Strange Famous

I am thinking pretty seriously about getting a smallish tattoo on my upper arm... but to be honest I'm a bit of a wimp and I dont like pain... from other people's experiences... how much does it hurt? Do they stick the needle right into you, or just paint the ink on the top of your skin?

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"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."

The Gospel of Thomas

ziadel

tatoo's are I believe between the second and third layers of skin...

in the area you described, it wont hurt bad at all, tat's only get really uncomfy when you either tatoo sensitive areas (like the wrist) or areas that are nothing more than skin over bone (like an ankle or your spine)

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ShaniFaye

I've had 4...I can tell you that the one that hurt the worst was when I got one when I was stoned. The other 3 stung more than hurt. Believe it or not (ya'll dont laugh) I dont have a very high tolerance for pain, and I made it thru all my tat's without crying or making him stop and give me a break. I have one on each thigh and one on each shoulder, the ones on my shoulder stung less than the ones on my legs. If I can handle it anybody can.

As far as I know the needles are going into you at a very fast rate.

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greeneyes

I have two tattoos, one on my spine and one on my hip bone. The one on my back was my first and it didn't hurt at all. There was a moment of uncomfortability during the outlining, but I wouldn't describe it as pain. The one on my hip is a whole other story. That sucker hurt. I think the difference is that I'm pretty skinny and my hip bone protrudes more than my spine.

Since you are getting it on your arm which is a bit fleshier than your spine or hip, I would think the pain would be minimal. With both of the tattoos I had, once the outline was done, I was in the clear as far as pain was concerned.

And yes, the needles pierce your skin, if they just painted the ink on the top of your skin, you wouldn't have to worry about pain, would ya?

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cyrnel

The outlines hurt more. Also, I watched a friend get worked over by a novice. That wasn't pretty. Old artists have told me depth control (and pain reduction) comes with experience.

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ngdawg

Mine is on my thigh. Half of it hurt for some odd reason-nerves close to the surface, maybe. The other side, I barely felt a thing. It has 6 colors, plus the black outline, so it took about 1.5 hours to finish. The needle 'pierces' at a very high rate of speed, so it feels like a buzzing tap for the most part. There is some blood, of course, for about a day, not much at all tho. Healing took a couple of weeks for the size I have and NOT giving into peeling or scratching is the hardest part while the healing takes place.
Make sure it is truly what you want. Ideas are fleeting, but tattoos you take to the grave.

lindseylatch

Mine hurt exactly as much as I thought it would...which is probably no help at all.

But it really didn't hurt too much. If you take a friend to talk to, it's nice. They can distract you.

Mine never even scabbed over. I kept it dry for 6 hours, then but bag balm (a really soft moisturizer, they use it on goats udders) on it for a couple days, every two hours. Until the skin looked and felt like all the stuff around it. It only took a few days.

I agree, make sure it's what you want. I had mine taped over my desk for a year, so I knew I could look at it and never get tired of it. Although it's on my lower right back, so I can't actually see it unless I try. But even after two years I still adore it, every time I look at it I remember how much I love it!

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Irishsean

If your looking for something small, I'd recommend another place rather than the upper arm. Small tats on the upper arm tend to look really out of place imo. Every single person I know at every shop I've been thru that has gotten a small tat on the upper arm has ended up getting it added to until it was a shoulder cap or at the very least a larger piece done. The shoulder or upper arm really calls for something baseball sized or larger. Good places I'd recommend for something smaller would be the throat, side of the neck, ankle, small of the back, wrist, or the butt.

As for how much it hurts, it really depends on what part of the arm your talking about. I have one on the backs of each of my shoulders, and they didn't hurt too bad. They were nothing compared to the one on my spine. The armpit is gonna sting quite a bit, a friend of mine has bothe of hers done with orchids, and while it looks great, she was in some pain for a day or so. The interior of the arm is also pretty tender, it wouldn't be the best spot to put one. If your going to go with the exterior of the arm, i'd go with something a bit bigger, or perhaps choose a different area to put it.

That all being said, on to the question of pain. In my opinion, if you are even slightly worried about the pain, I don't believe you should have any work done. Some parts hurt more than others, yes, but the pain is a part of getting it done. It isn't like putting on makeup or painting your nails, its a ritualistic scarring of your body that you will have to live with for the rest of your life. Yes they look good, but they are something you will have to live with forever, and the pain reminds you of that.

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jhkayakr

Do you really think they look good? After about 20 years you may not be happy with it. I had one tacked on when I was in Amsterdam during my youth. Hurt like hell. It's just a conversation piece now. Wish I hadn't of done it though.

