getting under your arms tattooed - is it as bad as it seems???

[vivi vroom vroom]

hey guys - just wondering if i could get any input on how bad it hurts to get underneath your arms tattooed. i've been putting it off til last but i finally made the appointment to get it over with. i was with one of my friends when she got hers done and she said it was the worst spot yet for her (worse than her chest she says). i have my feet done and that's been the worst spot for me sooo far.....
thanks guys - and i hope it's not really that bad so i can stop being a baby about this :)

[Grosz]

are you talking actual armpits or just the inside of the bicep (up to the armpit)? if it's the former, i can't offer any insight.

if it's the latter, i can say this: it's not fun in terms of the postures you have to get in in order to get the work, there's certainly a fair amount of nerve endings in/around the armpit so some spots by my pits felt like they were electrifying nerves running down my ribs and into my legs and, speaking just for myself, my skin is particularly lean on the inside of my biceps, so it can get a lil tender.

personally, i find work on bony areas to be worse, but the healing of the inner arm can be a real bitch.

[JD LaRish]

it's been quite some years but i remember the inside of the bicep being no fun.
not nearly as bad as the armpit itself but no fun.
as Grosz said, some of the contortionist moves you need to put your arm in don't help matters any.
of course some will depend on what you're actually getting & who is doing it.
some folks have a real light tough and others are heavy handed as all hell.
as with any tattoo though, the pain is temporary - the tattoo's there for the rest of your life.
small sacrifice in my book.
good luck.

[Grosz]

you touched on what i forgot to include: if the pain of the act is more daunting than the beauty of the artifact, then maybe you should rethink it.

not that i think you're even close to this situation, but (as per usual) I have a story... and please don't take this the wrong way, I just think it's a damned funny story.

i was sitting in a tattoo parlor with a friend on State St in Santa Barbara a good 10 years ago (I can't for the life of me remember the shop, but it was run by a prison-style, cholo/fine-line artist). so as Tony and I are flipping through portfolios, this young girl comes up to him and says, "i want to get this on my ankle, but i hear that it really hurts there, so where can i put it that won't hurt so bad?"

Tony (who had heavy coverage, which is why she presumably asked) was visiting from Boston, so his horrific accent cut through the SoCal sounds of surf and sunshine worse than my smoker's cough of a laugh....

"Sweedhaht - get ahhta heeyah. Ya naht seereeus nuff bout't"

Something tells me you're "seereus," Vivi - so don't sweat it and just go for it. As JD said, "The pain is temporary."

And I'll add: most people aren't in this because it feels good - it LOOKS good.

[vivi vroom vroom]

thanks guys!! i know we all forget about the pain eventually and the end result always makes me so happy soo it's worth it for sure - and i'm a trooper i can handle it - i hope!! hahaaa! honestly the only time i was even squirmy at all was with my feet. everywhere else i've had done hasn't been bad at all - and has actually been kind of therapeutic!! (er maybe i'm just a weirdo:)
& yeah it's the inside of the bicep - i don't think i'm guna venture right into the pit!!
oh and that is a good story grosz - i don't ever want to be the girl that i roll my eyes at when i'm in the shop! heheehe
i'm going in mid november to get it done so i'll keep you all posted on how it goes! <3

[Erin]

i do not have a problem with the inner bicep. i would pretty much take getting tattooed on my arm (inner or outer) over most any other place.

like everyone said, even if it is painful, the end result is the most important!

good luck!

[TS]

Same for me - underneath of my arm was not bad at all (even with the above-mentioned nerve-tingling). I'm considering NOT doing anymore on my kidney area (pain trumping beauty here). The ankle bone was horrific but I'd suffer it again.

[anthonyc]

just got the inner bicept and elbow ditch done lastnight, wasnt so bad

[Inktman]

All right, I had everything done. The easiest place to get tattooed painwise are your arms on the outside, the rest is worse.
Armpits are no worse than your butt or your ribcage. But it is all worth it!

[dgamradt]

I've got the inside of my arm from the elbow up to the armpit. It was unpleasant, but bearable. Did it hurt - yes. But did it hurt enough for me to do my other arm? No - planning a pinup inspired half-sleeve on my other arm.

[gookymo]

it was okay for me, i thought the inside bend of my elbow hurt the most.

[Erin]

just got more work done on my arm and it went great. not too much pain, aside from the ditch. but even that was better than the knee. ouchie.

[Father of Roses]

Tattoos don't hurt. :)