Tattoo Pain Chart: Where It Hurts Most (and Least) Part I

Tattoos are among the most common body decorations globally. According to a 2010 study, a whopping 38 percent of people 18 to 29 years old have been inked at least once in their lives.

A natural question to ask is, “Does getting a tattoo hurt?”

While most people will say yes, in reality this is a complex question to answer.

Tattooing involves repeatedly piercing your skin’s top layer with a sharp needle covered with pigment. So getting a tattoo is generally always painful, though people may experience different levels of pain.

People who are biologically male tend to experience and cope with pain differently from those who are biologically female. In addition, the various parts of the body experience different levels of pain when tattooed.

While there is no scientific evidence that says which areas of the body will feel the most and least pain when getting inked, we gathered anecdotal information from sites run by people in the tattoo industry sites 

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                      Factors that affect pain

Several things may affect how you feel pain:

Sex

Research suggests that people who are biologically women experience sensations of pain more intensely than men. This may be due to physical and chemical differences between women’s and men’s bodies.

However, there’s no specific research suggesting women experience more pain while getting tattoos than men or vice versa.

Age and weight

While not supported by research, it’s possible that age and weight may make tattoos more painful.

Older skin may be more likely to bruise or feel pain than younger skin.

Heavier people may have looser skin, which could also be more sensitive to tattoos. Conversely, people with very low body fat might also feel more pain.

Feb 28, 2023

Written By                                            

Judy Lee

Medically Reviewed By

Owen Kramer, MD