I am often asked if tattoos hurt, how much, and where is the worst place to be tattooed.

The truth is, getting a tattoo does hurt.  You are getting poked with several needles several hundred times per second, and there is no denying that this causes some pain.

However, the relative amount of pain you feel is going to be unique to you as an individual, and also relative to the area of your body being tattooed.

Here is a quick way to locate the areas of your body that will hurt more and those that will hurt less while being tattooed.  Curl up into a ball, like you are protecting yourself from being hit or kicked by someone.  In this fetal position the areas that you are hiding (your belly, inner arms, inner thighs, groin, and face) are the ones that will probably hurt more to get tattooed than those on the outside of the ball (your back, shoulders, outer arms and legs).

Areas of your body that are more vascular, such as your hands and feet, the chest, stomach and neck, tend to be more sensitive to pain.  You have more blood-flow to these areas, and more nerve receptors as well, especially on the fingers and toes.

Areas that go over tendons or joints like the wrist, knees and elbows will be sensitive to pain, and are more likely to become swollen while being tattooed and during the healing process.

However, don't fear the pain of being tattooed! 

For most, the sensation is tolerable, and many compare it to a bee sting.  Since I have never been stung by a bee, I can't verify that.  To me, being tattooed feels like I have a sunburn and someone is scratching it again and again.  A very annoying sensation, but not one that would make me cry out in agony.

After a while, most people will become "numb" to the sensation of tattooing.  This is because the tattoo releases endorphins, which help you feel good and cope with pain.  After several minutes, you can mostly put the sensation of the tattoo in the back of your mind and focus on other things.

Another question I am asked is which color hurts the most, or do color tattoos hurt more than black and grey ones?

My answer is that the sensation of either kind of tattoo is the same.  Psychologically, most people find white to be the worst color, but this is because it is often the last color used on their tattoo, so they are running out of endorphins by then.

Most people notice the pain more at the end and at the beginning of the tattoo process.

Because of this, many people tell you that the outline hurts more than the shading or coloring of the tattoo.  My thought on this is that outlines tend to be done first, and in the first fifteen minutes or so of getting tattooed, you are still adjusting to the whole sensation.  You haven't produced endorphins yet, and haven't become used to the sensation enough to block it out. 

There are times when getting a tattoo may cause you more pain than other times, even if it is the same tattoo being put in the same place.

One of those times is when you are sick.  If you are already ill or have a cold, your body is putting a lot of energy into healing itself.  If you get tattooed, you won't have as many resources to cope with the pain, and you might also have a harder time healing your tattoo after it is completed.  My advice in this case is to wait until you are healthy, so that your tattoo will heal properly and quickly - and the bonus is, it will probably hurt less, too!

Another time tattoos hurt more is during a woman's menstrual cycle.  If you have your period or are about to get it, you are likely to feel the pain of the tattoo more.  Once again, your body is focused elsewhere, and your bodily sensations tend to be magnified.  My advice - wait out the week, and get your tattoo afterwards.

Lastly, a tattoo will hurt a lot more if you have a sunburn.  Most places won't tattoo you on a sunburn, but if you do manage to get work done while sunburned and even place it on a non-burned area - your skin is sensitized already, and will definitely feel more pain, regardless of where you place the tattoo.  Let your body heal first, and then get your tattoo.  This will also help you heal the tattoo better.

Don't forget to read next Tuesday's blog post on how to cope with tattoo pain and ways to relax during the tattoo process.