Hey tattoo people, a question for you...

MireyGal76

I have one on my side... it was a 6 hour piece that touches ribs, hip and wraps a bit to the back (kidney area). I do believe I've been told that these are some of the worst areas to do.

I was near my pain limit by hour 5... by hour 6 I was almost crawling off the table.

The only thing I can recommend is if it starts to hurt - focus on your breathing. Distract yourself.

Would I do it again... HELL YES! Planning my next one now!

RainHoward

Have someone slap you really hard in the spot you want the tat. About the time it stops hurting, have them slap you again. About 10 seconds after the second slap, that's what a tat feels like.

Yanicka1

I have a big tattoo from neck to hip on the right side of my body and almost fell asleep so it was not too bad LOL

The itching was a ***** tho.......oh and I did workout 48 hours after getting mine and it sting a bit bot nothing too bad

Restybaby2012

Getting my first tattoo on Saturday. It’s fairly small and going on my upper back, near my shoulder blade. My tolerance for pain is pretty high so I’m not too concerned about it but I am curious as to what to expect.

Be brutally honest, how much pain can I expect to be in and how long does the pain usually last for? What would you compare the pain to? How much should I eat before going in? I’ve heard that it’s important to have a good meal beforehand.

After the VERY first few strokes...you wont feel "pain" itself. You'll feel some degree of heat.....some pressure...and even some annoyance. The first few hits will actually numb you to some degree and it the tattoo-ist is any good you wont feel much of the rest.

mommy2kynnedy

For most ppl, they are more of an annoying feeling than painful. I have three....one is rather large. The first one I got I was in Miami on vacation, I enjoyed the experience, I went back and got another one the same day about an hour before getting on my flight. Like others have said, I enjoy the tattoo feeling. The only one that had some painful moments is the one on my ankle because it is all bone and no soft tissue, anything on a bone that has no real fat tissue (finger, back of forearm, ankle) will hurt a little but it isnt unbearable. Any pain you feel stops as soon as they are done. As far as healing, it just will itch as the skin heals...no pain.

AmandaKay26

Like a cat scratching a sun burn.
I have a thigh piece, a rib piece, biceps done and back of the neck.

You'll be just fine.
I don't remember eating before hand, and I felt fine.

laurin2010

Everyone's different as far as pain is concerned but it will hurt its a needle in and out of your skin lol and it depends where at. Although I have never had one where you are I have had one in my lower back and both feet. It was uncomfortable at first but it went a little numb after a while, seeing as though yours is to be small don't sweat it! It will be worth it at the end enjoy they are addicting!!!

Mama_Mila

There's nothing to them in my opinion...I've never worried about eating before or taking anything for the pain. To me it doesn't even hurt, I'm almost sad when they're finished haha, I love them!! And the sting that you do feel stop the second they stop...mine never continue to hurt. But I'm not gonna lie, the one on my rib cage wasn't the most comfortable thing lol

But I also have a high pain tolerence

akgordoa

I personally find that area immensely sensitive. I won't let anyone touch it with a needle. Lol its different for everyone though! If you want they have topical numbing creams out there if you don't want to feel much of it. After it wears off (and even if you don't use it) your skin feels sunburnt for a couple days. You can ice to help feel better, and tap not itch when it starts itching.

Edit: eat very little before going in. Eating too much can make you queasy. Eating too little can make you faint.

Source: aspiring tattoo artist.

anacsitham5

I had five kids with no pain killers (my contractions always started out 2 minutes apart and I had some looonnnggg labors). I have to say I didn't think I was wimpy. The one near my ankle hurt like hell when they were going over the bone. The outline wasn't bad it was the damn filling in with color, he just kept going over it and over and over..... :noway: He always stopped if I asked him to or moved to a different spot when he could tell I was hurting before he came back again to the sensitive spots. The one on the top of my foot didn't hurt that much at all.

Oh yeah, it is addicting. Once my abs are flat I am getting one above my hip bone. I think I will skip any color though

My friend had a numbing agent put on about 30 minutes before the tattoo. She had it done on her rib cage and she said it didn't hurt at all.

chu604

Feels like someone is pinching you and it only lasts as long as the needle is on
Most of the time it doesnt even hurt its just tender areas

I like the pain if you can even call it that..

ksemien

I have five. No spot was better or worse. Gets numb after awhile. For me it becomes more annoying than painful. I don't sit still for long periods of time w/o getting irritated lol. Good Luck!!

newCourtney

The guy who did my tat told me to eat something with sugar in it because people tend to be nervous before-hand. Then, they realize it isn't that bad and their adrenaline drops and they can get light-headed. I don't know how accurate that it, but I know I initially got a pins and needles, clammy feeling right after he started, but it went away after a few minutes. Mine is on my mid-back area and it wasn't intolerable, but there were parts of it that were uncomfortable. The outline to me was easier than the shading (I was told it is usually the other way around). My guy had some numbing spray he used after he did the outline, so by the time that kicked in, I didn't feel much of the shading part.

bethfartman

My smaller ones didn't hurt at all, but I had to sit for a couple 5-7 hour sessions on my large piece since the artist was from out of town and we needed to get it done while he was still in the US and that started to hurt after a while. Normally on pieces so large, though, they break it up into much more sessions so it's not as bad.
I didn’t cry when my leg was crushed underneath a car and nearly ignored a burst appendix, so I would say I have a high pain tolerance as well.

