How to Prepare for Tattoo Pain

Whether it is your first time getting a tattoo or you're adding to a collection, the question of "how bad does a tattoo hurt?" is probably crossing your mind. The best results will come from a combination of physical preparation as well as mental preparation. The following is a comprehensive list of all the things you can do to make your tattoo experience as painless as possible, so keep readin

1. Get a Good Nights Sleep.

Good sleep is one of the most important things you can do to prepare yourself for getting tattooed. Getting tattooed is 75% a mental exercise in relaxation and focus, so you want your mind as sharp as it can be. As you are going to sleep, visualize a happy experience! Try and begin manifesting a relaxed state of mind the night before so you will wake up ready for a great experience rather than worried about a painful tattoo.

2. Drink Lots of Water.

Good hydration is always important but most especially before strenuous physical or mental activity. Getting tattooed can be taxing for both your mind and body, so make sure you are getting all the water you need. Properly hydrated skin is much easier to tattoo and will better resist becoming overly irritated.

3. Eat a Good Meal.

Getting your blood sugar levels up will help keep you balanced while getting tattooed. You might experience a small adrenaline rush during your tattoo, and adrenaline eats blood sugar. You want as much of a reserve as you can get in your body, so you don't lose patience, get irritable or feel shaky and weak.

4. Avoid Alcohol 24 Hours Before Getting Tattooed.

Alcohol can have several side effects on your body that will affect your sensitivity to getting tattooed. The physical side effects of processing alcohol can manifest as a heightened sensitivity to pain. Alcohol can also depress your mental acuity, making you irritable or stressed, which will make it harder to cope with the sensations of getting tattooed

5. Keep it in Perspective

It's essential to prepare for a tattoo with the right state of mind. Don't psyche yourself up. If it were truly traumatic, there would be much fewer people getting tattooed, and no one would get more than one. When you psyche yourself up, you're actually increasing your sensitivity. Don't let your friends psyche you up either! Often people either don't know what it's actually like, or they are exaggerating. No one has the same experience, so no one can tell you what yours will be.

6. Breathe and Relax.

Practice breathing and relaxation techniques. Start these calming techniques before you even leave for your tattoo appointment. Pay attention to your body and take note of places where you are holding tension and release it. Stretch, breath, relax.

7. Pace Yourself.

Don't try and imagine the entire thing as a huge event. See it as a series of small actions you are going to do. First, worry about getting yourself ready (see below). Then show up and get yourself to the start of the tattoo. When you are getting tattooed, each time the needle touches your skin, imagine you only have to get to the next pause when the tattoo artist wipes the area or has to dip their needle in more ink.

8. Take Breaks.

Talk to the artist about what they feel comfortable with and see if you can arrange for periodic breaks. While you are getting tattooed, try and imagine you only need to get to the next break. On a smaller scale, there will be many mini-breaks when the tattoo artist pauses to clean the area to get more ink. Just go from one slight pause to the next. Don't focus on the entire length of the whole process.

9. Stay Relaxed!

The best thing you can do to stay relaxed during your tattoo is to breathe! Pay attention to what your body is doing while you are getting tattooed. If you feel yourself tensing and clenching muscles or feel your breathing becoming short and fast, make yourself relax. Unclench muscles and focus on slow and steady breathing.

10. Bring Distractions.

Many people cope with the discomfort by bringing headphones for listening to music or watching a movie on their phone. Some people are comforted by friends or family. Other people like to bring stress toys to squeeze and relieve anxiety. Bring whatever you think will help you get into a comfortable, happy place. Just don't become a distraction for the artist, and remember to stay still.

11. Bring Snacks.

Snack breaks can be incredibly helpful. Tattooing can be very tiring, especially during longer sessions. Even with a good meal beforehand, you might feel your tank running low during a tattoo. Snacks will help you keep your blood sugar even and may even be a good distraction as well!

