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Original poster

Ok be honest how muxh does a tattoo really hurt?

61 replies

CharleeInPantoPapaerChains · 06/12/2008 23:35

Just tell me if i hurt and how much, can you compare the aoin to something as well please. I have a split group of people who claim it was agony and some who say it didn't really hurt at all.

BE HONEST!

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 07/12/2008 00:12

you will not want just one afterwards... very addictive. I am already planning the next one (an angel with butterfly wings)

Original poster
CharleeInPantoPapaerChains · 07/12/2008 00:13

Ok well im off to bed! Thanks for all your help guys.

OP posts:
MissAnthrope · 07/12/2008 00:20

RE: placement - have a long hard think about this.

The majority of reputable artists will not tattoo the front/side of the neck as a first tattoo, and many will only tattoo the neck of a client with a LOT of coverage due to the stigma involved.

If you're just going for a smallish symbol below the ear that can be covered (or even the back of the neck) then fair enough, but going for the front/side of the neck is a big decision.

SparklyGothKat · 07/12/2008 00:24

i agree, my tattoos are in places that can be covered, I have none on my lower arms, legs or neck. I can show them off but if you met me you would know I had any unless I showed them to you

SparklyGothKat · 07/12/2008 00:25

'would not'

tenacityflux · 09/12/2008 22:20

I had two large shin/calf pieces done on London Ink - 8 hours straight - and although I would agree that outline does hurt - think pin dragging across skin - the colouring is kind of nice - the tatooist said he's never seen anyone have so much done in one go and make so little fuss ! Child birth does hurt more but the most painful ever was the tattoo on my arm when it went underneath over the fleshy part - that made me scream!

FriendNeedsHelp · 09/12/2008 22:22

I have a small b/w tattoo on the fleshy bit by my right shoulder. It hurt a LOT less than I expected it to; in fact, it was really not painful at all.

I would not have one near a bone though.

lizandlulu · 10/12/2008 12:43

i have a saying across the top of my foot and that really really hurt, but like others have said, they are addcitive and you want more, so i had another 2. luku on the inside of my wrist, which again really hurt and i couldnt wait for him to finish and then a small strayy coloured pattern on the side of my hand, which didnt hurt hardley at all. i could actually have a conversation with the tattooist.

tenacityflux, 'london ink'!! i am impressed

lizandlulu · 10/12/2008 12:44

lulu in my wrist, not luku!!

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 10/12/2008 12:57

Honestly?

I found it worse than labour.

harleyd · 10/12/2008 12:59

its really not that bad, its a bit nippy on the spine tho
its kinda nice actually, in a weird sort of way...or is that just me

MerlinsBeard · 10/12/2008 13:03

I have oine at the base of my spine going up to the middle and it hurt like a BASTARD. I was extremely thin (pre DCs so would have been a 6 with NO body fat AT ALL) i felt every VIBRATION UP MY SPINE (sorry hit caps) but the outline was the worst, like someone said its ike having an injection but it dragging, the colour felt like wasp stings but lots of little ones. and afterwards it was like sunburn for quite afew days.

Having said all that i do want another!

MerlinsBeard · 10/12/2008 13:04

oh, it took 2 hours start to finish but 15 mins of that was me hyperventialting because i forgot to breathe

boredveryverybored · 10/12/2008 13:05

I found it painful at the start, you know if you scratch yourself over and over in the same place and it gets painful?? (I know what I mean ) It's like that, but after 5 or 10 mins the pain dulls, I think you get used to it more than anything, and it's just an irritation more than pain
I have a large tattoo on my back, 10 mins into it, it dulled to not being painful at all, except for a few places (directly over the spine) which did hurt, but not horrifically.
I certainly wouldn't say it was anything like as painful as labour!

MincePirateCat · 10/12/2008 13:09

i found mine very painful. it rather shocked the shite out of me actually.

lower back.

then i had another a few yrs later!! above ankle, still hurt but was not as bad, but it was also tiny.

XmasFairyGrrrl · 10/12/2008 13:17

i haven't read all the posts, so apologies if i'm just repeating what others have said. Generally, the pain is like a dragging, burning sensation. The 'worst' places for the pain are feet, ribs and inner arms. Yes, it does hurt, but generally women deal with the pain better than men.

I have quite alot of coverage, some sittings were painful but quite bearable, others were pushing it a bit, painwise.

superdenki · 10/12/2008 15:23

I've got one around my ankle and it felt like a chicken scratch, do you remember them from being a kid?
not too unbearable and you do get an endorphine rush afterwards - I was well up for getting another one straight away.
a good friend of mine has lots of tattoos including on both sides of his neck, but he said the one going round his belly button hurt the most out of everything.

FruitynNutty · 10/12/2008 15:28

I can tell you now that it was the single most painful thing I've ever had done (although, so far not actually given birth so cannot compare to that)
It felt like being scratched by a cat so deeply and continuously for half an hour! I would never ever do it again.

FWIW, it was on the small of my back so maybe if it was on a fleshy bit it might not have hurt so much? I don't know, not planning on finding out!

Good luck

crumpet · 10/12/2008 15:34

Well I fainted part way through...

Flower3545 · 10/12/2008 15:44

I had my first (and only) tattoo done a few weeks ago. A small rose on my boob and it hurt like hell.

I was expecting it to hurt but it far exceeded my expectations.

The man who did mine said there is a numbing cream you can buy from chemists and I wish I'd known about it beforehand.

I also gently rubbed bepantham nappy cream on to it for a week afterwards 3 x daily and mine didn't scab at all

MincePirateCat · 10/12/2008 16:14

fruit and nutty i feel that pain, that's how mine felt too!!

NomDePlume · 10/12/2008 16:18

God, I can't remember, it was 11 years ago.

I don't recall it being agony, more like someone scratching you with a somthing blunt, sounds stupid but I know what I mean.

FWIW, I want to have my tattoo removed. I suspect that will be more painful than the tattoo itself. If I had my time again I wouldn't get a tattoo in the first place.

MincePirateCat · 10/12/2008 16:20

nondeplume, where is your tattoo?

MincePirateCat · 10/12/2008 16:21

sorry Nomdeplume I was nondeconcentrating!!

NomDePlume · 10/12/2008 16:22

Top of my right arm

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