INKEDblog takes you beneath the skin of today's tattoo culture. Our mission is to celebrate tattooing as a modern art form which incorporates art, fashion, style, and pop culture. While paying homage and respect to the past, we look to present a contemporary take on the present and future of skin art. getinked@inkedblog.com

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Thursday  Jun 08, 2006

Dear INKEDblog: Which One Is More Painful?

Dear INKEDblog,

I was thinking about getting a tattoo, and I thought of two places- my lower back or on my ankle. Which one is less painful? I can stand pain but just not a lot.

Do ya know??
~Tasha

Dear Tasha,

When you get tattooed on a spot with little fat, like your ankle, generally it hurts more than a fleshier place, like the outside of your upper arm. Upper arms are generally considered the least painful places to receive tattoos. The back however, although it is fleshier than the ankle, is often considered a painful spot because of the many nerve endings. In addition, parts of your skin that are more delicate, like the underside of your arms and the sides of your torso, can also be quite sensitive.

This is all relative, of course. Some people describe the pain level like that of a sunburn, for others it is more intense. People’s individual pain tolerance levels are completely unique. Many people get matching tattoos with a friend or partner, in the same spot on their bodies, and have completely different experiences with regards to the level of pain.

Wherever you chose to place your tattoo, there are several things that have been proven to help increase pain tolerance.

1. Have a light, protein-rich meal prior to your appointment.

2. Take some ibuprofen a half-hour before the session. (This is typically fine with most artists, though check with your artist before taking any medication.)

3. Drink a lot of water before going into the studio.

4. Do not drink alcohol before your session and do not come to a tattoo session hungover. It’s bad for the tattoo because alcohol thins the blood, but it also increases sensitivity in many cases.

5. Relax! This is hard sometimes, but tightening your muscles really causes increased pain. If you hold yourself tense, you may be sore the next day as well

Remember, the pain of getting a tattoo is part of the experience!

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