Why do some tattoo artists hurt more than others?

Your tattoo artist plays a role
Another factor that can influence how much pain you feel is who your tattooer is. Some artists are more heavy-handed than others, making for a more painful experience. If you're sensitive to pain, ask the studio for a recommendation on a “gentle” tattoo artist.
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Why do some tattoo artists hurt more?

The level of pain you experience depends on what kind of shape you're in. People with higher body weights tend to have looser skin on their stomachs than people with lower body weights. A person with tighter skin over their stomach is likely to experience less pain than a person with looser skin in this area.
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Does tattoo pain depend on the artist?

Scratching pain

While this pain isn't usually intense, it can hurt a lot if your tattoo artist works on the same area for a long time. It also tends to hurt more when multiple needles are used at the same time, rather than a single needle. This is the case when your artist adds shading to your tattoo.
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What style of tattoo hurts the most?

Chest & Rib Tattoos

The ribs are right against the skin, and the nerves here are also close to the skin. The chest and ribs also move while you breathe, this movement makes tattooing more painful.
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What hurts more linework or shading?

Color and shading simply provide more dimension than line work. Contrary to what you might expect, many people report that the shading hurts significantly less than the outlining of the tattoo. If you've already made it through your line work, pat yourself on the back.
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Tattoos That Artists Refuse | Tattoo Artists Answer



How do I prepare myself for tattoo pain?

To reduce tattoo pain, follow these tips before and during your appointment:
  1. Choose a licensed tattoo artist. ...
  2. Pick a less sensitive body part. ...
  3. Get enough sleep. ...
  4. Avoid pain relievers. ...
  5. Don't get a tattoo when you're sick. ...
  6. Stay hydrated. ...
  7. Eat a meal. ...
  8. Avoid alcohol.
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What can I take before a tattoo to ease the pain?

Avaliani recommends taking three or four Ibuprofen tablets an hour before your appointment so that your pain tolerance is higher by the time you feel the needle (which, by the way, looks more like the tip of a pen than a needle, in case that word scares you like it scared me).
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Can I put numbing cream before tattoo?

Emla numbing cream is a trusted brand that can help you through your tattoo appointment. Emla can also be used to numb the skin before laser tattoo removal. As a trusted numbing cream, Emla has been helping to reduce the pain of needle and laser procedures in the UK for more than 20 years.
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What is the most painless place to get a tattoo?

10 of the Least Painful Places to get Tattooed
  • Calves. ...
  • Ear Cartilage. ...
  • Outer Thigh. ...
  • Gluteus. ...
  • Forearm. ...
  • Bicep. ...
  • Lower Back. ...
  • Inner Wrist. You may be surprised at this ranking, but the inner wrist is arguably one of the least painful places to receive a tattoo since the area is not as boney and the skin is relatively thin.
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What hurts more color or black tattoo?

Generally speaking, ink color doesn't determine the amount of pain you'll feel. The color simply doesn't have to do anything with the pain of the tattoo.
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How can you test your pain tolerance?

Here are some methods to test your pain tolerance:
  1. Dolorimetry. Dolorimetry uses an instrument called a dolorimeter to assess pain threshold and pain tolerance. ...
  2. Cold pressor method. The cold pressor test is one of the more popular ways to measure pain tolerance. ...
  3. Pain intensity scales.
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How do you know if you can handle tattoo pain?

Pain from tattooing is generally tolerable. However, some areas of the body are more painful to tattoo. Areas near bones like knees, hands, feet, head, neck and ribcage are more sensitive. The least painful areas to tattoo are buttocks, arms, thighs and shoulders where the bone is amply padded with flesh.
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Do bigger tattoo needles hurt more?

The bigger your tattoo, the more it will hurt, that's just a fact. It requires more, longer sessions with detailing, shading, and different needles.
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What is brutal tattooing?

Covered with thick lines, the bodies radically change in appearance during the sessions, the face is swathed in a black mask as the spirit becomes more reckless. Image from video “Brutal Black Project” by Cammy Stewart, Scotland 2019.
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Do Fine Line tattoos hurt more?

That's right when it comes to getting a new tattoo fine lines are more painful than bold traditional. Upside is, most fine line tattoos are smaller. And smaller needle sizes are used mostly for the outline at the beginning of the tattoo, when you are fresh and ready for the pain.
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Are tattoo artists sadists?

FACT #6: Tattooers are not sadists. Tattoo artists are "kind of like doctors," said Massacre. "They're asking (us) to put them through pain and if they're in a lot of pain it can become difficult to continue; not because they're moving, but because you feel guilty.
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What's the easiest spot to get a tattoo?

  • Compared to many other parts of the body, the wrist is not a bad spot for a first tattoo. ...
  • This is without a doubt one of the easiest places to get a tattoo. ...
  • The shoulder isn't too bad for a first tattoo. ...
  • This area was a breeze to have tattooed.
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What should you not do before getting a tattoo?

9 Things You Should Avoid Before Tattooing!
  • Alcohol and Drinking. First and foremost; tattoo artists aren't legally allowed to tattoo and provide services to customers that appear drunk and intoxicated. ...
  • Blood Thinning Pills. ...
  • Sun Exposure. ...
  • Dairy and Sugar. ...
  • Caffeine. ...
  • Getting A Razor Cut. ...
  • Avoiding Showering. ...
  • Wearing Tight Clothes.
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Do tramp stamps hurt?

Does Getting the Tramp Stamp Tattoo Hurt? If this is your first tattoo, yes it will hurt, and yes, you picked one of the most sensitive parts of the body to get inked. The skin in the lower back region has little padding between it and your bones and nerves. The skin is thinner, and the pain is more obvious.
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Why do tattoo artists not use numbing cream?

They want to get more money out of you - there are tattooists who charge based on how long it gets for you to get your tattoo done. They know that the numbing cream will help you make the tattoo process faster that's why they will not allow you to use it.
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Why you shouldn't use numbing cream for tattoo?

The anesthetics we sell at Bloody Wolf Tattoo Supply don't interfere with the tattooing process, but please beware of knock-off anesthetic creams. They can cause infection, scarring, the ink can actually be pushed out of your skin.
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What does a tattoo feel like with numbing cream?

When numbing cream wears off, you feel it in your soul. All those fun, painless hours catch up and hit you like a ton of bricks. I've had clients give up on what was going to be a great tattoo just because they started feeling pain. Not to mention, tattoos still hurt a little even after the procedure.
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How Much Should U Tip a tattoo artist?

Unfortunately, there's no hard and fast rule governing how much to tip tattoo artists. As with tipping waitstaff, 20-25% percent is a good standard. An easy way to include tipping in your budget is to add it in when getting the estimated costs for having your work done.
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Do painkillers help with tattoo pain?

Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, may help ease the pain following a tattooing procedure.
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Why does white tattoo ink hurt more?

White highlights are more painful than other parts of the tattoo process because white ink requires several passes to be saturated. Unlike black, white has a difficult time showing up and an artist may need to be more heavy handed when applying the highlights.
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