So. I'm getting my first tattoo on Tuesday - excited, thrilled, whatever - but I don't know how much it'll hurt.

I know everyone "takes it differently" and everything - but how did it feel for you? I've had some pretty lengthy piercing sessions so I'm not worried about passing out or crying in pain, just curious. I'll be in for 3 hours apparently. What I'm actually worried about is getting bored and wiggling about and screwing it up. Lame!

So, how did it feel for your tattoos, TS?

I don't have a tattoo,
but I went with my 16 year old brother to get his, and he is the biggest wimp ever. LOL.
He told me it was more of a burning sensation, and that it wasn't too bad,
mind you he was only in there for an hour.

You said pain isn't that big of a deal for you, so I doubt you'll feel much of anything other than the pricking and slight burning sensation. However, the longer the session, the more it starts to either hurt or irritate you as your skin gets inflamed and what not.

I'm a wuss, so my first sitting was fairly painful towards the end, plus I'm scared of needles.
But taking all that out, it's really just like pricking yourself over and over.
Except for the shading, that was like sticking some needles in, pressing down and pulling them. It hurt at first, but I got used to it. It was just an awkward feeling to get used to.

What are you going to get?

You said pain isn't that big of a deal for you, so I doubt you'll feel much of anything other than the pricking and slight burning sensation. However, the longer the session, the more it starts to either hurt or irritate you as your skin gets inflamed and what not.

I'm a wuss, so my first sitting was fairly painful towards the end, plus I'm scared of needles.
But taking all that out, it's really just like pricking yourself over and over.
Except for the shading, that was like sticking some needles in, pressing down and pulling them. It hurt at first, but I got used to it. It was just an awkward feeling to get used to.

What are you going to get?

This is the design I took them, they made it a lot softer, less fussy - changed the flow and curve to sit better on my body. (http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f340/whitesidevampire/tattoodesigns.png)

I wish I had a copy of the new one! Each half is going on my sides, down and then around to the front.

It doesn't feel nice :ehwell: I dunno what else to tell ya!

ive got three and there was hardly any pain. Pretty much after about 10 mins of the outline it goes numb or its just like a dull buzzing feelings, but dont worry it shouldnt hurt too much. i got them on my wrist, back and hand and the most painful one was my hand but my back felt like nothing. Just felt like a bit of scratching so if you can put up with a bit of scratching you should be ok.

It doesn't feel nice :ehwell: I dunno what else to tell ya!

It doesn't? Darn. :eek: All my piercings felt great.

Well I can't say I'd want it done everyday..I found it hurt quite a lot. But the one I have is my first and only tattoo. You tend to get used to the feeling of it..or your body numbs to it. Either one. Outline definitely hurt me more than colouring.

I got pretty restless, and mine was only about 30 minutes or so, maybe up to an hour. My back hurt from sitting upright for so long.. I couldn't sit still for 3 hours!

But that could just be me. I'm sure if you're in a comfortable position you could just doze off, or fall into a stupor and it shouldn't be too bad.

it can be addicting

I had one done on my hip/back.
and one done on the back of my neck.
The one on the back of my neck didn't really hurt at all, it was just annoying.

To me; it kinda felt like a cat was scratching you really slowly and as soon as the needle comes off your skin, it doesn't hurt anymore.

Bring someone to hold your hand, it makes you feel a TON better :)

Good luck!

I always compare it to a bad scratch or a continuous carpet burn. -shrug-

I have one on my left side and a big piece on my upper back... The back was definitely worse than the side, though, but I don't know how much of a contribution drugs were to that. Lol. I got my wisdom teeth taken out and went to the tat shop for my side tat. DO NOT reccomend that, though. Lol

I got pretty restless, and mine was only about 30 minutes or so, maybe up to an hour. My back hurt from sitting upright for so long.. I couldn't sit still for 3 hours!

But that could just be me. I'm sure if you're in a comfortable position you could just doze off, or fall into a stupor and it shouldn't be too bad.

