Question:
I heard (maybe read here?) that tattoos are *really* painful when they go
over the spine.
I am thinking of getting my first tattoo on the small of my back in the
middle, which would go over my spine for a bit too.
Is this not reccommended for a first tattoo, and is this going to be
really painful? I thought it would be neat to get a neclace type design
across my back, but from what some people on this group have suggested,
I'm not too sure about this.
Answer:
- I have ink on the small of my back, across my spine. Honestly, I can't
remember the pain. It's a fairly complicated tribal design with a lot of
lines - the whole piece took about 3 hours. I would suggest that if you
want a tattoo on the small of your back, then do it. It's you skin,
don't let some else's pain decide how you decorate it.
- Just wanted to let you know that it is not extremely painful to get a
tattoo on your spine. It is a more iritating sensation than a painful one.
I have two tattoos, one on my ankle and one in the middle of my back. The
one on my ankle was the first one I got, and it was more iritating than the
one on my back. I think the tattoo you are considering sounds way cool!
- I got my first tattoo about a year ago on my lower back, directly over
the bone, and it really wasn't bad. I had an involved Celtic knotwork
raven done in black and was expecting to need pain killers (or at least a
bottle of vodka), but the only part that hurt was the outline, and that
was more of a stinging feeling than anything else.
- I just had a nice tribal tattoo done across my shoulders on my back. It
is also my first tattoo. It goes over each shoulder blade and across the spine.
I have to say that yes, it did hurt more crossing my spine, but not that much
more. My artist started on the less painfull area then moved to the spine. By
that time, I was pretty accustomed and it wasn't so bad.
- As you must realize by now from reading the other replies, it depends.
Designs and tattooists differ, as do people's reactions to pain.
I'm god-only-knows-how-many hours into a full back piece with lots of
work right over the spine, all the way up and down my back. I must say
that the pain is sharpest right over the lower spine, but the only
area that is REALLY annoying is over my kidneys, which my body
stubbornly informs me is a "wrong" place to feel pain.
On the other hand, I find pain, especially skin-breaching pain, quite
erotic and seek it out in many forms.
Do you deeply want that design at that place? (Then just do it. You'll
be fine, really!)
How big is it and how long will it take? (Under half an hour and your
journey will be over by the time you get to endorphin land, where the
rides are all fun and are powered by pain.)
Do you have other ideas and other body sites that you would be just as
happy with and that would be in less intense places? Would you be more
confident about your ability to handle the pain if you did one of
those first?
- As far as design goes, you should just make sure that whatever you get is
*really* what you want out of a tattoo. But I'm sure that you've heard that
a million times already, no? And as far as the spine goes, my first(and
only so far) tattoo is right between my shoulders, on my spine. Yes, mine
hurt like hell, but I have a fairly low threshold to pain. I'll be the
first person to say *ouch*! But going in, I was warned of the possibility
of increased pain due to the sensitivity of the spine(all the nerves!), but
you have to think... This is going to be on you for all time and the pain
only lasts as long as it takes to get it done. Never settle for your second
favorite spot! You'll regret it if you do. The pain is very temporary, the
ink is always. Good luck on it!