So I’ve been caught at work and around friends trying to pat away an itch at my new tattoo on my ribs, so naturally I explain that my tattoo itches and I can’t scratch it. I’ve noticed that people without tattoos are just plain fascinated, and people with tattoos are like, “Oh, cool! What is it!” And then proceed to be impressed by how I got my first tattoo on my ribs. I even had one guy tell me he was surprised by its size (it’s not that big…only about 6×4 inches, probably) and good for me, because of how much it hurts to be tattooed there. Is it some kind of weird taboo to get rib tattoos? I don’t feel like it could’ve possibly been that much worse than a tattoo somewhere else.
Some areas hurt a lot more than others. I find that the feeling can range anywhere from something like a cell phone vibrating on you to being carved into with a white hot butter knife. Or worse.
Although yours is on a quite tender area, it was a small and simple design to do. Lots of open space, and no shading, colour or (ouch!!) highlights. So yes, it could definitely been worse. I have a piece that runs down my side from ribs to just above the knee, the ribs were OK but the waist SUCKED. When it comes to being tattooed I can usually go all day long, I have sat for 8 or 9 hours sessions. I tapped out after only 90 minutes on my waist.
FYI – I find that the best thing for an itchy tattoo is an ice pack. Works like a charm.
I agree with Lola on the ice! I often just take a small (clean) towel, soak it in freezing water and place it on the tattoo 🙂 Or just really take my type to rub in lotion. Works as well 🙂
And how people respond does depend on their own experience – Someone who only has a small tattoo, or has heard a lot about the ribs being horrible etc, might react like you mentioned 🙂 Your design is small and couldn’t have taken too long, so I doubt it could’ve been all that painful. I’d easily imagine the ribs being pretty painful for long sessions though, I imagine I wouldn’t book more than 4 hours in a spot like that.
My upper arm tattoos – Almost zero pain. Like a cellphone vibrating, like Lola said. Hip bones, or shin bone on the spots I’ve got nerve damage after a tattoo? WORST! Felt like being tortured. Horrible. Really really horrible! :p I’ve only done small parts of my ribs, with a piece on my back that just barely graces the back of them, and a solar plexus piece that spreads out a bit, but I didn’t find it THAT bad. Not as bad as some seem to have an impression that it is 😛
But glad you dealth with it alright 🙂 You seem to have prepared really good, that always helps!
@0hmanda 140138 wrote:
So I’ve been caught at work and around friends trying to pat away an itch at my new tattoo on my ribs, so naturally I explain that my tattoo itches and I can’t scratch it. I’ve noticed that people without tattoos are just plain fascinated, and people with tattoos are like, “Oh, cool! What is it!” And then proceed to be impressed by how I got my first tattoo on my ribs. I even had one guy tell me he was surprised by its size (it’s not that big…only about 6×4 inches, probably) and good for me, because of how much it hurts to be tattooed there. Is it some kind of weird taboo to get rib tattoos? I don’t feel like it could’ve possibly been that much worse than a tattoo somewhere else.
I have tattoos all over my body including a large rib piece,and no,it’s really not much worse IMO than any other spot,it all hurts IMO.
I think people make too much out of rib tattoos,they don’t really hurt any more than the rest of our body IMO.
I think what hurts worse is living with a crappy tattoo ! LOL
@Call_me_Lola 140141 wrote:
Some areas hurt a lot more than others. I find that the feeling can range anywhere from something like a cell phone vibrating on you to being carved into with a white hot butter knife. Or worse.
Although yours is on a quite tender area, it was a small and simple design to do. Lots of open space, and no shading, colour or (ouch!!) highlights. So yes, it could definitely been worse. I have a piece that runs down my side from ribs to just above the knee, the ribs were OK but the waist SUCKED. When it comes to being tattooed I can usually go all day long, I have sat for 8 or 9 hours sessions. I tapped out after only 90 minutes on my waist.
FYI – I find that the best thing for an itchy tattoo is an ice pack. Works like a charm.
First…this is an awesome post. Thanks so much for taking the time to write it!
