What does a tattoo feel like?

Question

Can someone describe to me the pain of a tattoo? is it like someone digging their nails into you? I've heard it feels like getting stung by a bee o_O; GASP! Oh dear. I've also heard it just feels like a sun burn... so what is it? =]

Answer 1

Well everyone handles pain differently and tattoos in different places hurt more or less than others...my first tat was on my lower back and i didnt know what to expect. at first it felt like he was cutting me slowly with a butter knife but the pain quickly dulled away to an irritating vibrating feeling that reminds me of a mosquito buzzing in your ear. the outline definately hurts alot more than the shading but overall, if you keep a conversation going and keep your mind off it, its not bad at all.

Answer 2

It depends on how you interpret it. If you think needles hurt alot, it'll hurt alot. If not, you'll be okay. But the part the should hurt the most if it does, is getting the color filled in. When you get it done, just think about good things and stay calm. It shouldn't hurt too much.

Answer 3

the prick of getting a shot is nothing compared to a needle going in and out of your skin for what may be hours on end. most ppl take a shot from the dr and have no problem. grown men 6'5" 275lbs will pass out from a tattoo. everyone is different.

i'll break it down by the places i have mine, and those of my fiances

mine-

back of shoulder- hurt like a mo fo. i didn't make them stop but it made me want to crawl out of my skin

top of shoulder- didn't hurt that bad. minor discomfort

thigh- was a hot dull pain

ankle- no real pain at all, when the artist hit a nerve and made my toes curl we laughed over that

top of foot- really painful. i cursed a lot. lots of nerves there so my toes were jerking, muscles twitching. yeah not good.

but i have to get it redone so i will have to go through that again.

worth it in the end.

fiances- both shoulders done in large tribal- not too bad, coloring was the most painful

chest- done in 2 parts. has a large cross and his 3 sisters names done around the cross. reallllly painful.

then on a drunk dare he got his then wife's name done inside the cross. even stone drunk he said it hurt like the dickens.

that sucks for him bcse he's getting it covered up when he gets back from a business trip lol

Answer 4

It feels like a fresh sunburn AFTER but not during. The pain during is hard to explain but all the comparisons I've heard aren't right... Getting stung by a bee (sure, maybe if it was stinging you repeatedly at fast rates over and over), having a rubberband snapped on your skin, being stratched by nails... Really none of these are accurate.

I have 7 tattoos as of now and each one felt different. The one between my shoulder blades hurt the least. In fact, it really didn't hurt at all. The one under my armpit was so painful I almost passed out.

As for the one on my lower back... When it's on the spine, it doesn't really hurt but feels like it's vibrating deep in your bones. Really weird. When it hits the "fatty" area of your lower back/sides, it felt like exactly what it was... being stabbed repeatedly with sharp needles. It wasn't excrutiating though, it just stung but was totally bearable (or else I wouldn't have gone back 7 times!)

The worst part I thought was in the beginning when they're doing the outline. After that, you start to get numb and it becomes completely tolerable. Although when they're coloring and going over the same spot over and over, it gets a little sore.

There will be the occasionally "Ouch" moment of course. Just remember to NOT hold your breath- focus on your breathing and read a book or something. Bring something to drink, and eat before you go in so you have enough reserves that your body won't go into shock and cause you to pass out.

Answer 5

yesterday i got my 2nd tattoo in between my shoulder blades...it hurt, alot worse than the one on my wrist...it feels like someone slowly dragging a razor across your skin...it hurts more in some places than in others but the one on my wrist didn't hurt at all so it depends on the spot i guess. oh and it feels like the worse sunburn you'll ever get after it's finished, today i went to clean it and it stung for a good hour, but tattoos are worth every minute of pain, usually....

Answer 6

My lower back tattoo hurt like h**l. Worse than being in labour, though much shorter. Yes, a wasp sting is a good analagy but it's actually many wasp, stings one after the other. That's the outline. The colouring in is much less painful.

Answer 7

when i got my tattoo done the only thing that i could relate it to is the feeling of writing on your body with a really sharp pen... it didnt exactly hurt or anything it was just more of an annoying pain  

Answer 8

So, do you have strong pain threshold b/c what you just describe will be painful if you don't. It is more like someone sticking you with a needle but it is never ending and the pain lingers. THAT SOUNDS HOT!