Top 12 Least Painful Places to Get a Tattoo

So, you want to get a tattoo. But the thought of a needle digging into your skin seems painful, right? Well, you’re absolutely correct. Getting a tattoo hurts. Some people can withstand the pain, some can’t. The pain of the tattoo needle entering your skin can be unbearable. But that all depends on the area you want to put the tattoo. The truth is there are some body parts on which getting a tattoo is less painful than others.

My advice is to avoid the painful sites and focus on the least painful places to get a tattoo. You will still get some ink, but it won’t hurt as much. And the good news is there are more than 10 places where you can get a tattoo without any pain. Let’s take a look.

Least Painful Places

The Finger

Yes, you will experience some pain when you get a tattoo on your finger. But that’s nothing compared to other spots on your body. The most painful spot on your finger is the one near the bone. But the fact of the matter is that tattoos done on your fingers are usually quite small. That means the pain will last for just a few seconds, minutes at most. Besides, the top of the finger is a sexy place for a tattoo. One reason why the finger is one of the least painful places to get a tattoo is that there aren’t many nerve endings on the top of the finger.

Outer area of the shoulder

The best part about the outer area of your shoulder is that it can fit any size tattoo. You can go small, you can go with a medium-sized tattoo, or you can go with a tattoo that will cover half of your arm. Again, there are very few nerve endings there that cause you pain. And the best part is that the area allows your tattoo to be visible for 99% of the time. If you’re considering a tattoo, the outer area of the shoulder is one of the least painful places to get a tattoo.

The hip area

This is one area where people opt for artistic ink designs. Let’s be honest: the hips are usually covered. There are few situations when your hips are visible to everyone. The hip area is one of the least painful areas for a tattoo. The reason is the hips are covered with extra fatty layers, and there aren’t many nerve endings.

The shin area

This is the front part of your calf, just between the knee and the ankles. This is one of the most visible places, especially if you fancy wearing dresses or shorts. The nerve endings in this area are sparse, meaning there will be little to no pain. And if you’ve paid any attention to tattoos, you know that many people choose this particular area.

Inner side of the wrist

The inner side of the wrist is the perfect place for a small, cute tattoo. The inner side is very feminine, but that doesn’t mean that men can’t get a tattoo there. It’s just that women have preferred this area much more in recent years. It doesn’t hurt to get a tattoo here because your skin is thin at the wrist.

Thighs

The best part about thigh tattoos is that they are extremely sensual. They are visible only when you wear short shorts, or a bathing suit, or, of course, when you’re getting busy with your loved one. And they don’t hurt. Look at it this way: the thigh area is a big area that can fit almost any tattoo.

The back of the ear

There is a reason why tattoos on the back of the ear have become popular in recent years. It’s all connected to the pain level: the back of the ear is one of the least painful places to get a tattoo (and has become popular recently). You can even surprise people with your tattoo, especially if your ink is covered by hair. Once you get your hair up, the tattoo comes out.

Upper area of the back

People have always used the back for tattoos. The good part about the back is you get a lot of space for a tattoo. And even better, since there is a low density of nerve endings, you can get away with a sexy tattoo without any pain. Wearing a backless dress has never been sexier. And men who go shirtless will look even sexier. Just be careful to stay away from the spinal area and the armpit area. There are lots of nerve endings there.

The neck

The neck also doesn’t have many nerve endings, as long as you stay away from the spinal area. Neck tattoos look perfect on women with short hair. Women with long hair can look sexy as well when they have their hair up.

The stomach

There aren’t many bones near the stomach. And let’s be honest: most of us have an extra fatty layer on the stomach. If you want a private tattoo, the stomach is the perfect area. You have a lot of space, and not many will see it. Of course, when you wear a bikini, your tattoo will be visible. Focus on the lower abdomen, the area around the belly button, and the sides of the abdomen.

The chest

Men prefer the chest area. But lately, we’ve seen women opting for a chest tattoo. The reason is simple: the chest area is not as painful because there aren’t many nerve endings (some would even say the chest area is painless). Just make sure to avoid the area under your arms, since that features skin that’s more sensitive than the chest tissue itself.

The rib area

Ribs are bones that are close to the surface, which makes the area a little bit more painful. However, when you have extra padding (e.g., those of us with a fatty layer), the ribs area is a lot like the back area.

Most painful places

Just so that you have an idea of which places are the most painful, let’s take a look. If you can handle the pain, tattoos on some of these places look awesome. But if you can’t stomach a lot of pain, I recommend you stick to the least painful places to get a tattoo.

• The nipples are a very sensitive area. Don’t even think about putting a tattoo on them unless you’ve had several tattoos and you’re accustomed to the pain. The nipples are one of the most sensitive areas of your body. Even wearing shirts can be painful with a nipple tattoo in the first few weeks. Even worse, the healing time of a nipple tattoo is extremely long.
• The inside of your knees is another painful place since it has a lot of nerve endings. You know that the inside of the knees are ticklish, so just imagine a needle penetrating that area. Fair warning: some people pass out when they get a tattoo on the inside of their knees.
• I talked about the armpits previously. When I talked about a back tattoo, I warned you to avoid the armpit area. The reason is the armpit is loaded with nerve endings. To be more precise, every single tissue that you have on the inside of your knees, you have on your armpits as well. And you know the armpits can get ticklish too.
• The genital area comes as no surprise, but I feel obligated to mention it. Penis and vagina tattoos are painful. I haven’t done one, but I’ve had friends do it. The worst part is the healing time takes months, not weeks.
• And if you thought the genital area had the most sensitive skin, you’re wrong. One place has even more sensitive skin, and that’s the eyes and eyelids. I don’t know anyone who has had an eyelid tattoo, but I’ve heard stories of people fainting, screaming, and crying when they get an eyelid tattoo.