The pain issue is one of the main factors that prevents people from deciding whether or not to get tattoos. Do thigh tattoos hurt?
It can be painful to get a tattoo on your thigh. While the upper outer thigh is one of the least painful places to get a tattoo, with pain low to low-moderate in most people.
Thigh tattoos aren’t crazy, but you should think about how sensitive different parts of your thigh are and how to best care for your new work of art before and after getting it. You are in all of our hands. Let’s get started!
Do Thigh Tattoos Hurt?
Yes, thigh tattoos hurt, just as with any tattoo around. But there’s good news for people who dying to get this tattoo: the thigh area is one of the best places to get tattooed on.
Without being close to the bone or having many nerve endings, thighs are fleshy and meaty. To be more precise, the outer, inner, upper, lower, and back thigh areas can react differently to the tattoo needle than the front and back of the thigh.
The fleshy, meaty part of the front of the thigh is where the muscles are dominant and the tattoo needle has little to no pain-producing effect.
The inner thighs and the back are much thinner and have a lot more nerve endings. The fact that only a thin layer of skin stands between the tattoo needle and a sizable number of nerve endings typically means that the tattoo will hurt (at least more than the outer thigh).
You should anticipate more pain the lower the tattoo is placed on the thigh. The lower thigh connects to the knee (muscles and nerves), where the nerves are less protected and the bone proximity is higher.
Therefore, if you want a thigh tattoo but don’t want to deal with the pain (especially if you have a lower pain tolerance), we strongly suggest choosing an upper or outer thigh tattoo.
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Do Upper Thigh Tattoos Hurt?
Tattoos on the upper thighs do still hurt. However, it does not ache as intensely as the inner or back of the thigh.
This is so that the pressure and impact that a tattoo pen produces while puncturing the skin with ink can be absorbed by the area’s thick padding of fat and muscles.
Running a pointed pen down your thigh while applying light pressure is a good experiment to determine the level of pain. If you still don’t feel anything after that, try applying more pressure.
Do Outer Thigh Tattoos Hurt?
Yes, thigh tattoos on the outside do hurt. Similar to the inner thigh, the outer thigh is stuffed with muscles, fat, and flesh that lessen the pain from the tattoo pen’s tip.
However, outer thigh tattoos will still hurt, just like with any tattoo. Except for henna tattoos, which use a pen to apply the dyeing agents rather than a tattoo needle, traditional tattoos always hurt.
How to Manage Thigh Tattoo Pain?
Follow below instructions supplied with the cream and apply shortly before your tattoo appointment is due to begin so that you can look forward to a less painful and more comfortable tattooing experience
Find a Professional
Find an accomplished tattoo artist by doing your research.
Sleep Well
Protect your immune system by getting a good sleep before getting your tattoo. Studies have shown that getting enough sleep can improve how well our bodies handle pain.
Eat & Hydrate
Our ability to tolerate pain may be reduced by low blood sugar levels, and the body is negatively impacted by dehydration in numerous ways. Eat a good hearty meal an hour or two before your next tattoo sitting.
Take Tylenol
Many people claim that taking Tylenol before getting tattooed helps, even though this hasn’t been scientifically proven to lessen pain. However, stay away from blood thinners like aspirin and ibuprofen as well as alcohol.
Use a Numbing Cream
For people wanting a little extra assistance for dealing with the pain, a good tattoo numbing cream can really help to take the edge off.
Zensa Numbing Cream, one of the best tattoo numbing products on the market right now, contains the maximum amount of lidocaine that the FDA permits for over-the-counter use. The reviews that this product has received from thousands of customers are nothing short of extraordinary.
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Thigh Tattoo Aftercare
Thigh tattoos prove to be a bit more challenging in aftercare because of the placement. You might have problems with clothing unless you feel confident going bottomless the entire time.
Bring comfortable underwear to your tattoo appointment in case you end up being without pants during the procedure (which could happen if you get an upper thigh tattoo). Also, wear loose, flexible bottoms to your tattoo appointment. Lo siento, no going commando to this sesh.
What do you wear when you have a healing thigh tattoo? Depending on how low your tattoo is on your leg, you might be able to get away with wearing short-shorts if it’s warm out.
If your tattoo is in an area where clothing contact is unavoidable, opt for very loose-fitting bottoms.
While your tattoo is healing, stay away from restrictive clothing. Friction that might prevent your tattoo from healing properly should be avoided. Use a sterile, breathable bandage to cover the area if you must wear anything that will come into contact with your newly healed wound.
Healing a thigh tattoo is going to be easier if you get it in the summer. We are unable to make things simpler for you, unless you are an only-pants person.
If you aren’t opposed to shorts or skirts, getting a thigh tattoo in the summer is going to be easier because you won’t have to worry about wound friction and how you’re going to protect your tattoo from that friction. Your main problem will be sweat.
Do Thigh Tattoos Fade?
Definitely.
Your thigh tattoo will start fading gradually as the years pass, and this is why it’s always worth going back to the studio for a top-up.
Thigh tattoos have one advantage over those on the neck, hands, fingers, and wrists: they don’t get as much contact. It should therefore last longer than those other body parts.
The thigh is shielded from normal, ongoing friction, moisture, and sunlight (the main contributor to premature fading). However, if you like wearing shorts all the time, make sure you get an SPF 45+ sunblock to prevent sun rays from fading your tattoo too fast.
Looking for some thigh tattoo ideas? Please read our guide on Thigh Tattoo for Women.
Final Thoughts: Do Thigh Tattoos Hurt?
Getting a tattoo on your upper or outer thigh is one of the best places on the body if your goal is minimal pain with maximum aesthetic appeal.
There is also the numbing cream option, which you can further explore with your local tattoo artist, as well as the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.
Your understanding of the connection between tattoo placement and pain has hopefully been aided by this brief look into the world of thigh tattoos. We hope you all have a successful tattooing experience!
Read More: Hand Tattoos
FAQs about Thigh Tattoo Pain
How Do You Sit for a Thigh Tattoo?
A tattoo session on the front of your thigh will involve you lying flat on your back — perhaps one of the more relaxed session positions for thigh tattoo art.
Do Tattoos on Thighs Stretch?
No, tattoos don’t always stretch, but they can. The tattoo will stretch along with the skin it is on if the skin stretches.
Do Quad Tattoos Hurt?
The top of the thigh and the area over the quadriceps are the least painful areas to get tattoos in this area.
How Painful Are Thigh Tattoos?
There are not many nerve endings in this area of the body, which is well padded with fat. The upper outer thigh is one of the least painful places to get a tattoo, with pain low to low-moderate in most people.
What to Wear After Thigh Tattoo?
For the tattoo appointment, dress comfortably, ideally in sweatpants.
