How Much It Hurts To Get A Tattoo And How To Minimize The Discomfort

Many people have wanted to get a tattoo for a long time but do not dare: there is an opinion that it is very painful. People often say that it is the fear of unpleasant sensations that stops them.

Let’s not lie: yes, it will hurt, but how much depends on many factors.

We talked to experts and learned what painful sensations depend on and how to minimize them so that the cherished tattoo does not cause much discomfort.

Why It Hurts To Get A Tattoo

Often we can get a scratch or a small cut without pain. So why can’t this be the case with a tattoo? In this case, it depends on the pigment: how exactly it gets under the skin and which way the ink molecules go as they penetrate the tissue.

Human Skin Has Two Layers:

  • The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin, which is less sensitive and constantly renewed.
  • The dermis is the second layer, which is underneath the epidermis and is not capable of visible renewal. The dermis contains various glands, hair follicles, blood, and lymphatic vessels, as well as sensory cells and receptors that the epidermis lacks. They are the ones responsible for the pain sensation.

When dye molecules penetrate the dermis, the receptor cells send pain signals to the brain, reporting that the body is damaged and our safety is threatened. So it’s a vital function. But it’s one thing when it’s a single signal (e.g., a climber hurts his arm clinging to a rock), and another when it’s a whole series of 80-150 pulses per second (during tattooing).

In the latter case, this is evidence of increased danger for the brain. And such a condition, by definition, cannot be painless for the whole body. However, the widespread opinion about intolerable pain is not quite justified by experts.

The depth of needle penetration under the skin is so shallow that a tattoo can be compared to abrasion from a fall on the pavement in terms of the severity of skin damage. Many women say that waxing is much more painful.

Here Are The Most Painful Parts Of The Body To Tattoo:

  • ribs and thorax;
  • head;
  • the inner surface of the thigh;
  • the inner surface of the shoulder near the elbow;
  • feet;
  • the inner surface of the wrist;
  • fingers;
  • armpits