How Much Does It Hurt to Get a Tattoo

Depending on who you ask, getting a tattoo is one of the most painful things you could ever experience or something that will barely make you flinch.

Some people liken the feeling of getting a tattoo to getting a cat scratch or sunburn. But how much pain you can expect to feel during a tattoo session really depends on a few things. For starters, the tattoo's location matters. Areas with more nerve endings or less padding under the skin - such as the ribs, feet, or hands - tend to be more painful.

The size of the tattoo, the complexity of the design, and the skill of the tattoo artist are also factors. Here's how three women explain the level of pain they felt getting their tattoos.

A new mom says her pain tolerance is higher than it used to be

If you would have asked Tiffani Milam-White as an 18-year-old how much it hurt to get a tattoo, her answer would have been a lot different than it is now.

"I feel like the pain of tattoos depends on several things, including the location, the size, and your mindstate," says Tiffani, a 34-year-old new mom and teacher in West Hempstead, New York.

When Tiffani was 18, during her first semester at college, she got a small butterfly tattoo on her right lower back. The tattoo had a significant meaning. For her, butterflies represent freedom and transformation - what she remembers feeling she was going through.

She also remembers the pain and how, once she was able to relax a little, it didn't hurt as much.

"In my mind, the tattoo was going to hurt," she says. "The sound of the needle terrified me at first. The first touch of the needle hurt. I soon realized that the pain was all in my head."

Years later, in October 2023, she got a tattoo of the word "faith" on her forearm. That time, she says, she was mentally prepared.

"All I felt during this tattoo was the vibration," she says, explaining that giving birth increased her ability to handle pain. "The tattoo sort of tickled. Getting my COVID vaccine hurt worse. My pain tolerance has gotten a lot higher over the years."

In a way, getting a tattoo was 'soothing'

Althea Smith, a 36-year-old creative entrepreneur in Mount Vernon, New York, was also in college when she got her first tattoo. She went out to celebrate a friend's 18th birthday and came home with a small butterfly tattoo with her name above it on the center of her back.

"I thought getting a tattoo was going to have me in excruciating pain. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt at all. In fact, I really enjoyed the sensation. It felt kind of soothing, in a way," Althea says. "Weird, right?"

Althea used an after-tattoo balm her tattoo artist recommended. It contained natural oils to prevent itching and scabbing as her tattoo healed.

While Althea says she doesn't have the desire to get any more tattoos, she doesn't regret the one she got when she was half her current age.

Distractions help take her mind off the pain

Sophia Malone, a 39-year-old payroll manager in Orlando, Florida, has gotten used to the feeling of getting tattoos. She has 19 of them.

"While getting tattooed is painful, it truly is a mind-over-matter situation for me," Sophia says.

Sometimes, getting a tattoo makes her break into a cold sweat or not want to sit still, Sophia says. But she distracts herself by listening to music. And once she gets settled, she gets used to the feeling.

"I have a high pain tolerance," Sophia says. "But once my session passes about 2 hours, the pain starts to get to me." If she starts to feel unsettled, she adds, it helps to talk to her tattoo artist and take her mind off of what is happening.

For her, the discomfort is worth it: "If our bodies are temples, mine has art on the walls," she says.

What does the doctor say?

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Senior Medical Editor

The experience of getting a tattoo can be different for different people. That's because pain perception is a unique experience. Some people have a naturally higher pain tolerance. And pain tolerance can change over time.

Your tattoo location also makes a difference. It's less painful to get a tattoo over areas with more subcutaneous tissue and fat - natural padding under the skin.

There are creams like EMLA - which contain the numbing medications lidocaine and prilocaine - that can help make getting a tattoo easier. Some tattoo artists provide these creams. But your primary care provider can also give you a prescription for one. EMLA is safe for most people to use. You apply the cream about 20 minutes before getting your tattoo. The effects should last about 2 hours, but they could last longer.

You can also try taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen right after you get your tattoo. This can help relieve discomfort and swelling. Ice packs can also help, but be sure to check with your tattoo artist first to make sure it's safe to use ice on your new tattoo.