JacquelineD35

I have one in the same spot you're describing. It's not really painful its more of an annoying stinging sensation, enjoy your new ink.

PetulantOne

I have one on each shoulder. They didn't really hurt at all. It was a little worse when he got over by my shoulder blade, but still wasn't bad at all. Afterwards, depending on how heavy handed they are, it might feel a little bit like a sunburn for about a day. I recently got a tattoo on my wrist going up onto my palm, that hurt like hell. :explode: I'll think twice before getting one on a super sensitive spot again lol

Jester522

Left shoulder blade didnt bother me but the right gave me hell. Down the spine is dumb as theres no nerve endings. It just gets a nuisance where theres only bone and skin with nothing in between.

nangel4u

Mine were not painful at all but it does depend on where you get it and I have heard if its next to a bone it may be uncomfortable! I have one on each arm and they kind of tickled to mel ol!!!

kittenmcgowan

I've got an adorable little elephant between my shoulder blades. I thought it hurt rather a lot actually. More than my other ones on my lower spine and thigh, but that being said, it was nothing a little deep breathing couldn't take care of. First session ever was 3+ hours and the last hour was exhausting but I'm so glad I did and I'm really looking forward to getting my next one!!!!!

jzammetti

My ticker shows part of my most recent tattoo - she is on my left shoulder blade and her tail crosses out to my just under my shoulder joint. Her tail was the only part that made me want to move out from under the gun.

A lot of it depends on if your artist goes deep with the needle or not...and how close to the bone you get (at least for me the bone areas like my ankle hurt worse than my thighs, for example). Still, the shoulder blade was ok.

if the tattoo requires a lot of going over in a certain spot or whatever, you can expect that spot to remain sore to the touch for a few days...but just don't touch it except to treat and clean the tattoo and you will be fine.

shammxo

I have one on my left shoulder, and it didn't hurt at all... It just felt kinda itchy while they were doing it!

My "significant other" has tons of tattoos... Both of his legs are covered, one of his arms, his back and his chest, and he said that it hurt really bad on the shins, back and chest... But he said nothing about his arms.

korsicash

They don't really hurt that bad a bad sun burn burns worse. They are addictive. The only ones of mine I found difficult were near my wrist, in my inner elbow area and near the stick out bone of the ankle. Other wise my back a shoulders didn't hurt at all. Infact one of my shoulders felt like someone tickling the inside of my ear. Good luck!

Solisci

Since you say it is fairly small i would not worry too much, Eat something light and expect it to sting...yes it hurts but it is totally manageable. You will be okay, especially since its a small one!

Steve_Runs

Yucky poo.....kidding you will be fine. They are addictive just sayin'

Very addicting!

skylark94

I've always thought it felt like a bee sting. After the first couple of lines, it's just annoying. When it's healing, it feels like a sunburn or road rash.

veggiehottie

It should not hurt much right there, especially if you have a high tolerance for pain. It is almost like a pinching feeling, and not as bad as you would expect.

I actually cried when I got the tattoos done on my feet. Now THAT hurt. lol.

However, I have a large piece on my thigh/leg that took a total of 8 hours... That did not hurt a bit, and I actually kinda liked the feeling. (Although I did get sore from staying in one place for long periods of time!)

My "goal prize" is gonna be a back piece... CAN NOT wait!!!

Steve_Runs

I don't care what anyone one says, they are somewhat painful. It all depends on what pain means to you. I have 5 of them and a couple were no doubt a bit painful. Long lines and lots of fill can be the worst.

It sounds like you'll be just fine though. As for eating, I haven't heard that, but I suppose if you get queasy, you might not want to eat just before you go in.

Just go and enjoy the experience and start planning on where your next one is going to go!

rhvandan

They felt like scratches to me. Different LEVELS of scratches, but nothing unbearable. My neck, back, shoulders, shoulderblades, calf, and ankle barely bothered me, unless the artist was going over the same spot over and over again.
My finger and foot hurt quite a bit more. I still am able to crack jokes and breathe, so I'd say they were bearable. The adrenaline you feel helps to offset the pain.
The itching is WAY worse. I detest the healing period.

Whatever you do do NOT use aloe or Neosporin on your tats, they will F up the ink! A+D or plain, unscented lotion are best.
They make special "tattoo healing creams" but they're a waste of money and dont work as well as good old A+D.

Good luck!!!!!

saraemsweet

drink a beer or two. you won't feel a thing.

AmyFett

My longest was a 5 hour session and my entire back tattooed. Enjoy the pain, its part of the experience. And addicting.

They did your entire back in 5 hours!!?