunburn. Your doctor may recommend cold packs, lotions, or medication to help you manage the pain.

This creates a wound that allows new skin to grow. As with laser therapy, multiple sessions of dermabrasion are necessary to lighten a tattoo. Dermabrasion is most effective for smaller pieces. Generally, fleshy areas like the outer thigh are less sensitive to pain.

Bony parts of the body, like the ribs, are more sensitive. If you want to get a tattoo, think carefully about where to place it. Take the time to research your artist and design.