How bad does a tattoo hurt?

6ftamazon
6ftamazon Posts: 340 Member
in Chit-Chat
Well since I was in my early 20s, I've wanted a specific tattoo. Now that I'm losing the weight, I feel that a reward when I get to my goal is to get the tattoo I've always wanted. I'm thinking about a few inches big, and either in the centre of my upper back or on my left shoulder. So my question is, how bad do they hurt? Lol
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Replies

  • azrubael
    azrubael Posts: 65 Member
    I find them relaxing. Some of it will depend on where you intend to get it, and your personal pain tolerance.
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    Depends on what and where.
  • 6ftamazon
    6ftamazon Posts: 340 Member
    I'm thinking either at the middle part of my upper back or on my left shoulder blade.

    I don't think my pain tolerance isn't too bad...I think I'm a wimp lol, but I've had friends tell me that I seem like I can handle pain well

    But thanks for the replies :)
  • kxbrown27
    kxbrown27 Posts: 769 Member
    They don't hurt at all. I find the feeling to be more annoying than anything. The only time I felt even a small bit of pain was on my wrist bone, but even that wasn't bad. Just enough to make me feel alive.
  • FabulousFantasticFifty
    FabulousFantasticFifty Posts: 195,832 Member
    I'm addicted to getting Inked. Hard to not go back every week.:tongue:

    Just choose wisely that tat's gonna live with you the rest of your life! :smile:
  • LouisianaHotSauce_93
    LouisianaHotSauce_93 Posts: 184 Member
    Like my tattoo artist said, " it's a tattoo it's gunna hurt! You gotta choose if it's worth it."
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    Shoulder blade will hurt less than the middle of your back. But it's still dependent on what you get inked. The more intricate it is, the more it will hurt. Areas that are more muscle/fat hurt less. Areas that are bonier hurt more. My sternum with single needle outline was by far the most painful of all my tats.
  • jboccio90
    jboccio90 Posts: 644 Member
    Adrenaline kicks in after a few minutes and it really doesn't hurt after that, like someone else said its more of an annoyance than a pain.
  • kimothy38
    kimothy38 Posts: 840 Member
    I'm a wuss and prefer to avoid pain if I can. In New Zealand there's a cream called Emla which is a topical anaesthetic and wears off after an hour or so - I used with my first tattoo and have also used it on the kids when they've had injections. See if you can get something similar.
  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
    if they hurt so badly, nobody would have more than one...kinda like kids.

    relax...just kidding about the last part.
  • Giddyduck
    Giddyduck Posts: 212 Member
    I had mine done a few years ago. The infamous "tramp stamp" before I knew that they were called that it hurt terribly. I would like to think that I have a relatively high pain tolerance but it sucked and it has held me back from having my second one.

    I want one on my foot which I hear hurts bad. I am waiting until I hit my next goal and deciding.

    Good luck!
  • beardedwarriortx
    beardedwarriortx Posts: 238 Member
    The tattoo of a battle ship that I got on my privates hurt bad! My other tats didnt really hurt.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    It will depend greatly on the exact location and how much "padding" you have over the bones and nerves. A meaty area like the upper arm doesn't hurt much at all. Places close to bone like the spine or hipbone hurt more, and if the needle goes over major nerves close to the skin, you'll have displaced pain, which is where you feel the pain in a completely different part of the body. For example, my hip tattoo was felt in my armpit and down my thigh. My back tattoo was felt all through my chest and arms and down my sides. The larger it is, and the more densely colored, the more it will hurt, although a good tattoo artist with a high-speed needle with lots of vibration hurts less than an inexperienced one.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,341 Member
    I have one on my lower stomach/almost pubic area. Because it is a fatty area, it doesn't hurt as much as a lean/boney area and I didn't think it was too bad. I recall saying at the time it hurt less than a brazilian!
  • Hollie_downunder
    Hollie_downunder Posts: 192
    I had my first and only tattoo down my ribs to my hip - ribs are supposed to hurt some of the worst but i didn't think it was bad at all, just had to breathe through it during some of the outlining on the bone, the colouring in doesn't hurt at all - i could handle that all day! :)
    Mine was to remember my baby that i miscarried - so when it hurt i just kept thinking; having a baby would hurt more, it will be worth the pain!


