I have a question about tattoos?

Question

I want to get my first tattoo. The tattoo I want is a barb-wire band around my bicept with the letters NYC in between it. But the question is, how bad does it hurt. Is it excrusiatingly painful? If you have recieved a tattoo in this area please give me some advice.

Answer 1

They don't hurt. I was scared to on my first tattoo.
The closer the needle to your bone is where it hurts the most.
I have one on my ankle the only place that it hurt was towards the bone. Its more like a bee sting.

Answer 2

First and most importantly, make sure you are getting something that you truely love, have put some serious thought into, and can live with the rest of your life. I have an "orginal" hand drawn and custom made tattoo that starts at the top of my foot and loops around my ankle and fades out up my leg. I LOVE IT! Got it almost 5 years ago (my first and only). When I was about 17 or 18 I thought I really wanted Chinese lettering.. so glad I didn't do that. It was not orginal and I would regret it now. I got my idea from a Indian henna design (I am not Indian) I just liked the different creative designs. I went to 2 different tattoo shops. (very important) You don't just want anyone putting permanent ink on your body. It's a good idea to feel the person out if possible. I got my tat from an older man who only did custom pieces. If you came in and picked something generic off the wall, he would send you to someone else. If you had something different then he was up for it. He took a pen and started sketching on a paper and said what about something like this? I added a few little things and then we started. No one will ever have my tattoo! Did it hurt? Humm at first a little... but you get use to it. Some parts are more painful then others.. but... it is so worth it. Be careful, they are addictive! Good luck!

Answer 3

Tattoo pain has nothing to do with bone or fat or muscle, it's all nerve placement in your body. The nerve endings in your skin are more sensitive in certain places. The outside of your upper arm is one of the least painful places while the inner arm (under your armpit) is more sensitive. Good rule of thumb is if its ticklish it'll probably be a painful to tattoo. JUST REMEMBER MOST OF IT IS IN YOUR HEAD! Anyone that I've ever tattooed that has gotten sick or passed out (which has only been 3 people in 4 years) it was because they got themselves all worked up and nervous. They forget to breathe, get light-headed and pretty soon pass out. Tell yourself you can handle it, focus on your breathing, and RELAX. You'll be fine. Most important things are to eat something beforehand, tell your artist if you start feeling funny, and again RELAX/ BREATHE. Also I read someone wrote take tylenol, that's actually a bad idea. It'll thin your blood and that could ruin your tattoo. That spot doesn't hurt enough to have to use pain killers, believe me! Also just on a personal note I would go with something other then a barbed wire arm band, I know if you went to a good custom shop they could create something much more interesting and original for you!!!

Answer 4

I have an armband of skulls around my bicept. No it is not excruciating. It is uncomfortable. Ask the tattoo artist to start on the front of the arm and then move to the back; the intensity is raised a notch in this area.

On barbed wire: it is a statement that you have done some serious jail time, in your case in NYC.

Answer 5

The skin on different parts of your body will be more sensitive than others.

It can hurt as much as a bee sting, or getting a shot, but nothing that will make you pass out. The better tattoo artists can give you an awesome tattoo, and you don't feel a thing.

Eat a meal before you go, don't get a tattoo when you are drinking, and just tough it out.

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Answer 6

I have a tattoo but it is not in the place you are asking about and it hurt bad. My nephew is a REAL macho type guy (ex-marine) and he has one like you are talking about but it didn't go all the way around the bicep. It stopped under the arm because it was painful besides not many people are going to see under the arm. You might have them begin and end where IF you decide it hurts to badly it won't look bad. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

The skin on the underside of your bicep is very sensitive. The top part of the arm is not so bad. I wouldn't say it's excrutiating, but stings worse than some other parts of the body.
If you get the barb-wire tat, get a custom barb wire biker ring to match! COOL

Answer 8

I also have a barbed wife. (Its a barbed wire heart w/ my wife's name).

It's about 4". It didn't hurt at all! I barley felt it - it only took about 30 minutes to do.

Now, I also have a cross on my leg that's about 18". That one took almost 4 hours, and that one hurt like hell!

Basically, with tats, the tighter the skin, the more painful it is. If you have a little fat on your arms, you probably won't feel a thing! If you look like a body-builder, it's gonna hurt!

Answer 9

Yes, I won't lie to you, it hurts. It kind of feels like a razor blade or needle being dragged across your skin. That sounds worse then it really is. It honestly depends on your tolerance for pain I have see big burly guys cry and have seen little sorority girls take it like a champ.
The arm is honestly not that bad, the inside/top hurts more then the back.

Answer 10

Well it's not gonna tickle but the least painful places to get tats are where you'd get shots. It will hurt more as it gets closer to the inside of your arm. That should look good. Just be sure to go to a reputable place that practices good sterilization and safety.