Now…I actually had the thought that the waist would be an extremely painful spot to be tattooed, more so than ribs. Just because the skin is so sensitive there. Thanks for going so in detail with what can make the pain vary. Now, maybe I can explain it to people and they’ll shut up about it. My tattoo is so small that it barely hurt at all, and people are acting like I was insane for having it done there on my first tattoo.
I’ll definitely try the ice pack.
@poxphobia 140142 wrote:
I agree with Lola on the ice! I often just take a small (clean) towel, soak it in freezing water and place it on the tattoo 🙂 Or just really take my type to rub in lotion. Works as well 🙂
And how people respond does depend on their own experience – Someone who only has a small tattoo, or has heard a lot about the ribs being horrible etc, might react like you mentioned 🙂 Your design is small and couldn’t have taken too long, so I doubt it could’ve been all that painful. I’d easily imagine the ribs being pretty painful for long sessions though, I imagine I wouldn’t book more than 4 hours in a spot like that.
My upper arm tattoos – Almost zero pain. Like a cellphone vibrating, like Lola said. Hip bones, or shin bone on the spots I’ve got nerve damage after a tattoo? WORST! Felt like being tortured. Horrible. Really really horrible! :p I’ve only done small parts of my ribs, with a piece on my back that just barely graces the back of them, and a solar plexus piece that spreads out a bit, but I didn’t find it THAT bad. Not as bad as some seem to have an impression that it is 😛
But glad you dealth with it alright 🙂 You seem to have prepared really good, that always helps!
Again, this is a really good post. Thanks!
You’re right: My tattoo didn’t hurt much at all, and it only took about 45 minutes (to be honest, I was surprised it took that long). I can imagine that a large, detailed rib tattoo would hurt a lot as well. But then again, I imagine that anything would hurt after awhile.
This is a bit off topic, but since you mentioned the piece on your back, do you mind me asking where the general pain level is compared to where it touches the ribs? You may have seen me posting around about wanting my next tattoo on my back, and I feel like it’s going to be a lot more painful than this one in general.
@buttwheat 140150 wrote:
I guess I’m weird none of my tattoos have itched.
Most of my tattoos itched. Some more than others, just like the pain level while getting a tattoo.
I’ve heard that this is less of an issue with Native Americans. buttwheat probably has some Native American blood. (He probably has straight pubic hair to! (LOL)
@Sam-I-Am 140151 wrote:
Most of my tattoos itched. Some more than others, just like the pain level while getting a tattoo.
I’ve heard that this is less of an issue with Native Americans. buttwheat probably has some Native American blood. (He probably has straight pubic hair to! (LOL)
Yes and yes
The back was fairly strange to get tattooed. Some spots, like the top of my shoulders, just felt like a hard massage. Actually kind of nice. Right on my spine was pretty painful however! The parts that touched the ribs were less painful than the spine. The guy who did my back is very hard handed though, so that did in part make it worse than it would have been with a more gentle artist. But all over it wasn’t too bad 🙂
Mine itches on and off, but when it itches, it itches bad. Which is weird as hell because it’s pretty small. I’m probably going to die of itching when I get a bigger one.
@poxphobia 140158 wrote:
The back was fairly strange to get tattooed. Some spots, like the top of my shoulders, just felt like a hard massage. Actually kind of nice. Right on my spine was pretty painful however! The parts that touched the ribs were less painful than the spine. The guy who did my back is very hard handed though, so that did in part make it worse than it would have been with a more gentle artist. But all over it wasn’t too bad 🙂
This is really detailed, and gives me an idea of what to expect. Thanks so much!
@0hmanda 140177 wrote:
Mine itches on and off, but when it itches, it itches bad. Which is weird as hell because it’s pretty small. I’m probably going to die of itching when I get a bigger one.
I have had some itch, some REALLY ITCH, and some not at all. I think that I have had less itching since I started using the ‘dry wrap’ method for healing, but I am not sure that the healing method is the difference. This is going to require more research …. so …. I guess I’m going to have to get more tattoos!!!
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