What does a tattoo feel like?

The most important Q first: What does getting a tattoo really feel like? Tattoo artist JoJo Roman compares Ink Fanatic Tattoo Studio the sensation of getting a tattoo to the feeling of a constant cat scratch (all my cat people out there know what she means). Other people say getting a tattoo feels like someone is continually scratching a hot needle across your skin—because that’s kinda what’s happening.

After about 15 minutes into your tattoo appointment (FYI, tattoo sessions can be as quick as 30 minutes or be done over the span of multiple days), your adrenaline will start kicking in and help manage some of the pain, but if you’re getting a larger piece done, Roman says the pain can come in waves.

Where is the least painful place to get a tattoo?
The size of your tattoo and where on your body it is will impact how painful the tattoo process is, says Roman. In general, tiny tattoos or fine line tattoos on fleshier parts of your body will hurt the least. Roman also says tattoos on your wrist or forearm tend to be pretty easy places to start with, but a pinch test (yes, literally pinching yourself with your nails) is a good indicator of which areas on your own body might be more sensitive than others.

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Although everyone experiences pain differently, you can expect for the tattoo pain to be worse on your ribs, hips, feet, ankles, neck, backs of your knees, or insides of your elbows. (Editor’s note: As someone with a rib tattoo, I can confirm that shit is PAINFUL.) Really, anywhere on your body that’s bony or doesn’t have a lot of fat and/or has a high level of nerve endings will be a painful place to get tattooed.

So if you were planning on getting a tattoo in one—or all—of those areas, brace yourself. Or pop a few Tylenol (not ibuprofen, aspirin, or even a quick shot of tequila, since they all thin your blood and can make the process dangerous). Larger tattoos, colorful tattoos, or tattoos with intricate designs that have lots of shading and detail work tend to be more painful too, since they require much more time to execute.