• twistedmelancholy said on Aug 15, 2006....

  My brother just got a glow and the dark tattoo, of a girl, on his breast. In my opinion it's hideous and I can't imagine why anyone would want one. But a tattoo on your neck or lower back, eh, I dunno. I'd vote for the lower back, more attractive and easier to hide if you need to down the line.

• Agent27 said on Aug 15, 2006....

  Think really hard before you do it. Remember what you think is cool right now, might not be as cool when you're 45 years old. Imagine a really sexy rose... now imagine the same sexy rose on an 80 year-old wrinkly body... not too cool or sexy anymore is it? In fact it may even be depressing. Seriously, think really hard about something so permanent.

• Agent27 said on Aug 15, 2006....

  PS: I heard, depending on where you get it, that it doesn't hurt too bad. Likely the more sensitive the area is and the more detailed the tattoo is, the more it'll hurt. You will bleed, though. How much is a question of how big and detailed the tattoo is. And yes, tattoo removal hurts worse and leaves an ugly scar. Think hard

• madstorm said on Aug 16, 2006....

  Yes! they hurt. I have 4 tattoos... the hurt is similar to bad sunburn. It depends TOTALLY on the skill of the tattoo artist. The best way to find a good tattoo artist is by personal recommendation of friends you know well. BE CAREFUL... tattoos are permanent. Don't be fooled by glossy photos and catalogues... look at REALITY... look at one on someones skin and ask their advice. Don't worry how they will look when you are older. Modern inks are stunning. Find a design you really like or better still design it yourself. There's nothing you can do about age. Live for now. Bikers ALWAYS know a good tattoo artist.

• allaroundgirl said on Aug 16, 2006....

  Thanks guys...you've given me many good points to consider.

• realmenluvporn said on Aug 16, 2006....

  Tattoos do hurt when they're being applied and you'll be sore for a day or two afterward. I have three tattoos and I agree with everyone above, think long and hard because that tat is going to be with you every day from now on. I guess the best advice I can give you is, if you do decide to get one, NEVER put someone else's name in a tattoo! I have seen it too many times, you might break up and then you're stuck with that person's name on you forever. IT seems like it always ends badly. Did you see Angelina Jolie-Pitt's tattoo that says "Billy Bob Forever" or something? Oops! ;-o As far as dealing with the pain, I use self-hypnosis quite extensively. For my last two tats, and for the next one I'm getting (I'm getting a full sleeve tribal tat), I just drop into a nice deep trance and walk along the beach in Thailand while the artists does his thing. Somewhere in the distant background is the buzz of the tattoo needle, but there is no pain, just warm sand, sea breeze, and a beautiful Thai girl to keep me company! :-) You can get a decent self-hypnosis CD for pain control on eEbay for fairly cheap. I would definitely recommend that if you're afraid of the pain. Q

• marmik said on Aug 16, 2006....

  Personally, I like them. I have 5 of them altogether. 2 of them actually hurting more than the other 3. I have 2 on my back, chinese symbols, just under my shoulder blade where they can be seen when I wear my swimsuit or a tank top; one on my right ankle, a colorful butterfly with a heart, which didnt hurt too bad; a tribal symbol wrapped in red hearts around my upper right arm; and one of a rose on my left breast bone. Now talk about hurting!!!! There really isn't any muscle there and as I was gettin it done laying back in a recliner type chair, tears were rolling into my ears!!! Just remember, don't drink beer before getting it done...you bleed more. Besides, where I come from, tattoo parlors make you take sobriety test before doing any needling! Just remember to pick one out that you know you will have forever! I suggest not putting a guy's name anywhere on your body. In case you break up you know. Enjoy! :)

• Zayda said on Aug 16, 2006....

