What Is the Least Painful Place to Get a Tattoo?
What is the least painful place to get a tattoo?
Although many people believe that getting a tattoo on specific body locations is more painful than others, there is no data to support these claims. The truth is that different areas of the body have different layers and densities of skin tissue, so each location hurts differently from person to person.
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However, several factors can affect pain levels: how big and complex your tattoo will be (and where) and whether you’re dealing with “newly-inked” skin or healed tattoos. For example, if you get a large tattoo on an area with existing scarification or stretch marks, it may feel burning. If you want to avoid unnecessary pain during your next session, keep these tips in mind:
Start slowly. Ease into the process with smaller tattoos on less sensitive areas to prevent unnecessary pain.
Eat beforehand. Avoid eating greasy foods because this can increase the risk of infection.
Slow your breathing. Deep breaths can affect your blood pressure and make you more nervous (which results in elevated heart rate). If you tend to get anxious during tattoo sessions, take a few moments to relax before getting started.
If possible, work with an artist who is well-versed in numbing techniques. This may not be possible for everyone, but many artists are trained to perform complimentary nerve blocks that numb skin without compromising ink saturation or design quality. The number of nerve blocks required depends on how large the tattooed area is and what kind of artwork is being done.
Be sure to let the artist know if you’re experiencing a significant amount of pain, as they may be able to adjust their method and equipment accordingly. Although some artists use a machine that includes a channel for numbing agents or has tattoos set up on the body where it is less sensitive, those who perform freehand pieces prefer not to dilute ink saturation with numbing agents. In this instance, your artist needs to pay attention to the positioning of your hands so they don’t grip tightly – even if they are shaky – which can cause additional discomfort.
Your comfort level is most important. It’s natural that you might feel anxious about getting a new tattoo – especially one in a more tender location – but do your best to relax and focus on healthy breathing throughout the session. Remember that a tattoo artist’s goal is to provide a pleasant experience, so if there are any steps you can take to reduce pain, they’ll be happy to implement them for you.
If you have one particular area of the body that hurts more than others or feel particularly anxious about going under the needle, consider asking your artist if they offer touchups. Touch-ups don’t always require as much numbing medication as getting a full sleeve done from scratch, so it’s typically less intense pain overall. In addition to reducing discomfort related to an existing tattoo, touch-ups also save time because it isn’t necessary for you to spend several hours in the chair while your artist re-draws your design. Also, you won’t have to go through the whole healing process again so quickly!
By following these tips, your tattooing session will be enjoyable rather than painful for you. You can find a tattoo pain chart to summarize the detail below.
What does tattoo pain feel like?
Tattoo pain, when looking for the least painful place to get a tattoo, an individual is also looking for the most comfortable spot to have it inked. Tattoos are applied by inserting ink into the skin via needles attached to tattoo guns. The amount of pain felt depends on the location of the tattoo, size of the image, placement on your body, and design. This article aims to guide you through each tattoo location, offering helpful information regarding how much it hurts in that painful area!
Description : Upper chest
Amount of pain: 2/10
A small number or lettering is a design that is a common choice for this location. The upper chest tattoo region can be a simple letter or short word. The skin in this area is less likely to have been worked on before and, therefore, slightly more sensitive than other sites! This is also the case with an armpit tattoo.
Description: Upper arm
Amount of pain: 2/10
The upper arms are very flexible and tend to bounce around when not supported, increasing the amount of pain felt by your tattoo artist! Placement along the length of the upper arm makes it easy for the tattoo artist to adapt to any movement you make during application. Alongside a higher number of nerve endings in this region, it results in a very low pain level!
Description: Back of the neck
Amount of pain: 8/10
The back of your neck is one of the most accessible spots to receive a tattoo. The skin here tends to be thicker (similar to your feet), which means it can take more punishment than other areas. A curved neck tattoo design works well in this region, especially when paired with lettering or short words. Make sure you tell your artist if you are susceptible to migraines, as this location has been known to trigger them.
Description: Shoulder
Amount of pain: 5/10
The go-to location for a woman’s first tattoo session! The outer shoulder is the second most flexible joint in your body and can be pretty bouncy during application. Large shoulder tattoos placed here would require a lot of thick skin to cover it, which means your artist may have to work harder, resulting in an increased amount of pain you feel! This area has a high concentration of nerve endings so expect a stinging sensation, especially if placed near the neck or behind an ear. If you have a low pain threshold, this is not the best place to get your first tattoo, as it requires more patience than other spots around the body.
