How painful is a tattoo? Includes a ranking of painful areas and examples of pain!

When you want to get a tattoo for the first time, the first question that comes to your mind is “how much does it hurt?” is the first question that comes to your mind when you want to get a tattoo for the first time.

There are many examples on the internet and social networking sites, such as “It feels like having your skin scraped off” or "It feels like you are being cut continuously by a cutter. .

In this article, we will provide a thorough explanation of the pain ranking for each tattoo area, the difference in pain for each treatment process, tips on how to ease the pain, and frequently asked questions.

Whether you are thinking about getting a tattoo or are unsure about the pain, please refer to this article!

How painful is a tattoo?

In fact, tattoo pain is often described as a unique sensation that is a mixture of “sharp irritation, like a needle repeatedly tracing the skin,” and "gradual pain, like an abrasion.

In addition, the intensity of the pain varies greatly depending on the area. In areas where the skin is thin and bones and nerves are close by, the pain can be intense, “like a shallow cut with an unsharp cutter” or "like being rubbed hard with a gold scrubbing brush.

On the other hand, the back, thighs, and arms, which have more muscle and fat, are relatively painless, and many people say that the pain is "more bearable than expected.

The pain felt will also vary depending on your physical condition on the day of the procedure and the skill of the tattooist, so it would be difficult to accurately describe the pain in a general sense.

How would you describe the pain of a tattoo?

Everyone feels pain differently, and it depends largely on the area and the individual's sense of pain.

Among them, tattoo pain is often described by the following analogy.

Tattoo pain is often likened to the sensation of a needle repeatedly piercing the skin.

This pain is caused by the needle penetrating the skin at high speed to a depth of 1-2mm, and is more like a “sharp cut” or “irritating prick” than a puncture wound.

Tattoo pain by genre

Here we will introduce the pain of both hand and machine tattooing.

Pain of hand tattooing

In the case of hand-engraving, many people feel that the pain is relatively mild because the practitioner carefully inserts the needles one by one.

The sensation of pain is characterized by a thumping pain, as if the skin is being pricked in a steady rhythm.

Therefore, some say that hand-engraving causes more unevenness of pain, alternating between painful and non-painful moments, and that it is easy to feel fatigue after a long period of time undergoing the treatment.

On the other hand, some people feel that hand-engraving is less stressful to the skin than machine engraving, and that the skin tingles and heals more quickly after the procedure.

Since hand engraving tends to depend on the skill of the engraver, consider that the treatment time will be longer, and ask an engraver whom you trust.

Pain of machine tattooing

Machine tattooing has the advantage of shorter treatment time compared to hand tattooing.

However, the pain of machine tattooing differs from that of hand tattooing, with many people saying that they feel a prickling or burning pain in the skin.

In addition, machine engraving is more stressful on the skin and more painful because the needle is inserted into the skin at a high speed, about 80 to 140 times per second.

Many people find the “muscle carving” process to be particularly painful, and the pain increases with extensive treatment and long sessions, so beginners should start with a single point.

[By tattooing process] Tattoo pain

There are three types of tattooing processes: omakami, blotting, and crushing.

Here, we will show you how to feel the pain of each of them.

Pain of Muscle Carving

Muscle carving is an important part of the tattooing process that outlines the design.

Because a small number of needles are concentrated in one spot and penetrate the skin at high speed, many people say that "the most painful part of the tattoo process was the muscle carving.

Therefore, the pain is more severe on the skin, especially in areas close to the bone or where the skin is thin.

Blurring and Fill-in Pain

Blurring and filling are processes used to give depth and three-dimensionality to the tattoo design.

Blurring and filling is often likened to the pain of being rubbed hard with a stone or a gold brush, as the ink is applied to the skin using five to 40 needles and back and forth.

The pain itself is softer than muscle carving, but the pain will tend to increase over time due to the large area being treated and the long duration of the procedure.

Ranking of painful areas for tattoos

Right: for men, Left: for women
(see: https://www.healthline.com/health/body-modification/pain-tattoos-chart#pain-chart)

The above research from an overseas site shows painful areas by color for men and women.

The top 5 ranking of the most pain-prone areas are as follows.

These areas are considered to be particularly painful because there is little fat and bones and nerves are close together.

Beginners should try to avoid areas that are prone to pain when getting a tattoo.

Summary of Tattoo Pain

In this article, we have described how tattoo pain is felt in different genres and tattooing processes.

Tattoo pain varies greatly from person to person and depends on the area to be treated, the design, and the duration of the procedure.

To reduce pain, it is important to prepare well and relax before the procedure.

If you are a beginner, try to avoid areas of the tattoo that are prone to pain.