Tips to Reduce Your First Tattoo's Pain

Getting your first tattoo can be an exciting experience. However, the amount of discomfort felt when the needle pierces the skin to inject color pigments under its surface varies from one person to another depending on their threshold of pain and the body part that they are getting the tattoo on - whether it is bony or flabby. Thus, though it does hurt a little when getting a tattoo, following some simple tips can help you deal with it much better.
Consult Your Tattoo Artist
The first thing that you need to do is consult your tattoo artist and ask if he or she offers a package whereby a numbing solution is applied over the area where you plan to get the tattoo. Such packages are bound to be more expensive and will require you to be present at the artist's studio about half an hour prior to getting the tattoo so that the topical ointment has ample time to work.
Do Not Self Medicate
Do not apply an over the counter numbing cream on your own or the tattoo artist may refuse to work on you until its effect wears off. In addition to that, it is a bad idea to take alcohol or pain killers in a bid to reduce the amount of pain that you may feel on getting the tattoo. Any reputable tattoo artists will return the client if he or she senses that the latter has taken either of the above as they reduce the consistency of blood and result in more bleeding at the time of tattooing.
Get Your First Tattoo on a Meaty Body Part
If you are a little scared about the pain that you will experience at the time of getting your first tattoo, it is highly recommended that you get it on a body part that has a lot of meat. In this regard, the thighs and the back of the calves as well as the stomach make a good choice.
You can also get your first tattoo on your upper arms, as it does not hurt as much as the chest, hands and feet. Getting a tattoo on the ankles, neck and shoulders may prove too painful for a first-timer to deal with, as the soreness that follows afterwards is even worse than the pain experienced at the time of getting the tattoo.
Opt for a Small and Simple Design for Your First Tattoo
Apart from the part of the body that you chose to get the tattoo on, the size of the design and the intricacies involved in it also decide the amount of pain that you will feel. Thus, a small butterfly design on the shoulders will not hurt as much as a large dragon design on the thigh, which has a lot of detailing.
Choose a Good Tattoo Parlor
Do not get your first tattoo from a shady tattoo parlor at the corner of a street. Find a good artist who has a proper studio and go in for a consultation before getting the tattoo.