12. Pain Relievers in Small Doses.

Only use over-the-counter medications. Avoid blood-thinning effects. Tylenol is the only pain reliever I know of that does not have a blood-thinning effect. Do not exceed recommended doses. Ask your doctor for any medical advice regarding medications of any sort. 

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The previous list is the best start you can make for getting yourself into the best physical and mental condition you can for getting tattooed. However, there are several topics worth discussing that warrant special attention. Keep reading to get a better idea of how the pain of a tattoo affects the body.

If the pain of getting tattooed is a concern for you, click the image below to shop for excellent numbing products!

Then continue reading below!

How Much Do Tattoos Hurt?

It is worth spending a little extra time on this topic because it's the main issue, and it needs a proper Perspective.

The fact is that the pain of getting tattooed is relatively mild. By comparison, stubbing your toe is much worse pain. The thing that makes getting tattooed seem so hard to endure is that it takes a long time and can be very aggravating.

Dealing with the pain is primarily a psychological effort of keeping it all in Perspective. Keep in mind that pain is a fight or flight response. It tells our body that something is wrong and we need to do something immediately or be permanently injured. Tattooing is not a life-and-death situation; it's just annoying!

It is the aggravation and annoyance that is the true culprit when it comes to the discomfort of getting tattooed, not the actual sensation itself. It is annoying to sit still for long periods and get poked with a tiny needle. This annoyance leads to a heightened sensitivity to the pain and general mental fatigue. That's why it's so important to maintain focus on relaxation and breathing.

What Does Getting a Tattoo Feel Like?

Everyone will describe the sensation of getting a tattoo a little differently.

The sensation of getting tattooed is best described as a hot, vibrating scratch. If you imagine crossing a sunburn with a cat scratch or bee sting feeling, you are very close to the sensation of a tattoo.

Whenever it is described in those terms, most people relax a bit and can stop worrying so much. Most of the anxiety about getting tattooed comes from fear of the unknown. That's why its so important not to psyche yourself up.

How Long Does Tattoo Pain Last?

There are two periods of discomfort you will feel during the process of getting a tattoo. First there is the sensation of the ink being inserted into your skin. Second, there are the sensations associated with healing your tattoo.

The pain of a tattoo only lasts for as long as the needle is on your skin. After the tattooing is finished, you will have some sensitivity in that area, similar to a mild road rash or sunburn.

Where Do Tattoos Hurt The Most?

There is indeed some variability in the pain you might feel from getting tattoos on different body parts. Different areas of the body will feel the effects of pain differently.

Tattoos will hurt more on top of or near areas of the body that are vital for survival. That means joints, areas near major arteries, and areas near vital organs will all be a bit more sensitive.

A helpful guideline to keep in mind is that anywhere on the body where you would be sensitive to touch or ticklish will be a more painful area to get tattooed.

It is important to keep in mind that the pain of getting a tattoo is all relatively similar. Any changes from more or less pain are still within a small range of the pain spectrum. Imagine a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is no pain at all, and 10 is the worst pain you have ever felt. Getting tattooed probably ranges between 3 and 5, regardless of where you get a tattoo. Nowhere on your body will reach 8,9, or 10.

Where is the Least Painful Spot to Get Tattooed?

There are many places on the body that do not hurt very much or nearly not at all. Anywhere on the body that is not near vital organs or joints will hurt less when getting tattooed.

The least painful part of the body to get a tattoo is the outside portion of the upper arm. The skin is tough, and there are relatively few nerve endings in this area. 

However, it is essential to keep in mind that nowhere will be pain-free, and even the least painful areas will be close to more painful areas so things can change quickly.

Do Tattoos Hurt More if You're Slim?

The myth that tattoos hurt more on slim people has been around for as long as I can remember. 

Tattoos do not hurt more on slim people. Your BMI has zero effect on how much the tattoo is going to hurt. Tattooing is a sensation that is felt on the skin only. The feeling only changes as the nerve sensitivity changes between body parts.

