Want to get a certain Tattoo, but too nervous!

[TheBabyEater]

I've been wanting to get the words "Live Again" tattooed on my wrist for quite some time now. Symbolic meaning and shit. But I'm always scared when I go do things that it's going to hurt! It's not that I'm bad with pain, I've almost never had a problem getting shots, hit, falling, whatever. I was told my cartilage piercings would hurt, and I had no problem with that. I'd probably get it when I head off to college in a month or so, perhaps over winter.

So, I know that wrist tattoos are supposed to hurt like a bitch, so I'm worried of how bad it will hurt is all. Plus I have no idea how long it'd take. If it was pain for 10 minutes, maybe I could do it. I want it to be in cursive handwriting though, and possibly a star with it, so maybe it'd take awhile to get it done right? Plus I don't want to jerk from pain and screw it all up.

Perhaps there is a different place to put it though? It's supposed to show how even though I screwed up in the past, SI, suicide attempts, that I can always live through it like a phoenix. (I'd also like a phoenix tattooed on me ) But I've been thinking and pretty much anywhere else I don't like but my wrist, that's always been where the central activity was. Even though the wrist is kind of noticeable, I could always cover it with pretty bracelets

Ideas? Help? Like I said, I've always been good with pain, it's more the fear of being bad with it. ._.

[Heartlines.]

I have a tattoo on the inside of my wrist. It's a black treble clef and base clef made into a heart. It's about the size of a fifty cent piece. It did hurt, but not as bad as I expected. If you're good with pain, and it's a relatively small tattoo, then I'm almost positive you'll be fine. It did hurt a fair amount, but it wasn't unbearable, I didn't cry, etc. The tattoo took a total of 15 minutes. To me, my tattoo was worth every dollar, and every fraction of pain. If it's something that means a lot to you, then it's worth it. It hurts, but it's bearable. Best way to describe the pain- cat scratches on a sun burn. I love your tattoo idea though!

[TheBabyEater]

Thanks. No one's ever really told me what a tattoo hurts -like- just that it hurts. Has anyone gotten their cartilage pierces as well, and can compare the pain? I know it sounds stupid, but I was told that the cartilage is one of the most painful (mainstream) piercings to get but it didn't hurt me too much at all.

[Maloo]

You can't really compare them because they're two totally different kinds of pain.

Also, for how much it hurts, it depends on if the person does it right or not. If they drive the needle too hard, then it's going to hurt a lot more.

[thefirstlady]

Originally Posted by Mr. Gir

Thanks. No one's ever really told me what a tattoo hurts -like- just that it hurts. Has anyone gotten their cartilage pierces as well, and can compare the pain? I know it sounds stupid, but I was told that the cartilage is one of the most painful (mainstream) piercings to get but it didn't hurt me too much at all.

It's kind of like scratching a sun burn. Not always like that but that's the general feeling. The wrist isn't too bad. It's not fun, but it's not terrible. I find people psych themselves up for the pain of their first tattoo and it's never as bad as they expect!

[Nicole!]

It is like being scratched by something and its definitely bearable. It shouldn't take that long since its just writing on your wrist. As Lyndsee said, its not as bad as you think

[TheCrowing]

Originally Posted by thefirstlady

It's kind of like scratching a sun burn.

YES. I've been trying to explain the feeling to people for the longest time.. and this finally explains it. It really does.

[Audacious]

Gir, one thing I suggest for getting a wrist tattoo is to try to touch your fingers to your forearm. you see all the wrinkles in your wrist? those will make it hard for the tattoo to look good all the time, and make it difficult to heal. When you bend your wrist the scab will crack and fall off before it's supposed to. especially since the wrinkles are pretty big on your wrist. My tat is on my forearm, and starts right after my wrist wrinkles.

It hurts enough to make you go "hoooooooo" and take a deep breath...you have to keep breathing, and I always bring a water bottle with me to drink so I am distracted and don't feel sick. My tattoo artist is super cool so we have awesome conversations when he is injuring me so it helps. It all depends on your pain tolerance, though, as others have said. After a while, it goes numb and you barely feel it...it's just annoying.

[Maloo]

Originally Posted by LoveisLouder

Gir, one thing I suggest for getting a wrist tattoo is to try to touch your fingers to your forearm. you see all the wrinkles in your wrist? those will make it hard for the tattoo to look good all the time, and make it difficult to heal. When you bend your wrist the scab will crack and fall off before it's supposed to. especially since the wrinkles are pretty big on your wrist.

This isn't necessarily true.. None of my tattoos have ever scabbed.

[TheBabyEater]

Originally Posted by LoveisLouder

Gir, one thing I suggest for getting a wrist tattoo is to try to touch your fingers to your forearm. you see all the wrinkles in your wrist? those will make it hard for the tattoo to look good all the time, and make it difficult to heal. When you bend your wrist the scab will crack and fall off before it's supposed to. especially since the wrinkles are pretty big on your wrist. My tat is on my forearm, and starts right after my wrist wrinkles.

I have a fairly... not wrinkly wrist because it's so small, but I was considering doing it just below the wrinkles anyway. But either way... this brings up another, possibly quite triggering point. So I put it under a spoiler You can never be too careful lol

Spoiler:

The reason I'm getting this certain tattoo in this certain place is because of my past struggles with Self Harm and suicide attempts. So, thanks to my lovely past, I do have scars there. The worst are further up the arm, but there are some there. Will this effect the tattoo and pain level?

[Maloo]

Pain level I doubt, but as for affecting the tattoo, you'd have to ask the artist. They will be able to tell you whether or not the scars will interfere with the tattoo.

[thefirstlady]

Scars can be more painful to get tattooed but most of the time it's about the same. As far as tattooing over scars, it depends on how fresh they are. If they're fairly fresh (red, raised, puffy) they can't be tattooed because they will not hold the ink well. If they're kind of old (more faded, not as raised), it shouldn't be an issue. Just take very good care of it and it'll be fine.

As far as the wrist comment above about it not healing well because of the wrinkling of the skin, that's not true. I have one arm completely covered (elbow area and all) and the other forearm covered, and there are no issues with healing and pulling ink out as long as you heal the tattoo properly and take good care of it. I work at as an artist at a tattoo shop and the main issue I see is when people don't take proper care of their tattoo. Like tanning or going out in the sun after a fresh tattoo with it exposed for extended periods of time, picking scabs, not applying lotion like they should, etc. Just follow aftercare and you'll be good with almost anywhere you put a tattoo!

[Le bonheur*]

i have the word believe on the inside of my wrist and it didnt hurt