I've only ever gotten inked on my arms, but apparently that's nothing compared to other places on the body.
I spoke with other tattooed friends and consulted an amazing resource by writer and tattoo enthusiast Josh Squires to rank the nine most painful places to get your next work of body art.
(FWIW, I think it's worth the pain!)
Bicep
Pain scale: Hmmm…
I have one of these and I didn't think it hurt that much, but then again, mine's pretty small. The problem with bicep tattoos, though, is that it's hard to avoid rubbing it (against fabric, against the side of your body, etc.), and that can cause irritation, i.e., pain.
Elbow
Pain scale: Ow.
Some people refer to this area of the body as the "swell"-bow. I'm sure you can guess why.
"Getting tattooed in an area where your bones are closer to the surface of your skin… could be more unpleasant than a meatier part of the body," Squires wrote. And what's bonier than your elbow?
Behind the knee
Pain scale: Ouch.
"Areas that are more frequently exposed to the sun… are going to hurt a little less than places that don’t get much sunlight," like the backs of your knees, wrote Squires.
If a leg tattoo is in your future, the top of your thigh is a much more comfortable bet.
Wrist
Pain scale: JESUS.
The skin on your wrist is pretty thin and close to a lot of arteries and veins, so, yeah, it can hurt. It can hurt quite a bit.
Hand/fingers
Pain scale: Pass the Advil, please.
The hand is full of bones, ligaments, and thin, sensitive skin. So when you think about it, it's the best of all worlds — or rather, the worst. Sorry.
Feet
Pain scale: Pass the GODDAMN ADVIL.
Ah, the feet. Notorious for their poor circulation, tiny mess of bones and ligaments, thin skin, and susceptibility to infection. All that combined is just pain waiting to happen.
Ribs
Pain scale: IT HURTS SO GOOD ::grimace::
The reason getting your ribs tattooed is so unpleasant, wrote Squires, is that "many people don’t like the 'tapping' feeling of being tattooed over bone." Yup, pretttttttyyyy unpleasant.
Head
Pain scale: MOTHERF*****!
The good news about a head tattoo? If you decide you don't want to see it anymore, you can just your hair grow back out over it.
The bad news? It's pretty damn painful to get in the first place. It's like a teeny-tiny buzzing drill against your skull, after all.
Sternum
Pain scale: ::passes out, wakes up with a tattoo::
The sternum is such a vulnerable place to get tattooed — it's right on top of most of your major organs, it's pretty bony, and it can rock your whole chest cavity.
But it's so pretty though, isn't it?
