[Closed] Tattoo - how painful?

I'm with the girls, not particularly that keen on them. Even if I was on the fence or swayed, the cost would probably have me spending the cash on something more worthwhile/productive.
Sorry 😕

Ive just been under the needle recently, about 6 hours so far, one more sitting to go, maybe!
I commissioned a tattoo artist rather than choose a generic design off the wall.

6 hours? Blimey, I could do an epic ride in that time. 🙄

Mine wasn't at all painful, I know a lot of people say that and it usually seems like total macho bull**** but it just didn't hurt, a warm tingling is how I would describe it. I almost nodded off in the chair But then, mine is pretty minimal and on one of the easiest bits of flesh.

Not all in one go mind, three sittings so far.....as for pain, well its not to bad, two hours at one go is my threshold..

Pretty much as others have described it; the discomfort varies by the location and 'density' of the tattoo (i.e. heavy colours/heavy shadows require more ink for a given area, and hence more needle time!).

I have two, one bikey (derailleur and chain on left shoulder/bicep) and one not (Orca sculpture on back of R shoulder). Both were original designs 'commissioned' by me from ideas/photos/a piece of chain...

I'm getting a bit addicted now; I can see the Orca turning into something bigger on my right arm sometime this year.

You [b]definitely[/b] want to go with a design you like, and with an artist (note that word!) you are comfortable with and can communicate with. My studio (Lifetime in Derby) doesn't have flash on the walls; this (imho) is a good thing - I'm not looking to be put through a tattoo photocopier!

Expect the tattoo artist to want to spend some time talking to you but don't expect to wander in of a Saturday afternoon and have a chat, book a date in the diary. Lifetime in Derby (who've done both of mine) charges £70 per hour of needle time (i.e. the time actually spent tattooing), this price includes their set-up/clean up (which should take and hour each) and design time/consultation etc.

If you're not happy, for whatever reason, walk away. Laser removal (if possible) costs a lot more than a tattoo!

Buy some tattoo mags, go to some tattoo conventions. Become one of us!

they make me sleepy and all relaxed having them done. 🙂

I found the pain was more like a burning feeling, and quite bearable. The back of the top of my arm was pretty tender, but still bearable. Go for it, just make sure you really know what you want done. I'd love more tatts, but funds do not currently permit.

I've got 6, mind you 2 are only the kids names on my chest,the others are in various places from my under arm which stung like hell, my upper arm which was not to bad at all, larger piece going from chest around shoulder and across my back which took 13 hours over a couple of sitting and that stung and bled a lot, but the most painful was by far the devil I had done on my butt cheek.

had two both my little girls names, one down each side of my torso so down the ribs, the first one on the right side honestly didnt hurt just mildly annoying with the vibrations on the ribs, however the second one done on the left side was a different matter, considerably uncomfortable, not painful as such but not far off at times.

Not the biggest help i suppose but what i'm trying to say is it really does depend, one persons pain is anothers pleasure, me, i'm already planning my next one 🙂

I'm heavily tattooed... it hurts like all hell when all the vanilla places have been used and you're on to the more delicate and sensitive areas..
never again..
well... maybe a few more

Dont get one on you lower back
I think they call that one a 'tramp stamp' 😆

None of mine hurt, I agree with Jedi, totally relaxed during and after.

Yes they are addictive.

And each to there own, if you don't like them don't have them........Me I love them!

When I was getting my last one done there was a bloke getting his full body suit finished and he was sleeping, We started laughing as he woke himself up snoaring.

you should have asked me last week cg .i would have told you it does sting a bit !

Yes, they hurt, but not as much as crashing your bike or going to the dentist.

My most recent one took 9.5 hours (over 4 sittings).

My most recent one took 9.5 hours (over 4 sittings).

They hurt but pain is relative. If you re-asses the pain signal and consider it a joy you'll have a really good time. I managed to achieve something between the two.

Its all in the mind - and differenet peoples pain thresholds vary. Mine seems to be 5 hours. Am in the process of having a full sleve right arm - planning it for some years now. Had 3 x 4/5 hour sittings (2 to go!), all fully enjoyable. No discomfort apart from inner arms. Its a throughly enjoyable experience if you have the right tattooist - it funny how chatting about life whilst he/she is doing it removes you from the supposed 'pain'. Very addictive experience.

There is anesthetic creams available (google it, Boots do a specific one but it gets abused by Junkies so its hard to buy now) - they can be rubbed into the area to be tattoo'd prior to the visit. I've never tried them as was warned that they can affect how the skin accepts the ink.

