Introduction

Human fingers are one of the most active parts of the body because they are used for many purposes, from scratching to holding anything around. While human fingers are useful body parts, they are still small and prone to pain. 

Hence, if you decide to have a tattoo on your finger, this article intends to introduce you to the expectation, and you’ll learn about some basic tattoo aftercare. After all, one of the most stylish and well-liked areas to have a tattoo these days is on the finger. It is the reason why celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Beyonce, and Johnny Depp have their fingers tattooed. Finger tattoos look fantastic and seem to look good on everyone. They’re often charming, fascinating, little, and can be hidden, which is great if you don’t want any significant physical changes. 

So, finger tattoo pain is inevitable when getting tattooed on this portion of your body. According to New Zealand tattoo artist Gaia Rowntree, fingers are particularly sensitive to pain because there isn’t much muscle or fat to cushion the area. As a result, you can plainly feel the bones and knuckles under the skin, as finger tattoos are sometimes regarded as being sharper and punchier than tattoos on other places of the body. 

But the discomfort can be worthwhile. How badly do they hurt, really? Let’s answer some common questions about finger tattoos.

Do Finger Tattoos Hurt

Yes. Finger tattoos hurt because human fingers lack muscle or fat that protects them during needle penetration. Without this protection, fingers are more susceptible to being pierced by a needle and experiencing pain from the needle’s impact on sensory nerves. 

Additionally, fingers have sensitive nerve endings. It explains why the fingertips are so sensitive to touch sensations and why humans can feel hot or cold with their hands so rapidly. When tattooing, this leaves very little comfort for pain. Nevertheless, as some would claim, the pain from finger tattoos could yield good advantages after the process, which include:

  • Simplicity of design
  • Aesthetic appeal
  • Discreet due to the small size

Meanwhile, here are the reasons that justify some people that the painful experience during the finger tattoo is not worth the patience.

  • Quick fading
  • Hard to maintain its cleanliness
  • Too expensive
  • Limited design 

How Much Do Finger Tattoos Hurt?

Compared to tattoos on other parts of the body, finger tattoos yield a high level of pain. Unfortunately, there are more pain signals sent when a location has more nerve endings than the fingers have. Since the skin on the fingers is so thin, the needle will be piercing nearly to the bone. While the needle is moving, this may result in unpleasant vibrations. Some people have equated obtaining a finger tattoo to being burned with a hot poker, while others have compared it to stinging pain. However, because everyone has a varied pain threshold, we are unable to provide you with a specific response. What we know is that it hurts a lot.

Therefore, choose another body part if you have a poor pain threshold and are not absolutely keen on getting a finger tattoo. If you want to have a finger tattoo, keep in mind that, despite the discomfort, finger tattoos are small in size. You won’t have to endure the pain for too long because little tattoos are easier to get done. Additionally, you can still be determined to have a finger tattoo because there are ways to lessen the pain, which we are about to discuss next.

Which part of the finger hurts most to get tattooed?

Even though the finger is very small, different regions of the finger experience varying levels of pain. It is one of the reasons why it’s difficult to determine exactly how much pain a finger tattoo causes. As said by some tattoo artists, the closer the nail penetrates during the tattoo, the more pain it gets. So, there could be much in any part of the finger, including the knuckles, because they are too thin due to a lack of fats and muscles.

Ways to Make Finger Tattoos Hurt Less

Here are some suggestions to lessen the discomfort if you’re still determined to get finger tattoos.

Stay Hydrated

To maintain an adequate amount of water in your body, you have to avoid drinking too much alcohol and caffeine. Not only do these drinks make you dehydrated, but they also thin your blood, which makes getting a tattoo more painful. In addition to this increase in discomfort, your weak blood might not clot properly, and the ink might not adhere to your skin as well.

Drink enough water to stay hydrated because your skin, your body’s largest organ, benefits from it. For the week before getting your tattoo, you should drink lots of water.

Apply Moisturizer

Make sure you moisturize your skin the days before your tattoo appointment since this is another technique to hydrate your skin. It’s important to learn how often to moisturize new tattoo. Use unscented moisturizer twice daily, and make sure your skin is completely dry before applying it to ensure optimal absorption.

Try Using a Numbing Cream

Numbing creams can lessen the discomfort of getting a finger tattoo. These creams are available with over-the-counter anesthetics and can be applied 30 minutes beforehand. The usage of numbing creams should be discussed with your tattoo artist before getting inked because they can make the process more difficult for some tattoo artists.

Additional Features To Consider

In addition to the previous information, additional factors need your consideration regarding finger ink, such as the fact that they can experience rapid fading and blowouts and require numerous touch-ups.

Rapid fading

How long do finger tattoos last?

It is the most often-asked question about finger tattoos. It’s crucial to understand that different body parts react differently to tattoo ink. Finger tattoos often don’t hang on to ink as well as other regions because humans constantly wash their hands and utilize them for daily tasks. This also applies to body parts that are continually bending, such as your elbows, knees, and knuckles. Thus, avoid having a finger tattoo if you’re determined to make it endure as long as possible without touch-ups.

Numerous Touch-ups

With a few touch-ups, the tattoo fading can be “restored,” but many tattoo artists don’t think it’s worth the cost. You will need to spend a lot of money, and you will need to get touch-ups periodically because one session is insufficient for a tattoo on your finger that is starting to fade.

Blowouts Risk

Many tattoo artists need help to get things right because fingers aren’t exactly the best spot for tattoo placement. For instance, numerous nerve endings and very thin skin are on the fingertips. Additionally, the tattoo artist must strain the skin while tattooing, contributing to skin thinning and problems like ink spread.

As a result, a blowout is possible, and the tattoo gets hazy. When the tattoo needle pierces the skin too deeply, ink spills from behind the tattoo lines, causing a blowout. The tattoo becomes fuzzy and generally unappealing as the ink subsequently extends past the tattoo’s lines.

Final Thoughts

Yes. Finger tattooing is a painful process. It leads to the most painful tattoo locations in the human body. Thus, finger tattoos come with things that you should consider, including their pros and cons, the level of the pain, and the ways to make it less painful. Above all. If you decide to go with a tattoo, talk to your artist first to assess the most convenient way to execute this wonderful piece of art.