Okay, so I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo for a while now, and I finally decided to take the plunge. But, man, was I nervous about the pain! I mean, I’ve heard horror stories, you know? People talking about it feeling like getting stung by a million bees or something. I’m not gonna lie, it kinda freaked me out.

So, I started doing some research, trying to figure out what I was getting myself into. I read a bunch of articles and watched a few videos, and most of them said the same thing: it feels like a cat scratch or a sunburn. Honestly, that didn’t sound too bad. I’ve had plenty of cat scratches and sunburns in my life, and I survived those, right?
But then I started thinking about where I wanted to get my tattoo. I knew some spots were supposed to be more painful than others. I heard that the knee is like, the worst place to get a tattoo. Something about a lot of nerves and thin skin. Nope, definitely not doing that!
I started by searching for information, for example, it mentioned that the knee is the most painful place to get a tattoo, and I thought, no way! I decided to get a tattoo on my wrist, I had some pain in my arm after that, but it was fine later.
I finally settled on getting it on my forearm. It seemed like a relatively safe bet, pain-wise. I also found a design I really liked, a simple geometric pattern. It wasn’t too big or complicated, so I figured it wouldn’t take too long, which meant less time under the needle.
- Choosing the Design: After much deliberation, I settled on a minimalist geometric design. Something not too intricate but still meaningful to me.
- Finding the Right Artist: I spent hours scrolling through Instagram, looking for an artist whose style resonated with me. I finally found one whose work I loved, and their studio had great reviews.
- Booking the Appointment: I contacted the artist, and luckily, they had an opening the following week. I booked it immediately, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation.
The day of the appointment finally arrived, and I made my way to the tattoo shop. The artist was super chill and explained everything really well. The actual tattooing process was… well, it wasn’t a walk in the park, I’ll say that much. It definitely hurt, but it was more of a burning, scratching sensation than anything else. It was bearable, though. I wouldn’t say it felt exactly like a cat scratch, but it wasn’t unbearable either. It was more like a constant burning sensation, kind of like a sunburn, but sharper. The artist told me that swelling and soreness are normal after getting a tattoo, and that the swelling can last up to a week. They also warned me that the pain could last longer if the tattoo got infected. Yikes!

The whole thing took about an hour, and when it was done, I was so relieved! I looked at my new tattoo in the mirror, and I loved it. It was exactly what I wanted. And you know what? The pain was totally worth it. My arm was a little sore and swollen for a few days afterward, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. I made sure to follow the artist’s aftercare instructions to a T, and it healed up perfectly.
All in all, getting a tattoo was a pretty cool experience. I’m really happy I did it. And hey, if you’re thinking about getting one, don’t let the fear of pain hold you back. It’s really not that bad, I promise!