First Tattoo - what to expect?

I am contemplating getting my first tattoo within the next few weeks or so. If I am getting it, it is likely going to be on my inner-upper forearm, just near the armpit. What sort of pain am I going to expect? I only want a few short words, so I can't imagine it lasting very long.

Atavan-Halen

Pain is different for everyone but it'll feel irritating more than painful. Imagine a cat or something scratching away at you and you have a rough idea. Best of luck with it if you do get it done and post a pic

Dangerdunf

A tattoo on your bicep is like a small pinching. It was probly the least painful of all my tattoo's. Just try not to go out drinking the night before the tattoo and try eat or drink something with high sugars before the tattoo and you should be fine

zero19

Bring a packet of fruit gums or something with you to eat while the works being done, worked for me

Elbow

No matter what any of us here say your still gonna be worked up before your first tattoo, but it is honestly not half as bad as you expect

Relaxed and full of sugar is the best way 2 be

I always bring lucozade sport & glucose tablets with me to keep the sugar levels up, keep chatting and the time will fly

Thanks for your advice, guys. Very nervous about it, but I guess it's understandable. I've been contemplating getting one for years, so I might as well!

Find it hard to understand why tattoo parlours don't do some form of henna or temporary tattoo. They could open up a big market for themselves - the people like me, the not-sures.

Elbow

Deleted User wrote: »

Thanks for your advice, guys. Very nervous about it, but I guess it's understandable. I've been contemplating getting one for years, so I might as well!

Find it hard to understand why tattoo parlours don't do some form of henna or temporary tattoo. They could open up a big market for themselves - the people like me, the not-sures.

The nerves, the pain, the feeling of regret that you didnt go bigger it's all part of the experience.

Clohane

Clohane wrote: »

The nerves, the pain, the feeling of regret that you didnt go bigger it's all part of the experience.

I'm pretty sure I won't regret I went bigger. Or maybe I will. It's hard to tell at the moment. Hell, knowing me I'll probably chicken out unless I bring somebody with me.

Elbow

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm pretty sure I won't regret I went bigger. Or maybe I will. It's hard to tell at the moment. Hell, knowing me I'll probably chicken out unless I bring somebody with me.

Its addictive

Jelle1880

atavan-halen wrote: »

Pain is different for everyone but it'll feel irritating more than painful. Imagine a cat or something scratching away at you and you have a rough idea. Best of luck with it if you do get it done and post a pic

Some cat you have

I was unlucky to have it done by a bad artist (Had to have it redone later) and it hurt like hell.

Spunk84

PAIN! And anyone tells you different then boooo to them eat before you go in and bring something sugary with you to keep your blood sugars up, other than that prepare to get the addication;)

Kunnyfunt

BAHAHA i had my first tattoo two months ago, it's on my neck & i nicely passed out. Apparently i was dumb enough not to eat, it didnt hurt that much but yeah. So make sure you do eat before you go

Jake The Fat Ma

Pain Is Weakness Leaving The Body

So I bit the bullet yesterday and decided to get my tattoo. Went in to book an appointment and the guys had a free space then and there, so I decided to do it. It's on my inner upper forearm, just by my armpit and, with the information people had told me here, I made sure to eat just before I went in, just on the offchance they did take me. During it I made sure to have something sweet with me, which I munched during the tattoo itself.

And I gotta say .. there really wasn't that much pain. Not acting like a macho-man or anything, but it was perfectly fine. This may have been down to the tattoo artist himself, who took his time with it.

Elbow

Deleted User wrote: »

So I bit the bullet yesterday and decided to get my tattoo. Went in to book an appointment and the guys had a free space then and there, so I decided to do it. It's on my inner upper forearm, just by my armpit and, with the information people had told me here, I made sure to eat just before I went in, just on the offchance they did take me. During it I made sure to have something sweet with me, which I munched during the tattoo itself.

And I gotta say .. there really wasn't that much pain. Not acting like a macho-man or anything, but it was perfectly fine. This may have been down to the tattoo artist himself, who took his time with it.

Welcome to the club boneyarsebogman, what ya get and most importantly.........Pics?

Dyr

Jake The Fat Ma wrote: »

Pain Is Weakness Leaving The Body

Pain is consciousness leaving the brain

Clohane

Clohane wrote: »

Pics?

Not yet - will probably have some by this weekend. It's nothing big - just the outline of a star, which I've always wanted to have. Still somewhat amazed by how little it actually hurt.

Dangerdunf

Deleted User wrote: »

So I bit the bullet yesterday and decided to get my tattoo. Went in to book an appointment and the guys had a free space then and there, so I decided to do it. It's on my inner upper forearm, just by my armpit and, with the information people had told me here, I made sure to eat just before I went in, just on the offchance they did take me. During it I made sure to have something sweet with me, which I munched during the tattoo itself.

And I gotta say .. there really wasn't that much pain. Not acting like a macho-man or anything, but it was perfectly fine. This may have been down to the tattoo artist himself, who took his time with it.