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Magpie0001

You should be aware that the pain isnt like anything else. Its a warm kind of numb burning/pinching. If you relax, Its not that bad. I quite enjoyed it but maybe Im a bit odd that way. When its over you will say, "That wasnt that bad at all" everyone does. Breathing is very important, You might have the tendency to hold your breath when it really hurts, it will make you more tense. (to those getting pierced the piercer should put the needle through while youre breathing out, It hurts less) Dont look at it while its being done, fix on asomething else think about your S/O or something or better still talk to someone.
Dont listen to people who say it didnt hurt when they got a tat/piercing, of course it did, The skin broke, you bled, it hurt. So dont hope that it wont hurt. Be aware that it will hurt but you CAN deal with the pain, it will be worth it. Its ok to feel dizzy afterwards, the endorphins & adrenilyn (sp) will be hopping around your system, dont be afraid to ask for a break or just sit in the studio till you come down after its done.
Word of warning though: If you are not comfortable with the studio, artist, cleanliness anything, just walk away. It seems you dont know a whole lot about tats so ask the artist about how its done ask him to walk you through it, maybe ask him to explain the gun, he should have a Portfolio too look at it. To see his other work should put your mind at ease. Just dont be afraid to ask as many questions as possible before & during the whole procedure. Dont be afraid to tell the artist that you are nervous he/she will understand.
Thats all the advice I can think of right now.
I wish you the very best of luck & Id love to see a pic when its done.

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amonkie

The buzzing and the tension when they first start make it more painful, but I had a stress ball with me, and really was able to relax once I knew what it was going to feel like. There were certain times when they got much closer to the spine were it was definitely a LOT more sensitive, but the breathing helps. The healing actually hurt worse for me, best I can describe it would be a self induced sunburn, since it heals in basically the same way.

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Carno

They hurt thiiiiiiiiiiiis much.

Honestly I don't know because I've never gotten one. I did burn a cross onto my forearm though, and that hurt like a bitch.

analog

wasn't too bad. the "filling in" was the closest to "hurting" i'd say, because they go slower and are in the same area for longer. i found the outlining to be the easiest part.

BigBen

the shoulderblade ones hurt.

The deltoid one didn't.

My recommendation? I bought a bunch of permanent markers and took them to the tattoo place. I then paid one of the casual guys 20 bucks to draw on what I wanted, and wore it around for a week. I looked in the mirror, woke up, showed it off, got feedback from others.

I then went back to the place and told them I wanted it bigger, 1 inch higher and 1.5 inches left.

You see, I knew EXACTLY what I wanted by then, and have never regretted them. I recommend you do the same. When the tattoo guy asks why, tell him your friend Ben told you to do this first, and you'll be back in a week. He may even incorporate the practice into his business.

My opinion.

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lindseylatch

Oh, I really like that idea!! I've been kind of thinking of another one, but not really...maybe I'll just do that for a while. see if I like it.

Also, if the tattoo guy wants to make a little change, don't just dismiss it out of hand. They guy who did mine, which was originally a solid black and white celtic cross horse thingy, suggested shading it, so you could see the over and under on the celtic part. It was WAAAAAY cooler with the shading! Kinda crappy picture...I need to get the SO to take a new one...

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TexanAvenger

The one guy I know that's a tattoo artist is huge, beefy, looks menacing as hell, and while he's actually a teddy-bear underneath, he gives the impression of being one imposing son of a bitch.

I'm trying to imagine his reaction to a guy like me coming in with permanent markers and paying him to just draw a tattoo...

Actually, I really like the idea... Don't regret having done mine without, but know people that might've done better your way.

MSD

If I remember correctly, you're Jewish. I mention this because I have heard numerous times from knowledgeable people that you cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery if you have tattoos. You may want to check with your local religious authorities if you intend to be practicing your faith until you're dead and buried.

Glory's Sun

They don't hurt at all IMO. I have spine tats and an arm tat. I guess the closest way to describe it is to take a staple and scrape it across your skin. Or you could liken it to a cat scratch. I rather enjoy the sensation so it could be way different. Just make sure you think about what you want for a while and choose a good artist.

drewpy

this may not belong buried within this thread - but I have been wondering the same thing - but in a very specific situation - namely a small dime-size tat on the underside of my dick... anyone have experieince with this??

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Magpie0001

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Stompy

Yeah, they really don't hurt at all.

