Tattoos are essentially a labor of love: the process isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but if you do choose to take a walk in the park afterward, you’re probably going to get some compliments on your fresh ink. While most of us choose to pick where we want to get tattoos based on aesthetics, many choose a spot they think will result in the least amount of pain. And then there are others, who couldn’t care less how much the process hurts, and may even opt for a more painful locale in the hopes of feeling like a bit more of a badass.
1. Head
Head tattoos hurt because there’s so little fat between the skin and the bone. Plus you can hear the process more intensely; just imagine a teeny-tiny drill pushing against your skull. Your neck can also be a painful spot because there are 20 major nerves in the throat and clavicle region.
2. Inside your knee
Any joint is going to produce an unpleasant tattoo experience because not only are they bony, but they have a lot of connecting nerves. The back of your knee is also going to be more painful because it’s an area that gets little sunlight (areas more frequently exposed to sunlight tend to hurt less).
3. Wrist
This one’s kind of a no-brainer. While wrist tattoos are very popular, they don’t feel great while you’re having them done because the skin is very thin and close to many arteries and veins.
4. Ribs
Rib tattoos are notoriously unpleasant because the skin here is very thin and sensitive. Not to mention the tapping sensation you get from tattooing skin right on top of bone.
5. Hands and feet
Your hands and feet are basically a mess of bones, thin skin, and ligaments. Add poor circulation and every major nerve in your body coming to an end, and it’s not hard to imagine why these result in some painful ink jobs.
6. Sternum
Getting a tattoo on your sternum is going to hurt because it’s the area that’s on top of your major organs. It’s also pretty bony and the action of a tattoo machine can rock your whole chest cavity.