You only live once! - and its a fantastic experience.

Think very wisely about design - a good idea is to have you're design on the wall for 6 months or so. If you still like looking at it after a few months, You will then soon know if you love it enough to have it on you're body!

Enjoy the ride...

ps. 2nd Tazzy MTB - stay well away from 'flash' art

coffeeking - Member
While there's absolutely no logical reason that it should be, I have to say that any tattoo is a tramp stamp for me.

Same here - and our daughter's had three not very subtle ones. In her case, I think that they spoil an otherwise very attractive girl.
When she gets married in a couple of months they'll detract rather from the very expensive dress that we've bought anyway.......

My advice is always "don't bother" - it's not as if there's anything original about the idea anyway. Every man and his dog seems to think that they're a "must have". God alone knows why.

hi [b]CG[/b] i have a lot of tattoo's picked for painfull places, top of the list is my nose. my point is not that im a hardcore pain freak or anything but rather the feeling of getting tattooed is unique and almost medative (for me). if you find a design you really want your excitement about getting the work on you will outweigh the hurt of it and becomes addictive and kind of the reason for getting them. 3 hours plus sessions do start to get rather uncomfortable though.

CG, i feel the same - i've wanted one for years but a bit of a wuss when it comes to pain so still not had one done yet.

oh and drink will thin your blood not a good idea, but i see that wont be a problem. pain creams what not tend to be unhelpfull in letting the skin absorb the ink which means more going over the area so results in more longer hurt... i say hurt because it doesnt really deserve the word pain!

The one near my neck made me feel queezy, nearly fainted. Then realised the vibration was making my vision do odd things. Went away when I laid down with my head on the couch, feel asleep during the rest of it and dribbled on the PVC 😳

Had a big bike related one planned, but things change.

Tom dB - sorry, but I don't have any pics. It was done by Inma at Magnum Opus in Brighton. She took some pics, so she may put them on her My Space or the MO website eventually.

yes we will look stupid when we are wrinkly but who cares? Live life!

Just not sure how having one somehow relates to "living life". Everyone I've known who got one did it out of peer pressure/wanting to be like their mates/thinking they looked cool/hard/unique with it, which seems like a bit of a lack of something in their life. I'm not sure what. I've had a few discussions with a heavily tattoo'd friend who said they were like memories/pictures and markers of times in their life, but that doesn't really hold much water with me - I don't see why you'd want to stick some random drawing on yourself to remember something you could remember without it. Maybe I'm mistaken, but if you're going to mark yourself in a visible way you're doing it to "say something" to the world (who mostly doesn't care but a large percentage won't listen and will find it detracts from you looks-wise, but likewise some love). If you're marking yourself where the world can't see it you're doing it to prove something to yourself or a close person? I'd have to investigate my reasons for needing to prove or show something to people.

But at the end of the day its your body, do what you like to it for whatever reasons you like!

You've had a kid CG? And you're worried about the pain from a needle?

A big old bucket of perspective is needed. 😉

The only difference between people with, and people without tattoos, is that tattoed people don't care if you don't have one......

I'm sure that people have many different reasons for getting tattoo'd, but none of them require justifying to anyone (other than themselves maybe) why they did it.

Maybe people with tats will regret them when they're older, but I always think it's better to regret the things you've done rather than regret the things you didn't do.

Maybe people with tats will regret them when they're older, but I always think it's better to regret the things you've done rather than regret the things you didn't do.

You could use that to justify any number of stupid things that with a little thought you'd realise were better not doing in the first place. Murder, Jumping into shallow water etc.

The only difference between people with, and people without tattoos, is that tattoed people don't care if you don't have one......

Not really, I don't have any and I don't care if you do. Doesn't stop me having an opinion on it though.

Just not sure how having one somehow relates to "living life"

The point I was trying to make, rather unsuccesfully it seems, is that it is your life so live it how you see fit. If you don't like them, then don't have them, if you do then go for it. Yes you are also entitled to your opinion on mine or anyone else's ink but the point is I don't care.

[i]Murder, Jumping into shallow water[/i]

It's true you know, I regret both those things.

The only difference between people with, and people without tattoos, is that tattoed people don't care if you don't have one......

mark yourself in a visible way you're doing it to "say something" to the world

for me this really isnt the case at all and i was suprised at the popular thinking of this. i have a tattoo on my face and i did not expect the amount of attention it brings good and bad. there are two question i hear multiple times everyday of my life. "is that a tattoo?" and "did it hurt?". this 'attention' which according to you i was trying say to the world, is the only regret i have.

