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A tattoo is created with needles puncturing the skin thousands of times per minute, allowing the ink to flow into the holes created in the skin. The needles break through the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin) penetrating through to the dermis so that the ink will stay put even when the outer layer of skin sheds and regenerates. The artist uses a tattoo gun that, depending on the size of the tattoo and whether he is working on the outline or the shading, will have anywhere from one to thirty-six needles puncturing the skin at once.

This probably sounds painful and that is because it is! You might have heard otherwise from your tattooed friends, and it might seem like the more tattoos an individual has, the more likely he or she will be to deny the fact that they hurt. This could occur for a variety of reasons. There are those who are able to overcome the pain by sheer will, those who have higher thresholds for pain, and those whose bodies will flood with endorphins that will mask the pain for some of the time. Some people actually enjoy the pain.

Most likely, people deny the pain associated with getting a tattoo because the mind does not allow the body to remember' pain. The individual will focus on the excitement of the experience, the visuals, the people present, and that feeling of empowerment that one experiences after enduring extreme discomfort for the sake of art and beauty! To say that the pain is not there at all, however, is false.

The degree of pain felt will vary, mainly due to the following factors:

Location of the Tattoo on the Body
People with multiple tattoos will tell you that some hurt more than others, and that the degree of pain is directly related to where the tattoo is located on the body. The basic rule is that tattoos in fleshy, exposed areas (e.g. outer upper arms, outer calves, upper shoulders) will be less painful than those located closer to the bone, or where the skin is thinner. Areas that are commonly said to be the most painful include the ribs, chest, lower back, feet, and hips.

Size of the Tattoo
Obviously, the larger the tattoo, the longer you will be under the needle,' so to speak. As the needle passes over the skin repeatedly, the skin becomes more irritated. It is therefore advised that larger pieces be completed in a few separate sessions with enough time (two to three weeks) left between to allow the skin to heal. In some cases, as the work is done the skin becomes numb. This provides a great degree of relief to the subject

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