The shoulders are very exposed, so be prepared for your artist to work hard on this area! The design of your tattoo will largely determine how much pain you feel. Lettering or small designs placed across the width of the shoulder blade will hurt less than those which take up the entire space, like tribal-style tattoos. If someone’s first tattoo is located in this area, it can result in headaches, nausea, and vomiting due to increased nerve stimulation.
Description: Back of arms
Amount of pain: 8/10
The back of your arm is one of the most diverse regions when looking for a place to get a tattoo. Your thicker skin makes it more difficult for your tattooist to penetrate with a tattoo needle increasing pain. It also increases the amount of time taken to complete your tattoo as there is a high chance that the artist will need to change their needle often during application.
Description: Buttocks
Amount of pain: 8/10
This area is one of the most sensitive parts of your body, with it being made up mostly of muscle resulting in a lower degree of pain tolerance. The majority of people have been tattooed at least once in this location, and it tends to be more painful than other spots on the body. A curved design looks good here but can result in difficulty when stretching around muscles, which increases your pain!
Description: foot
Amount of pain: 10/10
The feet are one of the most sensitive areas on your body, with some people reporting feeling nothing at all! The skin is very thin, making it easy for your artist to penetrate with needles. Your feet contain many nerve endings, which means that sensation is heightened, resulting in an unbearable level of discomfort. Be sure to follow our tattoo aftercare guidelines during this delicate healing period, as any mistake could cause lots of bleeding and scarring. Avoid wearing shoes for too long following application, or you could experience severe pain!
Description: hand
Amount of pain: 9/10
As well as being one of the most flexible joints in your body, this area is also one of the most painful to get a tattoo! The fingers and hand area are among the least sensitive regions in your body, so it requires a lot of concentration and focus. If you’re getting inked in this spot, be sure to express these points to your artist, as many people underestimate how much it will hurt! Try to keep still during your tattoo; if you find it too tricky, then ask for advice from your artist.
Description: inner arms
Amount of pain: 5/10
It’s not surprising that this region is the third least painful place on our list to get a tattoo – but why? Your skin here is thicker than other sore spots around the body, meaning more cushioning between you and the needles. This is good news for you but bad news for your tattooist! This means that it will take them longer to complete the design, and we all know how much time matters when it comes to getting a tattoo. The same applies to the inner bicep.
Description: shoulders
Amount of pain: 5/10
Like other upper-body areas, this part of the body has a high concentration of nerve endings, but this area is not as sensitive as other spots on our list. The shoulder blades are also primarily made up of muscle, bone, and skin, making it slightly more difficult for needles to penetrate and increasing the level of discomfort caused by your new ink. Expect some tenderness around this region while it settles down after application! If you’re looking forward to having a larger design applied in this spot, you should have a more extensive plan done in one sitting. This minimizes the overall amount of tattoo pain you feel during the application, where needles repeatedly pierce your skin.
Description: Stomach tattoos
Amount of pain: 8/10
The stomach area contains primarily fatty tissue, which acts as a cushion between your skin and the artist’s needle resulting in a decrease in sensation. Your skin here is also much thicker than many other regions on the body, making it less sensitive to pressure applied by the tattooist! If you’ve got plans for something significant, then why not go right ahead with this region? Just remember that it may hurt slightly more due to the location but will fade over time, usually around three weeks instead of two! The same applies to a hip tattoo.
Description: wrist tattoos
Amount of pain level: 9/10
The majority of people agree that getting “inked” here is one of the least painful places to receive a tattoo. The skin around the inner wrist is thinner than many body parts, meaning that needles penetrate slightly easier resulting in minor discomfort during application. If you’re looking for a smaller design, we would still recommend avoiding this area as it is pretty close to a vein, and blood vessels can be easily ruptured if you move your wrist around too much!
Description: ribs
Amount of pain: 9/10
Inked in between the soft tissue on either side of your spine, these areas are challenging for artists to work with, resulting in fewer people choosing to get inked in this spot. Getting a tattoo in this area usually requires at least two sittings due to the anatomical irregularity of these spots. If you’re looking for something big, though, then think again – the rib cage is one of the least painful places to get a rib tattoo because the ribs act as a natural cushioning, meaning that there is not much tissue for the needles to penetrate through. It is one of the most painful places to get a tattoo, much like a shin tattoo.
Description: Outer or Inner Thigh tattoo
Amount of pain: 3/10
Lying along with two significant muscles in your outer thigh, this area is usually preferred by those who want larger designs. As with many other spots on our list, injecting ink into these parts is difficult – but artists tend to agree that the discomfort isn’t too terrible! If you’re looking forward to getting something big, then why not try this region? Just bear in mind that it will take longer than usual due to this area’s larger surface area and will probably require an overnight stay at the studio – you’ll thank us later!
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