Do people not also ask 'whatever possessed you to get a tattoo on your face?"?

ha yeah but not as often as the other two. for the first few years i could get rather inventive with my answers but now people must tell in my tone that im less than impressed as rcently they have followed up with "do you get asked that all the time?" or some are willing to put money on it with "i bet you get asked that all the time!"

When I'm laying on my deathbed, I want to go knowing that I did all the things (or as many as possible) I wanted to do in life - whether that be eating/drinking what I like, starting a bike company, having kids, or getting ink'd.

If I had a good enough reason to murder someone (i.e. they killed a loved one of mine), I'd probably regret not doing it more than I would regret doing it. But who can really say unless they've actually been put in that situation?

Thomas, what do you do for a living? I'd imagine having a face tattoo is pretty prohibitive to most forms of employment.

I just had my first for my 40th birthday, being thinking about it for 20 years! Didn't really hurt just a bit sore and I wish I had done it years ago!
And I think they may be addictive!
Go for it!

different strokes of life mate, im a builder and it has absolutely no effect. im sure i wouldnt get a fancy office job with or without said tattoo nor would i want to though. i had a interview for a site manager post where i thought it could have been an issue. peoples first impressions are, well as you would expect, quite often i get a "your quite a nice bloke really arnt you" as they assumed i wasnt... but i am a nice fella most people relise that and im good at my job to which helps 😀

Painful but not unbearable.

I think they have become more socially acceptable over recent years, obviusly there are pockets who still hold negative views of them but tbh that just shows their small mindedness more than anything. It is not like second hand smoke or something that directly affects others.

It is an art form and as such look for the best artist you can or an artist you like the style of.

Tattoo WFT!

Please do it the traditional way by using proper "bamboo needle" tab tab tab ... now that's what I call proper.

😈

jedi - Member

they make me sleepy and all relaxed having them done.

+ another 1.

Met a guy recently with full Maori face tattoos. He was working at my work for a while, and gave a really interesting presentation about having the tattoos done, wanting to keep the old art alive. (some days I really love my job) There was footage, and they were using the traditional methods too. Never thought to ask him if it hurt but I imagine it did, and rather a lot.

He did say (not in these exact words but the gist) that it is a bit of an areshole filter in that you can pretty much tell what a person is like from their reaction to a set of full face tattoos. Some of the rather conservative views expressed in this topic are such indicators, particulary the chap who seems to consider his daughter some kind of personal property - who can blame her I hope she gets a big old anchor on her forearm.

He was one of the nicest and most interesting people I have met in a long time, BTW.

for me this really isnt the case at all and i was suprised at the popular thinking of this. i have a tattoo on my face and i did not expect the amount of attention it brings good and bad. there are two question i hear multiple times everyday of my life. "is that a tattoo?" and "did it hurt?". this 'attention' which according to you i was trying say to the world, is the only regret i have.

I just can't imagine how you wouldn't expect this to be the case in a society where it's not exactly the norm. What was the purpose of the tattoo, and putting it in a prominant place? Genuine question, I like this debate and have it fairly regularly and calmly so please don't take offence, I'm trying to learn.

He did say (not in these exact words but the gist) that it is a bit of an areshole filter in that you can pretty much tell what a person is like from their reaction to a set of full face tattoos. Some of the rather conservative views expressed in this topic are such indicators, particulary the chap who seems to consider his daughter some kind of personal property - who can blame her I hope she gets a big old anchor on her forearm.

In a society where facefulls of tattoos are roundly associated with some pretty grim individuals (it seems a disproportionate number of violent criminals have prominent tattoos (from general observation)) it is wholely normal to generalise that people covered in tats are more likely to be people you don't want to deal with. That may not be right on a case-by-case basis, and in fact often isn't, but thats like saying you shouldn't be worried by someone carrying a gun because they may be perfectly normal people just going to a target shooting club. The initial reaction will be fear and concern. The obvious difference would be, for me, Maori types, but they are clearly distinct from the stereotypical anchor/football type tattoos in the europe, and as such are an interesting addition, so anyone reacting badly to it would have to be fairly far-sighted. What is the meaning behind their tattoos, are they tribal? As far as I can see they're an outward sign of tribe, rank and power. Seems like a fairly outward sign of self-importance in a way, a bit like driving round in a car because it's good to be seen in. I'm all for driving a good car and not caring what others think, but to drive a car because others think it's good or might be impressed seems like a dumb idea to me. It just seems as though the whole practice of tattooing is based around showing off.

I've got a 12" tattoo that can only be seen in certain circumstances. Didn't hurt.