I had my first tats on the inner part of my elbow where the nerves are most sensitive and it really didn't hurt. I had a bigger, more detailed zombie face done on my arm and that didn't hurt much either.

I think some people are more sensitive to it than others. My friend said hers was hurting her when she had it done. She's a big wuss, though.

It's hard to explain what it feels like. It doesn't quite hurt as bad as flat out putting a needle in your arm, that's for sure. Something like... take a nail (as in.. hammer/nails) and scratch it around in a small area real fast. It KINDA stings a bit, but not really. At any rate, it's a very tolerable pain, to say the least.

Think of it this way: if it hurt that bad, people wouldn't have em done.

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amonkie

In the words of the place that did mine:



Read the last line

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Calling from deep in the heart, from where the eyes can't see and the ears can't hear, from where the mountain trails end and only love can go... ~~~ Three Rivers Hare Krishna

streak_56

I loved getting my tattoo, I thought it felt quite good. After the intial thought that it was going to hurt, I really enjoyed mine. I recommend it to everyone I know that wants to get a tattoo. Its something that you have to enjoy for yourself, quite an experience.

Strange Famous

Im not religiously or ethnically Jewish - although I have some Jewish family (my father was Jewish) and it is a strong part of my identity (hence a Hebrew word) but also a part I didnt really think about for a long time until quite recently.

__________________
"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."

The Gospel of Thomas

ophelia783

Hey StrangeFamous,
I'm Jewish, and have 3 tattoos: one on my lower back, one on my shoulder blade and one on my calf.

The pain resulting from a tattoo is very dependant on your threshold tolerance, the location site, and your artist himself.

The ink on my back took about an hour to do, and has 7 colours in it. Most of the time, it felt like nothing more than a deep-tissue massage: warmth, heat, and a little tenderness. There were a couple of spots that were slightly painful, but that happened as my artist got closer to my outer hip, and the gun grazed a nerve.

The one of my calf took half an hour, and hurt a fair amount. Why? Because my artist used only an outline gun to do it, and the sensations are very different depending on which gun is currently being used. An outliner feels very similar to a cat scratch, whereas the filler feels how I described above: just a warm tenderness.

The one on my shoulder took like 15 minutes, but the needle pinched a nerve, so I got some nausea with that one.

Before you get a tattoo done, there are a few steps you should follow. Be 100% sure of your motivations for the design and the design itself, 'cause it's that that ends up biting you in the ass. Research your artist and the shop carefully; don't just walk into a random parlor because it's open or close by, or has a good deal, because it's the quality of work that's crucial. As well, be sure to eat properly and not drink or use drugs before your tattoo, because otherwise you'll end bleeding much more, and the artist (if they're good) will be able to tell you're not 100% of sound mind.

If you have any more questions, you're more than welcome to either PM or e-mail me, and you should go to BMEZine.com, which is a great resource.

And, BTW, it is completely UNTRUE that tattooed Jews cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetary. Trust me.

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clavus

The Old Testament says "no tattoos." Draw your own conclusions.

I got one on my ankle. The skin is thin there. It hurt no more than a small scratch (a small scratch that lasted for 20 minutes). I've had splinters that hurt worse.

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lindseylatch

Well, that is a very sensitive part of the body...so I would think "OUCH!!!!!"
What design?

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"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities"
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MSD

I was guessing mainly based on your thread about a Mormon trying to convert you while wearing a Hebrew t-shirt, and your steadfast support of and dedication to Israel that I've seen in politics.

If religious factors aren't a concern, then go for it. If you're sure it's something you want enough for it to become a part of you, then a little bit of pain to get it should be trivial. Then again, anything less than excruciating isn't a big deal to me (hooray for high pain tolerance,) so I may not be the best person to consult.

Another consideration is skin movement. You've mentioned a couple of times in the past that you aren't happy with your weight, and if you lose weight, your skin will shrink and move to fit your new shape, and anything embedded in teh skin will distort. This is why I've got 55 pounds (uhh, I htik that's aroun 25-30kg) to go before I get inked up. Even then, it will be UV-responsive ink that matches my skin tone so that I can easily conceal it when I don't want it to be seen (upper back, white UV-responsive ink.)

Irishsean

Bullshit.

Many, if not all of us, in the world of tattoo have had Leviticus 19:28 thrown in our faces - "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord." Usually it is meant to condemn either our profession or our obviously decorated skin. So what is a Christian tattooist or tattoo enthusiast to say? Is tattooing indeed defiling the temple of the Holy Spirit? Are we callously ignoring God’s commandment?

