Yes, getting a tattoo on your body hurts, even at the removal of the tattoo. But it is subjective i.e. different people have different levels of pain tolerance. The level of pain also differentiate on the basis of –
- Safety tips used by professional tattoo artists
- The body part on which you are placing the tattoo
- The size and style of the tattoo
- The technique of the tattoo artist
- Your physical health
Doing a tattoo repeatedly pierce your skin as the needles work like a sewing machine. Stinging, scratching, burning, vibrating, dullness is the effects of tattooing. It generally requires 15-30 days to do away with pain. But this pain can certainly be minimized to an extent and here are the Safety tips used by professional tattoo artists that decreases the intensity of the pain –
- A licensed artist – An experienced tattoo artist will always engage you with a conversation and will ask for feedback regarding pain. He/she will ask if it is getting too much painful and will let you take a break. Professional artists have Tattoo Kits with all the integral safety tools inside them. A professional artist will take less time to finish the tattoo and will maintain good hygiene in the shop. Make sure you go to a licensed artist only. Knowing your artist beforehand can also help you in the session as you’ll be able to hold a conversation with them.
- Picking up a less sensitive body part – Professional tattoo artist always recommend getting a tattoo on particular body parts as these body parts are less sensitive – Outer upper arm, forearm, front and rear shoulder, upper and lower back, upper chest, outer and front thigh, and calf. More sensitive parts that are generally not used for making tattoos are – forehead, lip, ear, neck, finger, stomach, etc. It is also not suggested to make a tattoo on the body part which has some accidental history as it can have an inner injury.
- Sleep – Tattoo artists ask their customers for resting and sleeping for a brief amount of time and also tell them to maintain a good sleeping schedule for some days. Having a good sleeping schedule can really help you to recover from the pain.
- Medics – Professional artist never ask their customers to take pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen for 24 hours prior to the tattoo session. These medications can make your body thin and can increase the tattooing process.
- Health – Never take a tattoo session when you are sick, even a little bit. The sickness can really increase the sensitivity to pain to a great extent and your tattoo will take much longer to heal.
- Drink water, not alcohol – Might sound irrational but it is not. Dry skin is more pain-sensitive. So before the session keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough water. Also, avoid consuming alcohol for at least 24 hours before the session because alcohol causes dehydration, makes your body thin and increases pain sensitivity.
- Eat – Low blood sugar increases pain sensitivity. Have a meal before the tattooing session. Also, the session might take a while and you want to avoid the dizziness caused by hunger.
- Breathing – Professional artists will ask you to breathe steadily and deeply. This will make your body relax a little bit.
- Distractions – You are obviously allowed to carry headphones to the session. Listen to your favorite music to distract yourself from pain or you can also ask a friend to come along and have a conversation. That will shift your attention from the pain.