If you know anything about tattoos you would know that there is an element of pain involved in getting a tattoo. The extent that this pain will affect you depends on several factors. The first thing to consider is your threshold for pain. It is not something to be ashamed of but some of us do have a very low threshold and this means that it is going to hurt a lot. Sometimes knowing this and being mentally prepared to bear the pain can help. And in some cases people may be slightly mollified when they realize that the pain of getting a tattoo may be considerably lesser than they were led to believe.
Tattoo Location: Another thing that affects the pain of getting a tattoo is the location. This means that certain parts of the body are likely to pain less than other. The places where you have more skin will probably hurt more. And people who are thinner are likely to feel more pain as they have considerably less muscle. You need to consider these factors along with your threshold for pain and weigh it against the desire to get a tattoo.
Before Tattooing Preparations : Another thing that helps with the pain of getting a tattoo done is to be relaxed by taking a few cleansing deep breaths. There are some other things that you do to alleviate the pain of getting a tattoo. You can ensure that you are well rested before you go in for a tattooing session. Also drinking plenty of water helps in this process, but please avoid drinking alcohol. Blood thinners are also a big no-no. This is because they can really make the tattooing process very dangerous in case of any injuries or if there is bleeding.
Mind Diversion: Believe me you are better of sober than in a state of utter inebriation. Try to divert your mind on to something besides the pain and keep all your muscles in a relaxed than in a clenched position. This will ensure that the body is more at rest and ensure that the level of pain you feel comes down.
Listen Music: Another trick to divert your mind is listening to music of your choice. But since the process of tattooing requires you to be still and not make any moves, pick music that is appealing but with less beat so as to enable you to stay still.
Keep On Looking Over The Tattoo: Stay focused on how beautiful your tattoo is going to look and what it means to you. This will definitely help you feel better about the pain you are going through to get it done. Be an active participant in the process of planning the tattoo design by doing diligent research, collecting designs and working on them along with the artist. Believe me though this is not directly related to pain management, it will help you face and bear the pain stoically.
Once the tattoo is finished, keep it clean and also follow all the instructions on how to take care of it. You will find that looking at that beautiful tattoo and gathering all the admiring glances around you will make it worth all the work and pain.