Let’s shed some light on the subject by looking at it through Scriptural doctrines - the law with its conviction, and grace with its freedom.

First, by researching references to Leviticus 19:28, we find it refers to a heathen practice meant to invoke the attention of pagan gods - and usually by means of cutting oneself to "prove" one’s sincerity (see also Leviticus 21:5, Jeremiah 16:6, and Deuteronomy 14:1). It was an attempt to make oneself worthy to approach some graven image of a god through self-abasement. God rightly admonished His chosen people not to follow the pagan rituals of such false "religions".

However, some critics will still hold fast to the literal letter of the law and conclude that regard- less of its textual meaning, the act of tattooing is still forbidden. Granted, the entire Bible is indeed the inspired literal Word of the living God, but it also represents a progressive revelation of its Author - His nature, His grace and His plan for redemption. Taken in the context of God’s plan to restore mankind into fellowship with Him, the law was given to show us that we could not redeem ourselves by our own efforts.

Paul writes in Romans that no man will be justified by the law - that it was given to reveal sin. Only through faith in the free gift of God’s grace, found in the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ, can man be justified (Romans 3:20-26). In fact, Jesus actually redeemed us from the law and its curse (Galatians 3:13, see also Galatians 3:22).

But if one wants to live by the law - the Old Covenant - then one must keep all of it (James 2:10). Transgressing any part of the law means we are guilty of transgressing all of it. According to Levitical law, we may not eat the meat of rabbits or pigs (Leviticus 11:6-7), nor lobsters, crabs, prawns, oysters or clams (Leviticus 11:10-12). Hybrid breeding of livestock and mixing linen and wool in fabrics is prohibited (Leviticus 19:19). Shaving the sides of your head (being clean shaven) or disfiguring the edges of your beard (trimming) are also forbidden (Leviticus 19:27). So - if you’ve ever eaten a pork sandwich, dined on Maine lobster, trimmed your beard or worn a wool blend suit - or have gotten a tattoo - you’re guilty under the law!

Thank God that He has provided a better way for us to be reconciled to Him! A New Covenant! Romans 5:1-2 says we are justified by faith, given right standing with God through the Lord Jesus Christ (see also Romans 5:8-11). The entire 5th chapter of Galatians deals with this issue - contrasting the law and liberty, the lusts of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit.

Under the New Covenant, all the law is fulfilled in loving God with all your heart, soul and mind and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus fulfilled the law and now our right standing with God is based upon His right standing. Our righteousness is based upon His righteousness - not on the law. Galatians 2:21 puts it this way, "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

In Paul’s day there was controversy over whether a believer would be defiled by eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Paul addressed this at length. In his understanding, the eating of that meat was neither good nor bad of itself. It was the attitude of the heart that was important. Heart motive either cleansed the meat or condemned the eater. Yet while all things were legal to Paul, not all things were without consequences. (Read the 14th chapter of Romans and 1 Corinthians, chapter 8.) Paul affirmed the freedom we have in Christ, but he also warned us to beware that our liberty does not become a stumbling block for others. With liberty comes responsibility. A word of caution: do not flaunt your Christian freedom. One man’s freedom can be another’s downfall.

Yeah, so what about our body being the "temple" of God? Isn’t it defiled by tattooing? Well, let’s look at the context of those scriptures (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16). In the first instance, Paul is addressing envy, strife and division in the church at Corinth and warning them to be careful of what is built upon the foundation laid down by Jesus lest the temple be defiled. In chapter 6, he refers to sexual immorality as defiling the temple of the body. In 2 Corinthians Paul warns against tainting the bodily temple with idol worship.

Jesus Himself said in Matthew 15:11 that it is what comes out of the mouth of man that defiles him - that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34-35). It is the love, purity and faith that comes out of your heart that keeps your temple holy - or it is the strife, immorality and unbelief within your heart that defiles it.

Personally, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. As Christians we should take dead aim at the devil and his unholy minions - not at brothers and sisters in the Lord who happen to be decorated (or those who are not). Paul himself advises us not to engage in foolish disputes and arguments over the law. He calls it useless and unprofitable (Titus 3:9). Besides, once that machine starts buzzing, I’ve got a great opportunity to have the undivided attention of my customer to share the good news - should he or she have "ears to hear"...

And if all else fails, just tell those critics of tattooing that Leviticus 19:28 states: "You shall not... tattoo any marks on you." - this obviously means don’t tattoo yourself, go to a professional!

