Tattoos inked on the back of one’s neck are no doubt quite a harrowing experience, especially for those who are unprepared for the pain. Learn more about tattooing this space and what can be done to better the experience.
Tattooing is a passion that a lot of tattoo lovers develop overtime, where the first experience of being inked is just as imprinted on memory, as the way it is on our skins. The first time I went in to get a tattoo done, I was 19 and marking the end of my teen years; I was fearful, nervous and exhilarated all at once. There’s nothing like a good rush of adrenaline when you seat yourself down to get a tattoo done. The thing with tattooing is that you have to understand how much your body can take, and which body part would be fitting to get one done on. Absolutely horrific and downright unacceptable places to get a tattoo done would be around the facial area, lips, tongue, sclera (white portion of the eyeball), genital area or under one’s feet / armpits.
People are capable of the most extortionate behavior when it comes to tattooing. They may think it’s out-of-the-box or cool, but little do they know how ridiculous the final act was. Getting a tattoo at the nape of your neck is a good area to get an art piece done, but you need to brace yourself for the pain. If you love the whole idea of tattooing, then doing it at the back of your neck shouldn’t have you scared stiff. After all when the pain is over, you have with you in the end a great piece of artwork to showcase.
Is it Painful to Get a Neck Tattoo Done?
For those of you who already have tattoos, you obviously know what its store when it comes to pain. If you’ve had it done on areas of your body that are sure to hurt like hell like around the ankles, wrists, lower back, ribcage area or abdomen – then the pain behind your neck will be a walk in the park to experience. Sadly for those who are getting their first tattoos done in this area, you need to mentally and physically prepare yourselves. For the weak-hearted I suggest you choose an all together different spot on your body to tattoo, where it is more thick-skinned. For the gutsy folk? Go ahead and get a tattoo placed behind your neck, since tattoo pain here like I said, will be a breeze.
The reason why the neck region is so painful to tattoo, is because the skin around that area is thin, sensitive and tender. It’s like tattooing a newborn baby’s skin – extremely delicate situation. Not all of us come with tough skin, and women more than men will have trouble dealing with the pain here, being of course more soft skinned than men. The skin tends to curve and spread in different layers of thickness, where places that have thin skin tops will most likely have a thick network of blood vessels, being very close to the underside of the skin.
Tattooing the back of your neck is bearable if you tell yourself that the pain is nothing compared to maybe getting your arm ripped out. Remember to breathe; I recall the time I got my lower back done and yes it hurt like hell. I also remember how I would hold my breath when the tattoo machine whizzed. I would only draw in air when he stopped for a second before starting the machine up again. So just focus on your breathing and distract yourself by listening to your favorite music track, or reading a magazine or book.
Before you decide to get a neck tattoo done, I suggest giving it a second thought before actually moving forward with this decision. Will you be able to handle the aftercare involved post the tattoo session (since it isn’t visible to you)? Will it affect your work / study life if you have a visible tattoo (for short-haired people)? The bony protrusion at the nape of your neck may cause more pain, are you ready to take on such a sensation? After you’ve answered such questions to yourself, you’ll have a better idea of if you’re ready to undergo the session or not.
Enduring the pain will be a cinch if you ready yourself for what’s in store. If you’re too worried about how the experience will unfold, have the tattooist place the stencil a little lower than the nape area so that he / she has a slightly thicker surface to work with. Just remember that anywhere above the middle of the back, is going to thin out as your skin spreads towards your neck region.
