Pain sucks. Nothing new in that statement I guess, but a couple of days ago I had my wisdom teeth pulled and the whole thing really got me thinking about pain. I think that one of, if not the biggest concerns that people who have never been tattooed before have prior to getting their first tattoo is: How much is this going to hurt? It’s a valid concern, as none of us (okay, there are a few people here and there who don’t mind pain or those who dare I say, like it. For now though, I’m just going to stick with the general public that doesn’t like pain – myself included).
I can remember the first time that I ever went to get a tattoo. I was pretty nervous and quite concerned about the pain factor. The tattoo was on the side and back of my calve and I wasn’t the least bit sure of what to expect and so I just expected the worst. Well, to my surprise it didn’t really hurt at all. Sure, there were a few brief moments where I clenched my teeth a little, but the tattoo artist was friendly, had mellow music playing and carried on a conversation with me as he worked. All of those things really helped to make the experience a reasonably pleasant one. Not only that, but the tattoo studio itself was widely recommended, professionally run and very clean. That’s the sort of peace of mind that anyone who is contemplating a tattoo really needs. For a procedure that requires no anesthetic whatsoever, I would have to say that tattoos can be pretty painless.
The wisdom teeth on the other hand, well…sure, it’s not all that fair of a pain comparison to pit wisdom teeth against a tattoo. But know this: if you’ve ever undergone the experience of having your wisdom teeth pulled, then you’ll know that it’s not the extraction of the teeth themselves that is painful (okay, the needles suck), but rather the aftermath – that is, the days following the procedure that are unpleasant. So if you’re reading this and considering getting your first tattoo at some point but are worried about the potential pain, I will tell you this: getting your wisdom teeth pulled is more painful than any tattoo I’ve ever had done. If you’ve had your wisdom teeth out and survived, a tattoo is no problem.
Naturally, everyone’s pain threshold is different and there are places on the body that are more sensitive to being tattooed, but in general, my advice is not to worry about it. And if that still doesn’t help, then I suggest reading up on some of the information out there:
Complete Guide to Getting a Tattoo for Beginners
Which Hurts More: Outlining or Shading?