I would love to fall into a stupor during it, that sounds like it'd work out just perfectly. :D

If you can get into a comfortable position, it can be pretty nice.
I was just relaxing, trying to not tense up and the vibration and the noise of the machine put me right to sleep, haha.

BTW, I like the design, the changes you described make it sound like it's going to be really pretty and suit you well. :]

how much are they charging you?

I won't lie, my tattoo hurt pretty bad. It took 5 hours which added to it. The outline and shading was nothing but the coloring was worse because it was going over already raw areas. I do have a feeling that the artist went a little harder than normal though because i was bleeding pretty bad compared to others i've seen.

yeah it really hurts. it feels like you have a really bad sunburn and someone keeps scratching you really hard in the same spot.

The pain is fine, it is a tingle, front right side of my neck was most painful but even that wasn't too bad - just makes you shut your eyes.

All mine have taken a few hours (2 to 4ish) to do and it is better it takes a lil longer then to be rushed. The shading for some people can be less pain as it is numbed but can be worse then the outline for others as its is on a raw area.

Just concentrate on your breathing and zone out listening to music is the simple way to do it. Though i watched two movies while getting one my tattoos =D I didnt even feel it ^.^

Wiggle other parts of your body that wont affect it, like fingers or toes if they are no where near it.

how much are they charging you?

Each half is £140, so £280 all together.

Well...lets see. The two I got on my inner forearms were nothing. They only took 45 minutes.
The tat I got on my left outer forearm hurt a bit, cause theres a fucking bone right there..that took about an hour and a half. The pain was similar tooo...pulling off an almost completely healed scab very slowly.

Now
The work I got done on my right outer forearm took 3 hours. It has a LOT of complicated linework, so he was lining back and forth in the same areas a lot. That hurt like a BITCH. But once you've been sitting there for about an hour you get used to it.

Each half is £140, so £280 all together.

Every time I convert pounds (or Euros) into dollars I cringe.
I love the U.K., but dear god you guys are expensive to us Americans. D;

Is that a good deal over there?
Because I have no idea what your markets are like.

Every time I convert pounds (or Euros) into dollars I cringe.
I love the U.K., but dear god you guys are expensive to us Americans. D;

Is that a good deal over there?
Because I have no idea what your markets are like.

You Americans have everything so cheap to us, like we need to spend £20 just to buy a SHITTY pair of jeans that don't fit right. :eek:

Personally I thought it was a good deal, I mean my own estimate was £200 per side, so I guess I lucked out and guessed wrong. :cutie:

yeah yo iit don't hurt too much.. but the only timme dat iit does iiz when ur gettin one closer to ur bone.. an on thin skin.. like ur neck.. wrist. other than dat iit kinda depends on ur pain tolerance.. iit'z more of a vibrating kinda burn feelin*

Well, at first, I felt a very sharp pain, but very soon it eased off to a stinging pain. Like a bee sting, or a constant cat scratch. For me, the tatto really wasn't that painful. In fact, my nipple piercings hurt more than my tattoo.

However, keep in mind that, like you said, everyone has a different pain tolerance. Also it matters where you get the tattoo. Some places are more painful than others. My tattoo was on my outer, upper thigh, in all fairness, that's a pretty painless area as tattoos go.

yeah i want a tattoo, but i'm scared of the pain!!
are there any numbing creams or anything that you can purchase?
yeah i know. lame. but i dont like pain/needles lol.
i know my cousin got one done on her back that took 8 hours in one session and still wasnt done..and she said she started shaking and almost passed out. but yeah 8 hours thats to be expected. she's nuts!

yeah i want a tattoo, but i'm scared of the pain!!
are there any numbing creams or anything that you can purchase?
yeah i know. lame. but i dont like pain/needles lol.
i know my cousin got one done on her back that took 8 hours in one session and still wasnt done..and she said she started shaking and almost passed out. but yeah 8 hours thats to be expected. she's nuts!

