Top 12 Least Painful Places To Get A Tattoo
21st Jun 17 7:46 am by admin
So, you want to get a tattoo. But the thought of a needle digging into your skin seems painful, right? Well, youre absolutely correct. Getting a tattoo hurts. Some people can withstand the pain, some cant. The pain of the tattoo needle entering your skin can be unbearable. But that all depends on the area you want to put the tattoo. The truth is there are some body parts on which getting a tattoo is less painful than others.
My advice is to avoid the painful sites and focus on the least painful places to get a tattoo. You will still get some ink, but it wont hurt as much. And the good news is there are more than 10 places where you can get a tattoo without any pain. Lets take a look.
Remember That Size Matters
While people generally fixate on the location on the body, Stanley Kovak, MD, cosmetic physician in Rockford, IL, theorizes that perceived pain is more about the size of the tattoo. The more you work, and the longer you work on the body, the more it hurts. When a tattoo is especially intricate, it requires more shading, more coloring, and a constant switching among various types of needlesall of this increases tattoo pain.
And The Least Painful Place To Get A Stick And Poke Tattoo
If your main goal when getting a hand poke tattoo really is to reduce your risk of pain as much as you can, placement isnt the only thing that matters. Namely, make sure you arrive to your appointment adequately prepared. I recommend that clients take a Tylenol, are hydrated, and eat a full meal before each tattoo appointment to make the process go smoothly for them and the artist, Scordino says. Missaghi says you can even ask your artist about using numbing cream if youre really worried.
Wherever you end up getting your next hand poked tattoo, rest assured that your undoubtedly stellar design will make every poke and bit of pain more than worth it.
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Most Painful Places To Get A Tattoo: Ribcage
The ribcage is a particularly painful place to get a tattoo, explains Fredrik, because “you dont have as much fat, muscle, or skin on your ribs, meaning you will feel the scratching of the needle a lot more.” He also suggests the heightened pain “could be down to the central nervous system, as the nerves surrounding the ribs are supposedly really close to the surface of the skin.” And one other reason a tattoo on your ribcage will hurt is that “the ribs move every time you breathe, which makes the tattooing process more painful.”
According to Fredrik, “the worst thing about getting a tattoo on the ribcage is that the pain doesnt let up. Ive had tattoos all over my body and usually after about 1-2 hours, once the body is used to it and stops reacting, the initial pain signals subside a little. This isn’t the case with the ribs, the level of pain is consistent throughout – for 6 hours in my case!”
Other Factors That Influence The Pain
Certain medical disorders may cause you to evolve more sensitive to pain. Some people have previous injuries, and they have heightened sensitivity in certain parts of the body. Some tattoo enthusiasts say tattoos cause more pain on the bone, while others claim its a matter of how thin or thick the skin area is. Dowdell acknowledges that neither of these is appropriate. Its a nerve-ending issue, Dowdell clarifies. As to skin thinness is concerned, youll get your hands top tattooed. Its thin and not painful. If you do get your finger tattooed, theres a larger amount of skin and an extra bit of tissue, but its much less painful.
Age may also include a lot of impact on the level of discomfort experienced while tattooing, according to Kovak. Younger skin isnt as painful as older skin because its tense and absorbs ink better.
Certain artists have more power than others, experiencing more pain. If youre sensitive, inquire with the studio for recommendations for the most gentle tattoo artist.
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The Most Painful Places To Get A Tattoo
While spots like the ribs and the throat are generally very painful, in reality, every person you meet with a tattoo will likely give you a different answer as to what hurts most. After all, pain level and pain tolerance are subjective, and what’s killer for one person might be a blip on the radar for another. That said, there is some consensus about what areas hurt more than others.
The Outer Shoulder And Forearm Are Also Good Options For Low
The outer part of your shoulder, much like your forearm, has thicker skin and fewer nerve endings than the underside of your bicep or the elbow area which are conversely very delicate. In describing the pain of shoulder and arm tattoos, Tattoo.com says you can expect a “dull background pain,” from both. These areas of the body are generally considered great choices for anyone with a low tolerance to pain or for a person getting their first ink.
Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told Allure magazine, “Arms and shoulders are typically less sensitive to pain and easier to access for the artist.” He went on to explain that a piece on his upper arm that took a little over an hour to complete, “didn’t hurt as badly as tattoos I’ve gotten on my wrist, behind my ear, on my back, and on my inner arm.”
