Q&A: Tattoo Pain

Tattoos are awesome. Theyre truly a unique experience. Its a right of passage in some cases and cultures. Its a way to challenge oneself with their bodies and minds. In my personal experience of getting a tattoo some things never change. I still get a little nervous before the procedure but, I already know what its going to feel like. As soon as the process starts its almost instant regret and asking yourself "Why the Fuck am I doing this?" The pain is temporary and in most cases you might remember the level of pain you felt in some spots and you may not feel it as much in others.

Pain Levels

The one question I get asked alot: "Will it hurt?"

Fuck yes it hurts, youre literally getting stabbed with metal. Its not like getting a hypodermic needle shoved in your veins. No, it will not go into your veins either, unless the artist doing it is ridiculously heavy handed.

This chart gives a general idea of the levels of pain one might experience when getting a tattoo. Pain has always been one of the biggest issues when it comes to someone making up their minds in getting a tattoo. Sometimes, a client may change the placement completely which will possibly change the flow of the design in some cases. Placement is key... thatll be a whole other post.

The most painful spots on the body are usually where the skin and fat tissue is the thinest. The needle penetrates the 4th layer of the dermis where the ink stays forever. Your nerve endings are everywhere on your body and react to the pain. Your endorphines are a natural way for your body to take the pain to a tolerable level. So its, important to make sure your blood sugar levels are higher then usual as you need sugars to help deliver the endorphine chemical to the pain receptors. Your adrenaline is also something that is triggered as your body is in a state of shock. This is why you might see tattoo shops with a jar of candy. Just for these reasons.

There is no way of escaping the pain. I say it all the time: "Tattoos are more annoying then painful, we can handle the pain the question is... for how long?

Most people can sit thru a tattoo. In my experience the average time most people can sit is about 3 hours. By then your body is starting to shut down and can no longer deliver enough chemicals to your pain receptors and thats when it becomes more dangerous to you as you can go into a deeper level of shock and pass out. This is never fun for a client and puts stress on the artist, safety should always be top priority for an artist.

I hope some of this information helps in how the pain levels differ from each spot on the body. If you have any other questions about Pain with tattoos feel free to leave a comment below and Ill answer it to my best ability. If youre someone who has experience and good advice to give... I highly encourage it!!

Good luck!!