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There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances.
Leon Trotsky

skinnymofo

i think thats as close as you can get to explaining the "pain". atleast on the inside of the forearm.
i did have to stop to get a little water. (but this happened when i had a mole removed too, due to low metabolites in the blood i think the doc said)
Ill put it this way, I would rather get a tattoo than hit in the nose.
so before you get one, find a good artist you trust and drink a gatorade and some water just in case.

Jackebear

Bottom of the neck...no problem. Upper and middle back...not bad. Lower back...yikes. Upper arms...no worries. Calves...one hour of pain, one hour...nuthin'.

Worst was a tattoo done by an old guy who does all the tattoos for one of the Yakuza clans here in Japan (it's a long but cool story). He used a small 4-5mm blade and hand poked my back for 2 hours...holy shit. But I thought if those boys can do it for up to 7 years to get some of that awesome art...I could handle 2 hours. Barely.

Basically, the pain will come in waves but keep chatting, bring some tunes and tell the artist to play it for you, and you will be fine. Oh yeah, I don't know how I can emphasize this more but get something that means something to you and either design it yourself or find a piece of flash that you like and get the artist to change a few things to make it unique to you. I don't know how many dolphins, suns, roses, mickey mouses, superman logos and celtic bands that look almost the same. Nothing worse than going to the beach and someone has the same tat as you. I even saw one guy with the "Late Night (swoosh) with David Letterman" (inside)" logo on his back. Jeez. I like "Star Wars" but I'm not putting that permanently on my body.

Have fun. Post a pic when you get it done.

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clavus

Hey, Irishsean, I didn't mean to touch a nerve, though I'm glad to see that you did indeed draw your own conclusions. Others may stop right there at Leviticus. As for me, I'm going to keep eating bacon, wearing cotton blends, and working on Saturdays. I might even get another tattoo.

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rockogre

Religion aside, I discovered something interesting getting mine. Your body is more sensetive on one side than the other. The tattoo on my right arm just stung, the one on my left arm burned like hell. My tattooist said that this is pretty normal.

I think God will get over them.

Oh, and people that have tattoos are required to tell those without tattoos that it doesn't hurt. Some sort of federal law.

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squirrelyburt

It hurt like getting a shot at first, but I think the skin kind of numbed itself partway through, was worth it and I'm looking for another. Whatever you do, get something that means something to you and you won't be embaraased about in a few weeks or 10 years

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Irishsean

Its a nasty thing that keeps getting brought up by my parents, hehe. My dad was a baptist minister until he retired, I hear about it all the time, and can't convince him otherwise, even when I show him all the research that i've done into it. I've even convinced the pastor at the church he attends that tattoos aren't evil, hes just a blockhead!

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There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances.
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Grasshopper Green

I dont have much to add...just to make sure you eat before you go in and try to relax...I passed out in the parking lot after my first tat. I almost passed out after my second, but I knew I needed to sit down for awhile afterwards, not immediately jump up and leave. I felt worse in the hour afterward than I did from the tat itself, probably due to not relaxing and all of the adrenaline in my body. And should you get one....don't pick/scratch at the scab!!! It might pull the ink out.

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icksters

I got my first tattoo on my lower back and it hurt but not as much as i expected it to. It was more of a burning sensation, what hurt the most was towards the end when he was blending the colors together. It healed in a week and itched a lil bit, this is definately not my last tattoo like someone else in this thread said, check bmezine.com for info on tattoo, its really informative on that stuff. Good Luck!!

rockogre

Excellent point about eating! I'll never go on my bike again, you can't get tattooed in Oklahoma so I go to Texas, got all shaky and stuff. Had to stop and eat and kick back for a while before I could get home.

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Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
Jesus Christ and the American G. I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom

questone

Im not religiously or ethnically Jewish - although I have some Jewish family (my father was Jewish) and it is a strong part of my identity (hence a Hebrew word) but also a part I didnt really think about for a long time until quite recently.

irseg

I watched a friend of mine get a tattoo done on his back.. Not one of those postage-stamp sized things--it covered his entire back. The lighter parts that they filled in looked to be bearable. But during the dark areas such as the outline, he was either wincing in pain, or looking like he was about to turn around and start beating the tattoo guy. Didn't seem to be too pleasant. He said it felt like a really slow-moving razor blade.

Piercings look to be more painful though, if not as sustained. When I was at the tattoo place, I heard "AHHHH!! FUCK!!!!!" and turned around to see some giant biker guy with a piercing needle sticking through the middle of his nose and tears streaming down his face.