The myth of tattoos hurting more on skinny people stems from the fact that some places on the body where tattoos may hurt more are over areas where bones are closer to the surface. Such areas include the ribs, shins, elbows, etc. But it is not the fact that there is a bone close to the skin's surface that makes the tattoo hurt more, and some of the more painful areas are near areas that are very soft and fleshy.

Tattoo Pain Chart 

When using this chart to gauge pain, remember that, on a scale from 1-10, all tattoo-related pain is probably somewhere between 3 to 5 

It is also very important to keep in mind that these kinds of charts are highly subjective. Most of the discomfort you feel while getting tattooed is more of an annoyance, rather than a severe discomfort which means its mostly a head game. If you can stay relaxed, keep breathing, and don't let yourself get too overhyped, you will do fine.

What Hurts More, Linework or Shading?  

The process of tattooing happens in two stages, line work and shading. Each uses a different needle that will cause a different sensation.

The needle group for line work will hurt more but in a smaller area. Linework also moves from place to place faster, allowing the discomfort to dissipate quickly. Shading will hurt less, but it may become more aggravating over the long term because it takes longer to fill an area. 

The piece of tattoo equipment called "the needle" is actually a group of needles grouped in specific configurations. Needles used for line work are bound in tight, very narrow configurations. Shading needles are arranged in looser, broad configurations. Think of getting poked by a pin vs. getting poked by a pencil. The pencil's point's surface area is wider than the pin's, so the pencil poke will hurt less. A similar effect is happening with needles used for lining and shading.

Does Color Tattoos Hurt More Than Black and Gray?

There is a myth surrounding the sensation of getting a tattoo. The belief is that different types of ink will hurt more than others.

There is no difference between the way color is applied in a tattoo and how shades of grey are applied. The only difference is that a tattoo with color may take longer than one just done in shades of black, and the longer a tattoo takes, the more irritated it might become.

To put it another way, the only things that will affect the sensation of a tattoo are the type of needle used, where on the body the tattoo is being put, and how long the tattoo takes.

Can You Use Numbing Cream Before a Tattoo?

Only recently have topical anesthetics been developed that are compatible with the process of tattooing.

Topical anesthetics can be purchased over the counter, but care must be taken to choose the right brand. There are only a limited few brands that will not adversely affect the application or the healing of a tattoo. 

Some brands will cause the skin to have a strange texture while being tattooed. Others may interfere with a normal healing process, and others may not be used on large areas of the body for long periods.

From personal experience on myself and with clients I have had good results with the brand Hush. If you are interested, you can purchase this product from the linked image below. I never recommend a product I wouldn’t use myself!

What Can I Take Before a Tattoo to Ease the Pain?

It might be tempting to prepare for a tattoo by taking medications to ease or eliminate the pain. This should be avoided or only used in tiny amounts.

The only medications that should be considered are over-the-counter Tylenol brands or their generic versions. Do not ingest pain relievers that will thin the blood or that require a doctor's prescription. 

Like drinking too much, the ingestion of powerful pain medications can impair your decisions or create difficulties fr the artist. The pain of getting tattooed isn't powerful enough to justify the risks involved with trying to medicate the pain away. If you are taking any prescription medications that you are concerned about, please consult your doctor.

Is There Any Painless Tattoo?

To date, there is no entirely painless method for tattooing. Even numbing creams may leave some minor sensation and are only a temporary effect. However, there may be such an option in the future.

Dutch researchers are developing technology that can apply tattoos using a tiny jet of ink applied to the skin. The mechanism involved can inject ink through the skin, yet the process produces almost no pain.

This technology is in the early stages of development. It may be years before an affordable product is available for public consumption. Until then, we have to do it the old fashion way, so practice your breathing techniques, relax, and keep telling yourself, "it's not that bad."

I promise you are going to survive. You will be o.k.!

Thanks For Reading!

If you ever want to ask questions or discuss anything you read here please feel free to reach out through the contact page or visit my Twitch channel and ask me anything in real-time! I stream Wednesday-Friday 10 am-3 pm PST.

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