  I think it depends on where you get them. The tattoo in the small of my back, didn't hurt, really. The tattoo on my ankle and across the top of my foot hurt. Chest tattoos hurt more as well and across the ribs hurt more. But, how much a tattoo hurts is of course going to depend on your tolerance for pain (your pain threshold). Research the tattoo artists in your area. Go observe them doing work to see how they interact with clients. You want to be comfortable with the person tattooing you; don't just pick them because they are a "name" in the business. But, you do still want to see if they have won any awards for their work. Check out their portfolios; look to see if the linework is clean and not "shakey". Remember that you want someone who is an artist not just someone who knows how to operate a tattoo machine. Any respectable artist won't tattoo you if you are drunk.

• GrapeKoolaid said on Aug 16, 2006....

  I designed my own tattoo of an eclipse and put it on the middle of my back. I didn't want to pick something out of a wall and put it on my body, you know? When the needle was on my spine, I could feel the back of my skull vibrate. It didn't really hurt. Just don't think about it. Talk about something else. LadyGamer has a blog about being under the needle for seven hours. I'm sure she could tell you more about it.

• IFMU said on Aug 17, 2006....

  I think most of the posts above cover it pretty well. The pain varies a bit, dependant on where you get it done. I have heard that some colors hurt more than others, but I personally cant say one way or the other. All mine are straight black. A few pointers that I would like to stress a bit though. 1st, Do [b]not[/b] get flash art, the stuff on the walls/books etc. Get something that has a meaning to you. This way, in 10 to 20 years, you wont regret getting it. 2nd, Do [b]not[/b] get someones name on you. The ONLY times I agree with getting a name, a child, parent, sibling (questionable) and maybe a memorial of a passed away loved one. 3rd, As said above, do not drink, smoke or take drugs before hand. Drinking will make you bleed more and any decent tat artist will not give you one if you are 'high'. 4th, As anyone that has gotten a tattoo knows, they are [b]addictive[/b], extremely addictive. Once you get one, the moment the pain fades, you will begin thinking of what you want your next one to be. Ive known people who swore for years they would never get a tattoo. Then, for some reason, they get one. Next thing you know, they are talking about their plans for the next one. As an fyi I have 4, one on left wrist, back of each elbow and back of neck. For me the neck hurt the worst, but even it was standable and my pain tolerance isnt all that.

• momsrock said on Aug 20, 2006....

  I know this topic is days old, but my experience was very painful.
  
  I did it on a whim, hmmm biology lab or tattoo? For the next 3 weeks, I kept thinking I had dirt on me. I hate it, it's a frog and I think it's missing a toe on one side.
  
  I got it right by my hip on my lower stomach. And as GrapeKoolaid already said, when it's near a bone you can feel it vibrate. It was not a pleasant experience. And it will stain your clothes for the first few days... so don't leave it uncovered.
  

• StrangeOne said on Aug 30, 2006....

  There's a lot of good advice already, but I'll add my thoughts in anyway, since I have MANY tattoos (I lost count), I do some tattooing myself, and I actually ENJOY the feeling (I think I'll add the masochism tag to this now... >:) )
  
  First thing - If you want it, go for it. When you're 80, your skin will look bad whether or not you have a tattoo, so don't worry about it. However, DO think about the design carefully. Do yourself a favor - don't pick flash off the wall. Save some money and get a tattoo ARTIST to draw you a custom design, based on your own loves and interests. Don't get any names.
  
  Second thing - don't just go into any tattoo shop and get a tattoo. Research different shops. Look at the artist's portfolio carefully!!! A truly good tattoo can be expensive. If you can't afford it, save up for it, rather than going cheap and getting something crappy.
  
  As for pain:
  
  Areas of the body: this is very individual. As a general rule, bony surfaces like the spine, the break of the shoulder, the ankle, etc. tend to hurt more. So do any areas that are normally sensitive/ticklish, such as the side, or the inner thigh or inner arm. But this can vary among individuals. The most painless spot is usually the outer arm. The back of your neck will likely be LESS painful than your lower back. In fact, I don't think I know anyone with a back-of-the-neck tattoo who thought it hurt. The lower back, however, can be very painful if you are sensitive. This area varies widely among individuals.
  