    Have a good think about, make sure its something that you really want and means something to you :)

    Good luck!
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
    the one on my neck made my skull rattle

    that **** hurt a lot
  • 6ftamazon
    6ftamazon Posts: 340 Member
    Thank you very much everyone :). I'm definitely going for it...just have to decide where I want it, but I've got almost a year to decide lol
  • dhall2011
    dhall2011 Posts: 209
    Depends on where, the one on my left shoulder blade I almost fell asleep during. I would imagine near the spine would be extremely painful.
  • Alisontheice
    Alisontheice Posts: 9,611 Member
    Like someone said it's more annoying. I likened it to having a cut or scrape that you keep rubbing.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    its nothing that a little relaxation breathing cant cure. after a bit you get used to it and if the artist is really good they don't hurt you as bad and don't have to go over a line more than once unless its shading but even then its not so bad. its more annoying than anything. Of course its pain but a worth it kind of pain. you will be fine.
  • 949BeachMom
    949BeachMom Posts: 89
    The noise is more irritating. My artist laughed when I asked for cotton to plug my ears . But its a fast scratch and honestly I regret the 2 I have. Id get something very small.
  • Coltsforlife
    Coltsforlife Posts: 124
    i only have them on my arm but the worst pain was sitting still for awhile lol , i cant stand sitting in one spot for long
  • sixout
    sixout Posts: 3,128 Member
    It's different for everyone. My back didn't hurt at all though.
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
    go get one and find out!
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    I got one on my shoulder when I was 16 and had it recolored almost 2 years ago. It's a small butterfly. It was uncomfortable, mainly because a lot of it was on the bone. I also had a tramp stamp done the same day. much larger than my shoulder tattoo. Again, it was uncomfortable, but not unbearable.

    My husband has a very detailed skull tattoo on his arm and he had it recolored the same day I had my stuff done. It took over and hour for it to be recolored and he was pretty uncomfortable while it was being done.
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    I've got one on my neck behind my ear. My tattoo artist told me it's one of the least painful places to get a tattoo. I don't know if he was right because I never got another one, but it didn't hurt at all. It just felt like someone was lightly scratching me behind my ear.

    Several hours afterwards my skin felt a bit raw, as if someone had been scratching my skin repeatedly in the same spot for an hour. That went away fairly quickly though, the next day or so.

    It did not feel like I was being pricked with needles, which is what I was expecting it to feel like.
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Its really not as bad as you're going to psych yourself up for it to be. Go for it!
  • kdhamner
    kdhamner Posts: 309 Member
    I love tattoos and don't think they "hurt". I crave tattoos actually. Getting my 3rd one soon. The only reason I haven't had it done yet is because I can't decide where to put this one. It is a very, very important one to me, and I want to make sure I have no regrets as to where I place it.
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
    like a cat stratching you!
  • TLB86
    TLB86 Posts: 275 Member
    Obviously it will hurt, it's a needle! BUT it's bearable!!

    I had my shoulder blade done when I was 15 (good job I don't regret it lol) and have had a long one on my wrist (redone twice) which hurt more. My should was just annoying whilst my wrist, especially around the wrist bone, was awful but only because I was sat for 7hrs going over the same parts as my tattooist was a bit of a pefectionist.

    How does it feel? Well I'd describe it as a red hot needle scratching over and over. The area gets very warm but nothing so bad that you won't go back and have another lol. You think never again and then when it's done it's like 'wow what next'!!!

    Go on and enjoy :bigsmile:

    (I am planning my next)

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