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Original poster

Just HOW painful is a tattoo?

33 replies

Bomper · 20/01/2006 20:14

I am seriously considering having a small tattoo on the back of my shoulder, say a butterfly or flower or something. But just how painful are they? My SIL had rather a large one done across the small of her back and said it wasn't too bad, but she could just be saying that to tempt me into doing it. Anyone here had one done?

OP posts:
jessicaandrebeccasmummy · 20/01/2006 20:14

shoulder - didnt hurt

bottom of my spine - OUCH!

starlover · 20/01/2006 20:15

it isn't painful at all really! it feels like dragging a pin across your skin... try it!
i have 2 and neither have caused me any real pain at all.... although first one i was zonked after a flight to canada and kept falling asleep! lol

spursmum · 20/01/2006 20:17

My shoulder didn't hurt except when he hit the bone.(I was quite skinny then)
My mum has 8 and says that the most painful are base of back, ankles, wrists, along the spine, basically anywhere where there is not a lot of flesh and a lot of nerve endings.

cerys · 20/01/2006 20:21

Mine's on my upper arm and that just stung a bit. My friend said that back of shoulder was ok but small of back hurt, but she's very skinny!

Elf1981 · 20/01/2006 20:22

I've got one on my back, but away from my spine, further to my hips, and tbh it just tickled. But I think that's because I'm well padded!!

funnyonion · 20/01/2006 20:25

I've got one on my shoulder and it was pretty painful.

tegan · 20/01/2006 20:39

I have 1 on my shoulder which didn't hurt at all and then a larger black celtic 1 right across the bottom of my back and the only place it hurt was towards my hips.

Jen1209 · 20/01/2006 20:50

I have them in the following: -

  1. Winged horse on top of left leg - no real pain
  2. Just to right of belly button, stretching up ribs (original design thing) - hurt like hell
  3. Right across base of back - hurt quite a lot
misdee · 20/01/2006 20:53

my most painful was the ring of flowers round my ankle, but that was mainly as it ached to hold it in position so it could be tattooed.

Blossomhill · 20/01/2006 20:54

shoulder - fine
ankle - did hurt, especially when going over the bone (and absolutely regret and hate it too, awful)

zephyrcat · 20/01/2006 21:13

It's not that bad and is the sort of pain that by the time you are home you've forgotten what it was like and are planning your next one!!

gossifer · 20/01/2006 21:16

my sis and i had a little flower by the ankle, we never got the colour put in (just the outline, which is v.pretty) because of the PAIN!

starlover · 20/01/2006 21:19

put it this way... it's far less painful than childbirth! lol

FrannytheQuinoaEater · 20/01/2006 21:21

Right over a bone or muscle is really quite painful, or, if you are skinny, or very muscly, very painful. Anywhere else a piece of p*ss IME.

They are a bit last decade now, Bomper, why don't you just dye your hair or something instead?

gossifer · 20/01/2006 21:22

i'll second that Sl, puts it in perspective!!!!!

Oliviab · 20/01/2006 21:27

Not as much as trying to do waxing / sugaring / epilady on yourself.
Got a tattoo on my upper arm and it didn't make me cry.
Gossifer: I love that idea of your flower, do you ever colour it in with felt tips?

QueenMab · 20/01/2006 21:34

Small dragon across hip which did hurt but only cos it was bony. Also, they stop and start so it's not constant pain or anything like that.

gossifer · 20/01/2006 21:35

oliviab - no - perhaps ds could though!

nightowl · 20/01/2006 21:39

not too bad at all. i have one on my shoulder, one on my hip and one on my foot (all no bigger than an inch). i would say it feels a bit like burning your hand on the oven, stings but ok. once the outline is done you dont feel it...it goes a bit numb. certainly less painful than a period anyway.

lanismum · 20/01/2006 22:37

mine were all fine, the one on my inner wrist stung a little, mainly the outline though, and after the first 10 mins you go kind of numb

Rhubarb · 20/01/2006 22:38

Err, the outline is the worst, the filling in is ok!

misdee · 20/01/2006 22:39

i found it more painful afterwards when its scabbing over. its like a bad case of sunbrn, then it starts to itch.

Rhubarb · 20/01/2006 22:40

Mine didn't itch.

sparklymieow · 20/01/2006 22:41

top of arms-ok didn't hurt
belly- hurt like hell and I felt so faint

boobyprize · 20/01/2006 22:50

mine was just a little sore as the were finishing the colouring in. I have a butterfly on my shoulder.They do do a test first with water to see if you can take the pain.I got cream from them to put on it and had clingfilm on it and it never scabed at all it was great