Fair play buddy!

There we go - as you can see, it's really nothing much, but I'm proud of it.

Atavan-Halen

Was it as bad/worse/better than you expected?

A lot better. I genuinely was expecting a lot of pain, yet it was only a mild discomfort than anything else - certainly nothing that bad.

Sgt.Peppers

all you should worry about is getting addicted

antocann

Sgt.Peppers wrote: »

all you should worry about is getting addicted

but that is the best part

Sgt.Peppers

true but gets annoying after a while you realize **** i have more money on my arms and legs then i do in my bank account

antocann

Sgt.Peppers wrote: »

true but gets annoying after a while you realize **** i have more money on my arms and legs then i do in my bank account

thats also true

eviltimeban

Nice tattoo. Well done. I always found the pain felt less when I watched what was happening. I used to look away and then felt it even more; but when I watched it, it didn't seem to hurt as much. Purely psychological.

In my experience, I found where you got it done was more sore than on the outside. The fleshier parts were OK, and nearest the bone was the worst. I've a full sleeve and the worst parts were the shoulder, the elbow, and strangely the inner arm (like where you've got yours).

zero19

Where did ya get it done?

Melion

Im shocked that you think that was a relatively easy place to get tattooed. That was the worst pain of all of mine, absolute agony for the majority of it.

I got it done in G's tattoo parlour, formerly Metalworks.

There was some mild discomfort but no excessive pain.

Elbow

Melion wrote: »

Im shocked that you think that was a relatively easy place to get tattooed. That was the worst pain of all of mine, absolute agony for the majority of it.

I agree, the inner bicep is a bitch!

If you taught that was easy OP you'll have no bother in future

Maire2009

eviltimeban wrote: »

Nice tattoo. Well done. I always found the pain felt less when I watched what was happening. I used to look away and then felt it even more; but when I watched it, it didn't seem to hurt as much. Purely psychological.

In my experience, I found where you got it done was more sore than on the outside. The fleshier parts were OK, and nearest the bone was the worst. I've a full sleeve and the worst parts were the shoulder, the elbow, and strangely the inner arm (like where you've got yours).

Oh noes I'm getting my shoulder blade done soon, and I'm such a terrible girl when it comes to these things.

I have one on my lower back so have an idea what to expect. I always said I'd only get one ah to be young and naive. I've one done and two more planned ... but that's definitely it then.

Star Lord

Maire2009 wrote: »

Oh noes I'm getting my shoulder blade done soon, and I'm such a terrible girl when it comes to these things.

I have one on my lower back so have an idea what to expect. I always said I'd only get one ah to be young and naive. I've one done and two more planned ... but that's definitely it then.

I have both my shoulder blades done, and found them quite tolerable, and my artist was very heavy handed!

The one on my chest hurt like I was being slowly killed though!

Dangerdunf

Maire2009 wrote: »

Oh noes I'm getting my shoulder blade done soon, and I'm such a terrible girl when it comes to these things.

I have one on my lower back so have an idea what to expect. I always said I'd only get one ah to be young and naive. I've one done and two more planned ... but that's definitely it then.

I got a piece on my shoulder blade finished 2 weeks ago. The 1st sitting wasn't too bad at all but the second was fairly sore. How big is the tattoo you are getting?

maximoose

Fair play to you for just going for it, amazed you thought the bicep was fine! I thought it was one of the sorer areas when getting done

Although funnybone and ribs take the f*cking biscuit IMO.

Maire2009

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

I have both my shoulder blades done, and found them quite tolerable, and my artist was very heavy handed!

The one on my chest hurt like I was being slowly killed though!

Good, good. I was thinking the shoulder blade wouldn't hurt like the lower back, and if at that, I didn't find that painful, just uncomfortable after about 40mins.

It all depends on the person as well. My sister got one done collarbone to collarbone and she didn't feel a thing. The one on her calf hurt her big time though.

Dangerdunf wrote: »

I got a piece on my shoulder blade finished 2 weeks ago. The 1st sitting wasn't too bad at all but the second was fairly sore. How big is the tattoo you are getting?

The tattoo is going to come out from underneath my shoulder blade and fan out across my shoulder blade if that makes sense. That's the idea I have in my head, but must discuss it with the tattoo artist to see what he thinks will look well. I want to place it where I can show it off and hide it as I please, so reckon that is the place to put it, design wise as well it suits there.

antocann

Deleted User wrote: »

There we go - as you can see, it's really nothing much, but I'm proud of it.

when you get the first star its only the start , i got this last month , had 3 stars god more , and gethin more ini a week or 2 , gona make a sleeve of it

Dirk Gently

Sgt.Peppers wrote: »

true but gets annoying after a while you realize **** i have more money on my arms and legs then i do in my bank account

I laughed reading this, then thought about it, frowned and start shaking my head because it's true.

deepeedublin

but they can look so good. money well spent