Tattoo Pain Chart: Types and Factors for Numbing the Pain

During tattooing a recurring action is performed to puncture the skin with the help of an ink-filled needle. Pain during tattooing is the major thing a person can face. Intensity of pain depends on the tolerance of a person and also the technique the artist uses and it varies from person to person. While receiving a tattoo, you should be aware of which parts of the body face the extreme pain and the least pain?  For this purpose, a tattoo pain chart is the best way to make people aware of body parts with least and highest pain. Moreover, in case of any mishap during tattooing and you are unable to bear pain, then pain management physicians in Dallas are available to help you.

Factors That Affect Tattoo Pain

Factors that have a clear impact on the intensity of pain are as follows.

• Age 

As a person grows old, his skin becomes thinner as compared to an adult's skin. The lack of padding on the bones of skinny individuals can also contribute to higher pain levels.

•  Gender

Several studies have suggested that women experience pain more intensely than men. Maybe, a greater nerve density present in women makes them feel more pain.

• Endorphins

The pain associated with tattoos can be alleviated by hormonal fluctuations. Pain caused by receiving a tattoo can be relieved to some level by endorphins released within the body.

• The Artist’s Skill level

You may face a different intensity of pain depending on the artist you select. A highly skilled artist knows how to handle cases with extreme pain and how to deal with people during tattooing. A tattoo artist without appropriate skill can create different intensities of pain with poor handling.

• Experience

Psychological factors also have an impact on  pain like  those who have previously gotten tattoos know what can happen during tattooing, which makes the whole experience more manageable. Their bodies may respond better to pain after a series of tattoos.

• Tattoo characteristics

You will experience pain which depends on the type of tattoo you are receiving. You may experience more pain if you have a piece with densely filled lines than one with delicate lines. Therefore, more complex pieces can result in more painful sensations as more needlework is required.

What Do You Feel During Tattooing?

If you’re deciding to get your first tattoo, you may be curious how the experience will be. No doubt, everyone has a different body and mind and each tattoo experience is unique itself, tattoo artists know that there are different ways to elaborate pain. Recognizing yourself with these feelings, can help you familiarize yourself with what to feel when you get a new ink. It can also help you decide if anything is out of the ordinary or unusual. 

Types Of Pain During Tattooing

As described earlier, different people face different types of pain and other factors are also involved. Before tattooing, you should be aware of pain types you can feel. These are as given below.

• Pain with Dull Nature

 When your body produces stress hormones, the hormones numb the pain, causing it to convert in the background as a dull ache. Your intensity of pain may vary during getting a tattoo. However, distracting yourself with a tv show, conversation, or music can make you feel relaxed and stop the pain in the background.

• Burning Tattoo Pain

There is a burning sensation on your skin after prolonged contact with something very hot. The continuous piercing of your skin by needles over an extended period of time can cause excruciating pain. The pain caused by large tattoos is intense because of the density.

• Scratching Tattoo Pain

The immediate feeling you will have after getting a tattoo is that a sharp needle or claw is being pressed across the area. The most common type of tattoo pain is scratching. Although scratching is generally more irritating than intense, it can be more intense if multiple needles are used or the tattoo artist remains in the same area for a prolonged period of time. This type of pain can be aggravated by shading added to a tattoo. Consult a pain management doctor in Ennis as soon as possible if you experience extreme pain following tattooing.

• Stinging Tattoo Pain

Stinging pain has also been described as “pricking” or “sharp” pain. As the sensation penetrates deeper into the skin, this type of pain can be more severe. You may experience this type of stinging pain if you have a tattoo that has an outline or fine details, or if your skin is tight or fragile. 

Despite the fact that some stinging pain is normal, if you experience a sharp pain that lasts for too long, or feels too intense, inform your tattoo artist. If you get a tattoo by an unintentional tattoo artist, it is possible for the needle to be pushed too deeply. A tattoo blowout may result from the needle penetrating too deeply. Your tattoo design may become blurry or painful if the ink disperses beneath the skin. 

• Vibrating Tattoo Pain

A tattoo can cause vibrating pain if it is placed on a bony area such as your ribs, elbow, ankle, or wrist. Vibration of a high speed needle above the bone may cause bone nerves to transmit tingling sensations. The vibrating tattoo pain is more common among people who are very thin and have little fat covering their bones.

Least hurtful Body Parts To Tattoo

Tighter skin, ample fat padding, bony surfaces, and fewer nerve endings, are the factors that make for a less painful experience. More bearable spots to tattoo include:

• Forearm: Due to their thicker skin and muscle mass, forearms tend to be less prickly, since they have less nerve endings.

• Upper outer thigh: A smaller number of nerve endings are located in this area. So, it is a very comfortable place to have your tattoo done.

• Outer shoulders: Due to the fewer nerve endings and thick skin this is another area less painful area for tattoo.

• Outer bicep: Because the outer biceps have a great group of muscles and not many nerves, tattooing them is generally not so painful.

Others places with less pain are:

• Calves

• Upper and lower back