What Is The Least Painful Place To Get A Tattoo?

Big or small, simple or complex, tattoos are an art form. Every artist has their own style, yes. But the way tattoos are applied and the culture surrounding them are something very unique. And that makes sense since no other art form is permanently painted on the human body.

Sitting still as a human canvas isn't easy. And it's not the amount of time a tattoo can take — it's the pain. Allure interviewed Anka Lavriv, the owner of Black Iris Tattoo in Brooklyn, New York, and asked what the pain of getting a tattoo really feels like. Lavriv answered that it was close to "a cat continuously scratching them with hot claws." She went on to specify that it is "definitely a very acute, in-the-moment kind of pain."

Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital was also interviewed about the least painful tattoo location and said that the arms and shoulders as well as any area of the body with more fat, like the outer thigh and the back of the calf, might not cause as much pain as other locations. 

Tattoo.com, a site dedicated to the art and culture of tattoos, had a few other location suggestions. They suggest the bicep, particularly the outside, since the location has fewer nerve endings than other places on the body. And the butt is another ideal location because of fat deposits and the number of nerve endings.

One surprising location offered by Tattoo.com was the shell of the ear. It is apparently a fairly new trend in the tattoo mainstream and there are some gorgeous designs available, like those showcased in another Allure article. Though the skin around the ear is thin and has little fat, it also doesn't have many nerve endings.

Location isn't the only factor that can affect tattoo pain, however. The size and complexity of the piece can increase the pain level for some people. Complex pieces require more shading while larger pieces, obviously, cover more skin. Older people may also find that tattoos hurt more because the skin thins as we age.

Tattoos are gorgeous pieces of art that people carry for their whole lives. And while pain is an important factor to consider, remember to do your research and prepare yourself before getting at tattoo.