Tattoo Pain - 15 Body Parts and the Pain Range from Worst to Least

Posted by Kirti Pathak on February 14th, 2020

It is no secret that tattoos are a painful possession but the ones who do have them know that the price (along with the literal price) you pay for the art is completely worth it. The entire process involved insertion of ink through penetration of needles hence the pain has to be there but the gravity of it differs from area to area, of your body.

It is essential to remember that tattooing is a painful process but it is not as painful as it might seem in your head or has been shown in pop culture. Once it starts, within some minutes into the process, you will get accustomed to it. If it was that harsh, multitudes of people would not get into it or even have a plethora of tattoos.

Generally, the body parts with more muscle and fat do not feel excruciating pain and are bearable. The areas which are nearer to the bone and are skinnier are the areas that get too difficult to handle and cause pain that can seem intolerable.

To help understand this better, we have complied lists covering most, least and varying pain level areas to help you understand which area to choose.

Tattoo Areas which Hurt the Most

1. Head: probably one of the most painful body parts because of the several nerve endings and the lack of thicker skin, it is not loved or suggested by most people. The ones who do have head tattoos often talk more about the sound that is closely heard during the tattooing process as it is literally the skull which is getting tattooed.
2. Face: just like the head, this is also a body part which is mostly sensitive and is skinnier and bony as compared to other body parts. Cheeks are considered to be fleshy but that doesn't always imply that a face tattoo would be less painful.
3. Hand Area - Fingers/Inner Wrist/Elbow: numerous people get tattoos on their hands but not every part of your entire hand is as comfortable as the others. The fingers, inner wrist and elbow are painful areas because they are close to the bone and also because of the nerve endings. The tattooing does not hurt just the specific area at times but runs through the entire hand as well.
4. Chest/Ribs: bones, bones and bones. Let's also not forget our heart which rests there but thankfully needles of the tattoos aren't as long to puncture your heart so if that fear exists, it is unwarranted and you can relax. The chest/ribs hurt because they are body parts with some of the least fat and breathing makes the process tiresome as well. The ribcage is particularly tough to handle because the pain takes longer than usual to subside after getting the tattoo.
5. Armpit: rare yet a consideration by many, armpit tattoos are also painful because the armpit is a sensitive area of the body which can not only get ticklish but also hurt a lot when the needle pierces through.
6. Stomach: believe it or not, stomach area can be painful. The nerves here are close and hence a stomach tattoo can hurt a lot. Just like the ribcage, you breathe and the stomach moves which makes the process somewhat uncomfortable for a while as well.
7. Knee/back of the knee: Just like the elbow, the knee is bony and the skin is thin hence it pains a lot. A tattoo in the back of the knee hurts because of the sensitive nerve endings in the area and makes it a bit harsh.
8. Neck: the neck is also filled with nerves and is skinnier than a lot of body parts so the pain while getting a neck tattoo can also be uncomfortable.
9. Ankle and Foot: ankle tattoos are also quite painful considering the lack of fat and thin skin. Foot tattoos become intolerable because while there is enough thickness, there are also nerves which make the foot sensitive. Later, walking with the pain on the foot is what makes it most uncomfortable.

Tattoo Areas which Hurt the Least

1. Shoulder: mostly loved by people who have a phobia of pain, shoulders are fleshy and have lesser nerve endings which makes the tattooing process comfortable. Shoulder tattoos are hence one of the most common ones.
2. Calves: the calves are yet another common tattoo area because there is more fat there and it is less sensitive.
3. Outer Arm: probably the area which is a go-to for every first timer of tattoos, the outer arm is away from nerve endings, bones and has enough muscle for you to not feel horrible amounts of pain.
4. Outer Thighs: thighs are just filled with fat and muscle as one needs for least pain while getting a tattoo. Just like the outer arm, the outer thigh is away from the sensitivity of the skin due to nerve endings and is one of the best areas for bigger tattoos as well.

Tattoo Areas that Hurt in Varying Degrees

Some areas are painful depending on an individual's built and pain tolerance. These two body parts come under that category.

1. Throat: the throat can be seen as one of the worst areas to get tattooed because of the pain it might cause but there are people who do not feel much pain while getting a throat tattoo. It depends on where exactly the tattoo is being made and what the size of design is.
2. Inner Thighs: the inner thighs are delicate body parts and can face pain that is not quite bearable. However there are people who have enough flesh there and do not feel as much pain as expected while getting an inner thigh tattoo.

It is significant to note here that no matter which body part you choose to get tattooed, it will hurt a lot if you decide to go to any random tattoo shop without verifying them or take pain relievers or over-indulge in alcohol. No matter how cool it seems, it is not so in reality as it hampers the tattooing process.

No matter where you decide to get your tattoo, the pain will seem intolerable but it will eventually subside. According to your pain tolerance and by getting the suggestions of best tattoo artist, you can easily and comfortably get your tattoo. You know the ranges of pain now so deciding the area should not be a problem anymore, right?