Table of contents:
- The part of the body that is the most painful when tattooed
- 1. Chest and stomach area
- 2. Underarms
- 3. Inner elbows and inner arms
- 4. Behind the knee
- 5. The groin and genitals
- 6. Face and head
- 7.Neck and collarbone (clavicle)
- 8. Fingers and toes
Do you have any plans to get tattooed sometime soon? You probably already know that during a tattoo session, you have to be prepared to endure a pain that is often described as "like a little annoying pinch." But did you know that the pain when getting tattooed will vary depending on which part of the body is being tattooed?
The intensity of pain that can be tolerated varies from person to person, depending on the pain threshold for each individual and the concentration of pain receptors in each part of the body. For example, parts of the body that are bony and sensory structures are considered the areas of the tattoo that hurt the most, because these are the areas that have the most nerve fibers and sensory endings.
If you are a sensitive one, you may be able to feel intense pain even at certain points where many people think it won't hurt too much. Therefore, before setting your heart on getting your body tattooed, it's a good idea to gather information about which areas of the body will hurt the most when tattooed, if you have a low pain tolerance.
ALSO READ: 9 Body Parts That Are Most Painless When Tattoos
The part of the body that is the most painful when tattooed
1. Chest and stomach area
The forelimbs (chest, rib area, to abdomen) have a thin layer of skin, muscle, and fat to give you a soft cushion against fast moving tattoo needles. Then, each time you breathe, your ribs and diaphragm will contract and contract. This combination of minimal cushioning and repetitive motion is the ultimate recipe for pain.
In addition, this part of the body is nearly covered in clothing from time to time, making the areas of your tattooed skin more susceptible to constant friction which can cause irritation and take longer to heal.
2. Underarms
Underarm skin is very thin and sensitive, because of the many glands under this layer of skin. What's more, the axillary nerve, which functions as a regulator of the communication of sensory information between the cervical spine, armpits, shoulder muscles, and muscles of the upper arm, is located under the armpit. The axillary nerve is a large network of nerves, so it's no wonder the movement of the tattoo needle will trigger your body to experience excruciating pain.
This area is also prone to constant friction which can cause irritation.
3. Inner elbows and inner arms
The ulnar and median nerves are two of the three main nerves in your arm, and they are just below the skin layer of the deep elbow. The skin of the inner elbow is also thin, not giving you a soft pad to hold the tattoo needle in.
When one of the nerves is pinched, especially the ulnar nerve, it can cause numbness or pain in your elbow, hand, wrist, or fingers. This means that any reflection of the tattoo needle in this area will send pain signals more rapidly to your brain, and can travel up the length of your arm.
However for the forearm, it is better to get a tattoo on the outer part. The tattoo process will feel much lighter because your outer forearm is protected by the radial nerve.
4. Behind the knee
The sciatic nerve is one of the largest and longest single nerves in your body, extending from your lower spine to your legs. The distance between the surface of the skin behind the knee and the sciatic nerve is very thin, which allows this place as one of the painful places to get tattooed.
5. The groin and genitals
The genital area is the most sensitive part of the body. There are nerve bundles in the clitoris and penis that function to drain blood and aid in the reproductive process.
The groin area (groin) may appear thicker and fatter than the genital area, but the pain will be more or less the same, as nerve bundles from the genitals travel through this area.
6. Face and head
The face and head are the parts of the body with the least amount of fat, no matter how chubby your cheeks are. When you tattoo this area, the needle will likely penetrate all the way to the surface of the skull.
What's more, the head is the nerve center, where the 12 cranial nerves connect the head, neck and chest. The eyes, ears, nose and sense of taste rely on these nerve bundles to transmit detailed sensory signals about what you see, hear, smell and feel. Tattoo needles that penetrate the skin of the face or head are very likely to trigger one or more of these 12 nerves to send pain signals to your brain.
7.Neck and collarbone (clavicle)
Eight spinal nerves branch from the nape of the neck and meet at the upper spine to form a network of nerves for the cervical plexus. With 12 other cranial nerves, this collection of nerve tissue is the link between the brain, scalp and neck, and the supporting muscles. With a total of 20 major nerves lodged in this area, it's no wonder that the neck and surroundings are very sensitive to tattoo needle movement. The front neck has little muscle mass and fat layer, but many nerve bundles lodged behind it.
The good news is that the nape of the neck to both sides of the spine is a safe area for tattoos.
8. Fingers and toes
Every major nerve in the body ends at the fingers and toes, plus the fingers are a bony area. In addition, we also use both hands and feet continuously for activities. There is a lot of friction due to continuous movement by the hands, feet, or between your fingers, and the shallow depth of the skin layer in these areas, tends to make the tattoo ink wear out and fade quickly, requiring multiple touch-up sessions to maintain quality. tattoo color.