  That being said, the most important thing to remember about pain is that it's IN YOUR HEAD! The people who have experienced the most pain from tattooing are the ones who have spent hours, days, or weeks convincing themselves that it will hurt. Those who don't spend any time worrying about the pain, they generally handle it quite well. So don't sit there worrying about it, you will make it worse for yourself that way. Instead, practice some meditation and breathing techniques - those things will help you deal with pain a lot more! And remember, there are a LOT of things that are MUCH more painful than tattoos (childbirth, dental work, food poisoning, breaking a bone, I can go on...)
  
  Color: no, it doesn't play a factor in pain. What does play a factor is line versus shading: lining a tattoo is always the worst, solid color can hurt some too. But with light shading, sometimes you hardly feel anything at all!
  
  But here's something else to consider about color: if you are light-skinned, and you like bright colors, go for it. If you are dark-skinned, some colors do not show up so well. Especially blue and purple. Reds and greens can look OK. But simple black is usually best for darker skin.
  
  If you have any more questions, I would be glad to oblige...
  

• stephaniesimpkins92106 said on Dec 30, 2007....

  I got 3 done today, on my foot, lower back, and leg... they really didn't hurt. there was a bit of an annoyance with it, but not pain. i say go for it, just like someone on here already said, your skin is gonna look bad at 80 with or without it, so live for today and make yourself happy. i had all my designs that i wanted but i still let my artist custom draw them and we made things exactly how i wanted them and i am very pleased with the results. he will be my forever go to guy. best of luck to ya.

• Jxaxdxex said on Feb 18, 2008....

  I'm getting my first tattoo today and to say the least I'm crapping myself! I'm worried about the pain more then anything! I'm worried that I won't be able to sit there and take it! You hear so many diffrent stories about peoples experiences it's making me doubt it! I have wanted this tattoo for a very long time now and found a place that I like and know the people and i have been told by this person to make sure i eat and stay calm! I keep trying to reasure myself, it can't hurt that much if people go back and have more!

• anonymous said on Mar 03, 2008....

  honestly the most important thing if to put thought behind the design. if you design it or have someone else design it based on your ideas you are less likely to be disappointed in the future (i design tats for a living). i also recommend word of mouth. the problem with portfolio's in shops is you never know if it's really their work (a picture can't talk). ask friends or family or someone in passing that has a kick-ass tat where they got it! it's a community and i promise that most people with tats are proud to explain and discuss their art work (and you can see the finished product of the artist first hand). for the first tat i recommend you put it in a spot that you can cover and over time you can get another when you are more comfortable showing off your tats. also, i suggest making sure they are tasteful if they are in public view. as far as pain, don't stress it. honestly all of mine stung a bit, but the pain is short term and the end result makes it worth it! i always suggest to my clients to make sure that they get a full nights sleep, eat a high carb meal, drink plenty of water, and take some motrin about 30 mins prior to (NO aspirin). i have seen people read, listen to music, talk to friends, txt, meditate, play psp....whatever you need to do to pass the time & kill the stress. yes the outlining hurts more because there are less needles. the more needles the less pain, thats why the fill-in and shading doesn't hurt as much. for those who want to get rid of a bad tat, removal does hurt and is VERY expensive. a $150 tat would probably cost about $4500 to remove. i have heard there is a new creme out that overtime breaks own the colors and slowly does away with the tat, although i have not yet seen it myself.

• anonymous said on Apr 06, 2008....

  Ive just turned 17 and i have just had 2 tattoo's done, 1 on the back of my neck and 1 on my ankle. Before the first 1 i had done i was sooooo scared...... the sound is scary,but it wasn't painful at all so much that the next day i went back and got another one that i had wanted for soo long,that stung but it was pain that i can handle.