Most artists won't let you use any sort of topical cream.
Maybe take some pain medication before hand if you're that scared (avoid Advil and other blood thinners), but if you are that scared, nothing will help. You being scared and talking the pain up will make it hurt ten times more than it actually would.
Really, it's best to just suck it up, chances are it won't be that bad at all.
Besides, the pain is a part of it, kind of like a rite of passage.

yeah i want a tattoo, but i'm scared of the pain!!
are there any numbing creams or anything that you can purchase?
yeah i know. lame. but i dont like pain/needles lol.
i know my cousin got one done on her back that took 8 hours in one session and still wasnt done..and she said she started shaking and almost passed out. but yeah 8 hours thats to be expected. she's nuts!
I really doubt you'd be getting something that would take that long as your first tattoo. Honestly it's not a big deal. You go in, you get it, and it's over before you know it. They won't let you use any kind of cream, you can't be under the influence of anything, and painkillers beforehand won't help.

Remember that pain is all in your head and if you relax it's going to be a better experience.

yeah i want a tattoo, but i'm scared of the pain!!
are there any numbing creams or anything that you can purchase?
yeah i know. lame. but i dont like pain/needles lol.
i know my cousin got one done on her back that took 8 hours in one session and still wasnt done..and she said she started shaking and almost passed out. but yeah 8 hours thats to be expected. she's nuts!

Those creams will ruin your tattoo, the ink will fall out and it will spread beneath your skin. Seriously, bad idea.

If you want a tattoo, you have to want it enough to go through the pain. If the pain is too much for you - clearly your tattoo doesn't mean that much.

Those creams will ruin your tattoo, the ink will fall out and it will spread beneath your skin. Seriously, bad idea.

If you want a tattoo, you have to want it enough to go through the pain. If the pain is too much for you - clearly your tattoo doesn't mean that much.

truly

yeaaah i feel like i can suck it up haha.
i'm surprised i got that many responses. :]
thanks guys.

I have 2 tattoo's i have love on my neck and 4 stars on my foot my neck didn't hurt at all my foot hurt like i dont know what

My tattoo is on my sholder blade. It just felt like sun burn to me.

mine didnt hurt much. but since its near my hip bone, the nearest letter didnt feel that great.

mine didnt hurt much. but since its near my hip bone, the nearest letter didnt feel that great.

Did whoever applied that tattoo not explain to you that lettering that small will be impossible to read in 15 years?

im getting a tattoo on my wrist. how bad does that hurt?

my older friend got one he says it didnt hurt he got japanese oriental it looks pretty good. I might actually get one for my 14th birthday

im getting a tattoo on my wrist. how bad does that hurt?
Really? You are? Since you don't even have anything drawn out I would REALLY advise against getting a tattoo on your wrist. It is one of the most visible places and if you're not planning on going to a shop to get it, you're probably going to end up with a bad tattoo where everyone can see it.

And just for the record, the wrist is a pretty painful place to get a tattoo.

my older friend got one he says it didnt hurt he got japanese oriental it looks pretty good. I might actually get one for my 14th birthday
Please don't. 14 is really young for a tattoo and trust me, you're going to change a lot in the next few years.

first tat, how exciting :)
i have two! one is by a nigerian writer ben okri and it says "the most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering."
http://images2.teenspot.com/profiles/large_87a7175de27303a779e766a90a0bf9f8.jpg

and then i have the infinity symbol on my hip!!!
http://i41.tinypic.com/2gy1sbc.jpg

3 hours? i wouldn't get it all in one go, if i were you.
1 hour was too long for me.
it's a burning pain, and it gets kind of annoying.

3 hours? i wouldn't get it all in one go, if i were you.
1 hour was too long for me.
it's a burning pain, and it gets kind of annoying.

I did each 3 hour session (two of them) in one go, over my ribs. :cutie: It was fine.