I’ve been tattooed from LA to Denver to Philly, and this was the cleanest, least painful work I’ve seen. … Vivek uses second skin which is so far and above better … Very impressed, I’ll be back for more
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Yes, getting a tattoo hurts, but on average the pain is moderate. In a peer-reviewed survey of 1,092 tattooed adults, people rated their pain during tattooing at 4.35 out of 10 on average, falling to about 2 out of 10 right afterwards.
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Usually milder
Well padded. The inner forearm is a little more sensitive than the outer.
Whatever the placement, the measured factors were session length, bleeding and stress. Shorter sessions help anywhere.
In each group, the arrow keys move between placements, and Tab moves to the next group.
Not a measured scale. A summary of common reports by tattooed people and artists; the measured average is right below.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020: 1,092 tattooed adults
Read on for what that research found, why no chart like the one above is a measurement, and how to make your session more comfortable, including what health authorities say about numbing creams.
Body area (arms, legs, torso, neck) didn’t significantly change pain intensity in that study.
Longer sessions, bleeding and stress were linked to more pain.
Pain charts ranking body parts aren’t based on peer-reviewed research.
Numbing creams: ask a pharmacist or doctor first. The US FDA has warned about some high-strength products marketed for tattoos.
The most detailed study we found surveyed 1,092 people (863 women and 229 men) who had been tattooed, recruited through tattoo studios and online in Poland, and published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2020. Participants rated their pain on a scale from 0 to 10.
Men and women reported similar pain during tattooing. Women rated pain slightly higher right afterwards.
Body area grouped as upper limbs, lower limbs, torso and neck didn’t significantly predict how intense the pain was.
Radiating pain, pain that spreads beyond the spot being tattooed, was more common on the arms.
The study had limits: most respondents were women, some answered weeks after their tattoo, and tattoo size wasn’t recorded. Still, it’s one of the few real measurements of tattoo pain.
In the same study, higher pain was linked to:
Longer sessions. Pain built up the longer people were tattooed.
Bleeding during the tattoo.
Stress before and during the session.
People who took painkillers beforehand also reported more pain. That doesn’t mean painkillers make tattoos hurt; it’s more likely that people who expected a lot of pain were the ones who took them. If you’re thinking about taking any medicine before your appointment, ask a pharmacist or doctor.
You’ve probably seen charts that colour the body from “least painful” to “most painful”, usually with ribs, feet and spine in red. We looked for peer-reviewed research behind them and didn’t find any study that ranks tattoo pain by specific body part. Those charts are based on opinion and experience, not measurements.
The study above found no significant difference between broad body areas. Pain varies from person to person and session to session, so the best guide is a conversation with your artist about the placement you have in mind. The map near the top of this page shows what people commonly report, with the usual reason for each placement; nothing on it is a measured score.
I’ve been tattooed from LA to Denver to Philly, and this was the cleanest, least painful work I’ve seen. … Vivek uses second skin which is so far and above better … Very impressed, I’ll be back for more
Keep sessions manageable. Because longer sessions were linked to more pain, a large piece can be split into several shorter sessions. Ask your artist.
Lower your stress. Plan the design in advance, arrive on time, and bring headphones or someone to chat with if that helps you relax.
Eat and rest. Have a proper meal before your appointment and get a good night’s sleep.
Come sober. Skip alcohol before your tattoo.
Take breaks. Tell your artist if you need a pause. That’s completely normal.
Breathe steadily and try to stay still. Your artist will guide you.
Numbing creams can seem like an easy fix, but health authorities urge caution.
If you want to use a numbing product, talk to a pharmacist or doctor first, check that it has a Health Canada DIN or NPN number, and tell your artist before you apply anything.
A new tattoo usually feels tender and a little sore for the first few days, then itchy as it heals. Follow our tattoo aftercare guide.
Pain that gets worse instead of better, spreading redness, fever, pus or red streaks can be signs of infection. See a doctor if you notice them.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any medicine or numbing product.
Compiled by Tattoo Lab, a tattoo and piercing studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
People most often describe the outer upper arm, the forearm, the front of the thigh, the calf and the upper back as milder, because muscle and thicker skin cushion them. No reliable research ranks body parts, though: in a study of 1,092 people, broad body areas didn’t significantly change pain intensity, while longer sessions, bleeding and stress did. Talk to your artist about the placement you want.
People most often name the ribs, sternum, spine, feet, hands, the knee and elbow, and the throat: places where thin skin sits right over bone, or where the skin is soft and full of nerve endings. That is common experience rather than a measured ranking; in the largest study, broad body areas did not change pain on average. Tell your artist if you want a sensitive placement, and ask about splitting a large piece into shorter sessions.
In a 2020 study, people rated pain during tattooing at 4.35 out of 10 on average, and 2.07 right afterwards. Your own experience may be higher or lower.
In that study, longer sessions were linked to more pain. Large pieces can often be split into shorter sessions.
We didn’t find any research comparing pain between tattoo styles. Smaller, quicker tattoos mean shorter sessions, which the research links with less pain.
Ask a pharmacist or doctor first. The US FDA has warned about some high-strength numbing products marketed for tattoos, and Health Canada’s labelling standard doesn’t cover numbing before cosmetic procedures. At Tattoo Lab: tell your artist first if you plan to use a numbing cream.
Ask a pharmacist or doctor about any medicine before your appointment, especially if you have a health condition or take other medicines.
Tell us about your idea and any worries, and your artist will help you plan the size, placement and session length that suit you.
