Tattoo Pain Survival Guide!
Apparently the second most googled question related to the tattoo industry is, “do tattoos hurt?” Well to give you a short answer. Yes they hurt. Of course they hurt! But not all tattoo pain is equal and not every tattoo session needs to be that bad. Here I’ll break down a quick over view of where to expect the most pain vs the least pain for a tattoo as well as how to prepare for your session so that the process can be as painless as possible.
First let’s talk about where it hurts the worst. It’s important to mention right off the bat that everyone experiences pain differently. These are observations I ‘ve made both through getting tattooed and tattooing every day and watching people’s pain response. I would also like to make it clear that pain really should be the least of your considerations. Tattoos are for life so making sure you have the best placement and the most precisely executed tattoo when you leave is always paramount. Anyway moving right along. Let’s just default to the trusty spicy pepper meter to give us an idea:
Outer bicep 🌶️
Inner bicep 🌶️🌶️
Armpit 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Elbow 🌶️🌶️
Forearm🌶️
Chest 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stomach, ribs and back 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Knees 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thighs 🌶️🌶️
Calves 🌶️🌶️
Hamstrings 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Feet 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Hands 🌶️🌶️
Palms 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Neck 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Head 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Now if you would like to make life a little easier on yourself while getting tattooed here’s some do’s and don’ts to make the tattoo process painless, enjoyable and garner the best quality result.
Come well rested to your appointment, not exhausted or amped up on caffeine. Plenty of rest will help you manage the pain while excessive caffeine can constrict your blood vessels and stress your body out more.
Come well fed and hydrated to your appointment. Don’t skip your lunch! It really makes a huge difference coming to your appointment after having a solid meal. I recommend something with plenty of calories and with well balanced macro nutrients. I also recommend bringing snacks and plenty of water with you. Hydration is also critical. When our skin is dehydrated it is more sensitive to pain but also a little harder to tattoo which slows down the process. Even though you’ll just be sitting down it is a very physical ordeal to get tattooed so come prepared!
Relax into the pain. It may seem counterintuitive but rather than “muscling through” the pain with gritted teeth you actually want to relax as much as possible. It’s difficult to get it at first but once you find a rhythm of calm deliberate breathing and let go of all the tension in your body the pain becomes much more bearable. Every time you get tattooed it will be a little easier to do this.
Limit the spectators. Of course you want to show off your new tattoo to your friends and of course we want you guys walking in to the shop while you’re out having a good time with the homies! But when you’re actually getting tattooed try limiting the amount of people hovering over you. It’s hard to perform under pressure! So just pick one or two people to sit with you.
Take breaks when you need it. Just communicate with your tattoo artist. All our artists are incredibly kind and considerate people and are more than willing to accommodate you. So please do not hesitate to ask for breaks or adjustments if you need them.
