10 most painful places to get tattoos

There is no way around it, and the pain during tattooing is part of the process. However, some areas usually take more damage than others. In this guide, we’re going to list the most painful body parts for tattoos!

10. Neck tattoo

Tattoos on the neck are more sensitive, and for this part of the body, the location is very important. There is very little muscle or fat on one side of the neck and many nerve endings, which can cause very intense pain.

Furthermore, our survival instinct means that if someone applies constant pressure on the area needed to breathe, it can cause a rather sudden response. In contrast, the sides of the neck are easier to tattoo, with more muscle and fat covering this part of the anatomy.

9. Back Spine Tattoo

While the back is usually one of the least painful places to get a tattoo, the spine is an exception. The spine is very sensitive at first, so tattooing directly on the spine can be very painful for anyone wishing to get a tattoo in that area.

8. Elbow tattoos

Elbows can be quite a challenge and some people find it painful. Something indicates that the area is very painful and difficult to heal, as the arm moves, compression at the joint, and expansion of the skin, which puts pressure on the wound.

7. Ankle Tattoos

The ankle is covered with a very thin layer of skin, which makes it difficult for the artist to apply ink. Obviously, for many people, the ankle is also a skinny area, increasing sensitivity to this part of the body. This can be very painful!

6. Face tattoos

Just like the head, the face is a particularly painful place to get tattoos. Because the skin clings to the bones and the high density of nerves in the area, the needles can cause severe pain, especially in the forehead and bridge of the nose. Also, the echoes from the machine can cause mental discomfort, making the situation unbearable.

5. Foot tattoos

The feet are one of the ten most painful places to get tattoos. The feet are very low in fat and muscle and have a very thin skin barrier. Feet hurt when tattooed close to bone.

Another reason why feet are sore for tattoos is because the skin on the feet does not absorb ink like the rest of the body. Because the ink doesn’t adhere well to the skin, the artist may sometimes have to paint over and over on areas of skin that are already sensitive.

4. Chest tattoo

A chest tattoo is very similar in many ways to pain in the area of ​​a rib tattoo. In fact, there is a small amount of grease that cushions the shock of the needle. This is an area with a lot of nerves and movement due to breathing. Many people are also very uncomfortable with noise and vibration while getting a sternum tattoo.

3. Hand tattoos

Just like the feet, the hands are notoriously painful areas for tattoos. Like every other place we’ve pointed out, this area is pretty much free of fat and muscle.

Also, because your hands and fingers are more sensitive to touch, they have many nerve endings. Fingers and palms tend to be the most painful body parts to get tattooed, and due to their high frequency of use, tattoo artists may need to touch up in the future.

2. Rib tattoo

Moving away from the extremities and towards the center of the body, the ribs prove to be an attractive spot for a tattoo. If you really want to test your pain tolerance, try getting a tattoo on the area. Just like the rest of the body, this area also has a lot of nerves. There is an additional difficulty for tattooists, as this area moves while breathing. The combination of these unique features makes the rib one of the ten most painful places to get tattoos.

1. Head tattoo

Although, everyone has a different tolerance for pain. For many people, the head is one of the most painful places to get a tattoo. Like other areas known to be particularly painful, the head has little fat and muscle. Therefore, there is not much to cushion the pressure of the needle against the skull.

Tattoos tend to be very painful on areas close to the bone, such as the skull. Additionally, our skulls have the trigeminal nerve, a nerve that transmits sensory information from the scalp and forehead to the brain, so this area is particularly sensitive to tattoos.

In the end, many claim that a head tattoo is not a physical pain, and that much of the pain is mental, as the vibrations and noise felt by the needles make the process almost unbearable.