The forearm is an especially good choice because it is less likely to swell up afterward, and according to Inked Magazine, is easy to avoid sleeping on at night while healing.
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It’s Not The Same For Everyone
While spots like the ribs and the throat are generally very painful, in reality, every person you meet with ink will likely give you a different answer as to what hurts most. After all, pain level and pain tolerance are subjective, and what’s killer for one person might be a blip on the radar for another. That said, there is some consensus about what areas hurt more than others. Read this before you get a tattoo.
Tattoos Can Be Painful To Remove Too
A professional who often removes tattoos with lasers in Kovak will be able to discern the other side of the discomfort. In the event of removal, its not so much as the tattoos position as the size of the tattoo. If the design is more significant than the usual size, its usually removed with an anesthetic cream applied to the skin.
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The Least Painful Place To Get A Tattoo
As males and females have different pain thresholds, we have decided to make a chart, where you can see the least painful place to get a tattoo for your gender.
Chart of the least painful places to get a tattoo for male and female
Now we want to get you a full explanation of why these parts of the body are not so susceptible to pain.
- Outer shoulders have a few nerve endings and thick skin. Here you will feel low or low-moderate pain.
- Outer bicep has a lot of muscle but a few nerve endings. Thanks to its building, the bicep is the most popular spot to get the first tattoo as you will be less likely to feel the stab of the needles.
- Forearm the skin is thick here and there are a lot of muscles. But be careful: the wrist area is more painful.
- Upper and lower back the further your tattoo from the bones, the less pain it will bring you. As the outer shoulders, upper and lower back also have thick skin and a few nerve endings. However, men usually have less fat in the lower back area therefore for them this place is more painful.
- Upper outer thigh here it is easy to endure pain. The thigh also has a small number of nerve endings but more fat than other parts.
- Calves they not only have a few nerve endings but they also have more cushion to the stab of the needles the same as the bicep.
The 6 Least Painful Places To Get A Tattoo
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Are you worried about experiencing pain with your first tattoo? The pain of the tattooing process is a very real fear for some people. In fact, some even try to choose the least painful place to get a tattoo to minimize discomfort. And choosing the best spot can, in fact, make the process more comfortable.
Finding an area with fewer pain receptors or more muscle mass can make the tattooing process only mildly irritating rather than excruciating. Some areas of the body, like the shoulder, bicep, calf, and thigh, are likely to be less painful than others. But of course, given that tattoos are permanent, getting what you want where you want it is important as well.
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What Kind Of Pain Does Tattooing Cause
The kind of pain you feel when getting tattooed varies from person to person. Some people may not even blink at the pain while others may bawl their eyes out. It is important for you to figure out your pain threshold and inform your tattoo artist about the same. Pain can be described in many different ways. While this hasnt been proven scientifically, these are a few types of sensations that tattoo pain has been described as:
Tattoo Pain Chest And Breasts
Whether youre a man or a woman, the pain from getting tattooed on your breasts or chest area is extremely severe. For men, the pain is around an 8, while women experience it at level 9 simply because breasts can be very tender!
Of course, that doesnt mean its a breeze for men
Female: Women have more flesh around and on the breasts, which makes the pain more severe. It gets particularly painful on the nipples.
Male: Men may experience less pain when tattooing the chest area, depending on the weight and shape of the muscles here. Still, the pain is rated as severe.
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Does Getting A Tattoo Hurt
Yes, getting tattooed hurts. Tattoos are inked with specially designed needles that prick your skin at a very fast speed. The speed is fast enough to pierce your skin but slow enough that it does not tear. Therefore, there is no bleeding during the tattoo process. Tattooing requires the needle to go beyond the superficial layer of the skin. This layer is known as the dermis. The dermis is capable of healing itself. That is why a tattoo must go beyond the dermis to stay permanent.
Pain During The Tattooing Process
During the tattoo making process, the tattoo artist hits the skin with a small needle. The pigment on the tip of the needle gets deposited at the top surface of your derma. This continuous needle pricking is what causes you pain during the tattooing process. You feel more pain when the tattooed skin is thin or there is less fat underneath it. Thats because fat tends to cushion the pin impact.