• xXyinglyXx said on Oct 15, 2008....

  im really skinny , which ppl called shorty, tiny girl ..or whatever XD .. and of couse all bone..no fat..lol.. and im going to get my tat ( back of my neck- all 98% bone-2% fat area) ..heh on monday.. .. i dnt know if i can take pain or not.. i think i can't ..lol..scaryyyy..

  anyone who s skinny like me and have a tat on neck  can give me some opinion ? x-x

• oneg said on Nov 18, 2008....

  Im really skinny and i wanted a tattoo on my side. going from my hip bone up to my underarm basically. Id start off by saying it was one of the worst pains I've felt thus far in life, and I've been stabbed in the chest and broken a few things. I did figure out relaxing as much as possible is a big help, tensing your muscles is a bad idea and thinking about each prick of the needle doesn't help. Mine hurt more then most will experience because he had to go over the same lines 10-15 times because they weren't showing up. I was even on a shitload of painkillers for it, no tears or nothing, its just me closing my eyes trying to put myself somewhere else. Now im going back today to get the rest of it finished, and i know its going to hurt even more because i can hardly move without being in pain just from the soreness. - wish me luck

• kimpossible said on Jan 21, 2009....

  I have been learning for the last couple of weeks to tattoo as my husband started to do tattoos about three months ago and is very good and confident in his line work and colouring. The reason we started out doing this.and buying all the best inks and equipment to practice on ourselves,is because I had a tattoo on the side of my hand and when it healed it looked like i had drawn it on in a biro pen and it had half washed away this cost me thirty english pounds .I went back to have it coloured three seperate times over the weeks and it was no better each time i went to have a recolour it cost me in cab fares both ways so at the end of the day the tattoo was starting to cost a ridiculous amount. what i am trying to say is do not embark on getting a tattoo down the very side of your hand as it will not hold colour and looks like utter crap you would do better drawing it on yourself with indelible ink and topping it up weekly,if we ever get to set up shop in the very distant future after alot of experience and health and safety certificates,then we would flat blank refuse hands and feet . Also they hurt like merry hell,i regret the ridiculous stain on the side of my hand that looks worse than a prison tattoo. the tattoos i have had done by my husband since ,are really amazing tribals and i have done my own very large one on my thigh that i love to bits . The thing is i just want to say dont do it yourself as you are just making a drawing board of yourself that you cant rub out luckily we are both able to draw and able to stand the pain !!!. we are going to put in years of practice to get somewere .As apprentiships are fewer than dodos .So enjoy getting your tattoos, but please think twice about hand or foot it wont be how you expected and can be a real let down.

• anonymous said on Apr 12, 2009....

  OKAY i know that a lot of people bring up the fact that tattoos will look gross when somebodys 80 or whatever, but it doesnt really effin matter cuz if your old and wrinkly anyways, whats the big deal if you have a tattoo. your going to look worn out when your old anyways. its not like old grannies walk around the beach in string bikinis showing off tattoos they got when they were 18 lol. yeah if somebody gets a HUGE tattoo on a noticable place it will look strange when the person is old, but the point of getting old is not to look model sexy, its to be happy with yourself and live a nice life, and tattoos are all personal style and choice. so people should stop making comments against them and let people make their own decesions on what they want to put on their bodies :)

• anonymous said on Oct 28, 2009....

  i know this is an old post but thought i'd post up some of my opinions. i have a tattoo on the top of my right foot, this was my first and i would say that the pain i felt really hurt for maybe the first 5 - 10 mins, but then you sort of get used to it and it becomes more of an annoyance rather than a pain. i think that the noise of the machine makes the pain seem worse than it truely is. like some people have already mentioned, my tattoo artist told me that the most painful places to get inked are places where there is little fat, or boney parts of the body, which is why he was so shocked when he realised that my first tattoo was going on the top of my foot! i would deffinately say though that the end result is deffinately worth the pain. i thought of it this way; the pain is very much temporary, the end result is something that you will love and have for ever :) the pain certainly hasn't put me off getting another one, im booking my second tommorow! word of warning: they are very addicting!! :) hope this helps x

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