What makes tattoos hurt less

Yes, it hurts to get a tattoo , but different people have different thresholds of pain. The needles are attached to a handheld device that works like a sewing machine.

As the needles move up and down, they repeatedly pierce your skin. The type of pain depends on what the artist is doing. For example, you may feel stinging when your artist adds outlines or fine details.

The length of your session will also determine what you feel. Longer sessions, which are required for large and intricate pieces, are more painful. In this case, your artist may divide your session into two- or three-hour sittings.

The least sensitive areas are fleshy parts with more muscle and skin. Areas with few nerve endings are also less sensitive.

Bony areas with little fat and many nerve endings are the most sensitive. After your session, your tattoo might keep oozing blood for up to two days. NSAIDs can thin your blood, which may increase bleeding and slow healing. Typically, the outer layer of your skin will heal in two to three weeks. The deeper layers can take up to six months. More than 40, subscribers can't be wrong. In some cultures, successfully enduring the excruciating pain and the blood loss of tattooing with primitive tools marks the transition from infancy to manhood and is considered deeply sacred rites, notes Joseph Campbell in his book Primitive Mythology: The Masks of God.

So in the end, there are as many meanings to tattoos as there have been human cultures throughout history. Banks also recounts how the girl wailed and writhed but two women held her down, occasionally beating her, for more than an hour until the tattoo was complete. Thankfully, tattooing changed since then. Modern tattoo artists use clean, precise units to deposit dye by mechanically driving one or several needles soldered together in and out of the skin, usually from 80 to times a second, like this:.

But we know we can get a scratch and not feel any pain or cut our fingers on paper without so much as a blink. So why is tattooing so notoriously painful? The skin is the largest and one of the most complex organs in on?

Directly under the cutis lies the subcutis or subcutaneous tissue, where fatty cells are clumped together to protect you from the cold. The inks or dyes themselves have also evolved over time; as a rule of thumb, tattoo ink is made up of two parts: a pigment and a carrier. The pigment is the substance that gives the ink its color, while the carrier is a solvent that ensures the pigment is evenly mixed, protects against pathogens and aids application. However, this swelling can make the area feel more painful or tender.

Other tattoo methods , such as henna tattoos and decal temporary tattoos, are not painful. These are not permanent tattoos. Some people report that the outline work is more painful than the shading of color. Others may find the shading and coloring work more painful. Some researchers suggest that males and females experience pain differently. Specific studies on pain from tattooing are lacking, but increasing evidence supports the idea that females have increased sensitivity to pain compared with males.

People tend to believe that tattooing an area that has little fat is more painful than tattooing an area with more fat. Although this may be true, these claims are based on personal experience rather than scientific evidence. These areas tend to have more muscle and fat, which can help reduce the painful sensations of tattooing.

These areas may be more painful due to increased density of nerve endings, the presence of a major nerve, or because the skin is very thin with little fat. The pain associated with tattooing should be most intense during the procedure itself. Once the procedure is complete, the person may feel bruising and soreness on the affected area from swelling. Swelling can last up to a week. The pain may last for longer if the tattoo becomes infected. Learn how to identify a tattoo infection here.

Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, may help ease the pain following a tattooing procedure. However, it is unclear if acetaminophen can effectively prevent pain from tattooing procedures. Instead, some tattoo artists recommend topical skin-numbing products. That said, there is a possibility of experiencing a contact allergy from products such as these.

A person should have their tattoo artist apply the product to a small area of skin 24 hours before the procedure, to see whether or not it causes a reaction. It is also important to follow manufacturer directions for the maximum dose limits, especially when applying topical products to large areas of the skin. Once the procedure is complete, the tattoo artist should provide self-care steps and explain how to deal with any pain after the procedure. The pain should decrease with time and resolve after about a week.

If you know your tattoo will go over a particularly sensitive area such as the elbow, you could just use the numbing cream for that particular area only. Afterwards, painkillers are a pretty good idea to deal with the ache, but there are some definite no-gos. This is a nightmare for tattooing," explain the tattooists at Modern Body Art.

Ultimately, all tattoos are going to hurt. With a bit of planning, you can have a more comfortable session — but know that you'll likely grit your teeth and gasp for breath at least once in the process of getting your beautiful body art.

By JR Thorpe. See All Health Relationships Self.