At the same time, certain body parts have more nerve endings than others. Due to this, you feel more pin pricks at certain parts to others. Thus, by choosing the correct pace to get a tattoo, you can make it a less painful experience.
As per opinion, the pain during tattoos is of several types. They are:
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Knees And Behind The Knees
The pain experienced in your knees and behind your knees depends on the conditions of your knees and your pain tolerance. Both males and females have a pain rating of 7 for the knee area. Tattooing directly on the knee cap or veins behind the knee is going to be more painful than those fleshy areas on either side.
Bear in mind that tattoos on the skin of your knees may take longer to heal too, as the skin here is constantly moving and stretching as you walk. This can prolong the pain.
Female: If the area around and behind your knees has a lot of loose skin, the tattooing experience may be extremely painful.
Male: Similarly to the female, loose skin that is easy to stretch could make tattooing a struggle. Luckily, the skin around the knees shouldnt cause more than moderate pain.
Elbows are a painful area regardless of biological sex. The elbow bone, or funny bone as they say in the UK, lays just under the skin, so the needle is in close contact with the bone when getting inked. Men are rated at level 8, while the women experience pain at level 7.
We based these ratings on feedback from tattooed men and women, so it could just be because women tend to have a higher tolerance for pain than men. Biologically, elbows are the same!
Female: The skin on the elbow bone may be severely painful to tattoo. The area around the elbow itself could result in extremely severe pain too, as the area is quite sensitive in general.
Other Factors Affect Pain
Certain health issues may make you more sensitive to pain. Some people have previous injuries, so they have heightened sensitivity in certain parts of the body, Dowdell shares. And some tattoo collectors postulate that tattoos hurt more on the bone. Others say its a matter of how thick or thin the patch of skin is. Dowdell thinks its none of the above. Its a nerve ending issue, he explains. As far as thinness goes, you can get the top of your hand tattooed, and thats pretty thin, but not very painful. But if you get a finger tattooed, its got a bit more skin a bit more tissue, but its a lot more painful.
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Least Painful Placements From The Female Tattoo Pain Chart
If youre a total beginner to tattoos, you might be worried about the pain. Well, no problem. Here are three areas that are low-pain for women these are typically low pain for men too, but there are some differences depending on your body.
As mentioned above, women tend to have fleshier hips, which means hip tattoos are a little less painful. Chest tattoos, however, are often more painful due to the sensitivity of your breasts. So, here are the 3 best low-pain tattoo placements for women who want to get their first tattoo:
Calves the fleshy part of your lower leg is a good spot for a first tattoo. Its easy to cover, it doesnt get in the way during the healing process, and the actual tattooing itself isnt too painful. So long as you avoid tattooing directly on the ankle or shin bones, its a great placement. Outer bicep although we see women favoring lower forearm tattoos, dont rule out a tattoo on your outer upper arm. This area is usually quite fleshy or muscular, which is good for reducing the pain. Outer thigh the top of your thigh or the outer side is fleshy and has few nerve endings. Furthermore, its quite a large and flat surface so you can get a large tattoo here! In general, thigh tattoos tend to be quite feminine so theyre more popular with women than men.
Weve made a lot of generalizations about women here, but you need to ultimately make a decision about your tattoo placement based on your own body. You know which areas are most sensitive for you!
How To Minimize The Pain Caused By Tattooing
- Have a good nights sleep. A good nights sleep will make you feel more comfortable and prep your body for a tattoo. You will also be more relaxed and less anxious when you are well-rested.
- Stay sober! Alcohol thins your blood, which is bad for the tattooing process. Apart from this, getting a tattoo under the influence of alcohol may lead to some less than desirable results.
- Ask your tattoo artist about numbing creams. Using a numbing cream may reduce the pain.
- Dont eat right before getting a tattoo on your stomach.
- Make sure your tattoo artist is experienced and certified.
- Take some candy or your earphones. Music and food can distract you from the pain and the tattooing process.
- Follow proper aftercare. Tattoos require time and care to heal properly. Follow the instructions properly to avoid post-tattoo pain.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated during the process.
- Bring a companion. Dont bring too many people but someone who can boost your morale.
- Be sure about your tattoo. Make sure that you are completely committed to getting a tattoo. If you are skeptical about getting a tattoo, you may be skeptical about the process, which may cause pain.
Here are some more things that you can do before getting a tattoo to make the process more comfortable.
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