Wondering if others have this experience with tattoos

So I've had about 10 hours put in over the last week-ish on my arms.

The tattoos both go from the shoulder to the elbow, both wrap inside my arm to about the same spot, and the one on the left has a lot done on the tricep and going into the armpit.

The one on the right was less intense (closer to being done) and wrapped less into the area that ended up bruising. The entire inside of my arm bruised up, armpit to elbow. It also hurt more, despite less shading and far less time sitting for it.

I commented to my tattoo artist that the left arm didn't feel nearly as bad (even on the tricep and armpit areas) and he said a lot of people seem to notice one side hurts more. Anyone else experience this? I also wondered if it was because I had gone so long between sessions on the right, so perhaps when I got the left started I was more acclimated. He said he figured that was probably part of it, but that people really do seem to favor one side.

I just think it's a little weird that the pain in the areas that get me was 2 less out of 10 and there isn't any bruising on one side, despite very similar areas being covered. While we're talking about it, doesn't it also seem a little weird that one part of your arm feels like having a sharpie scribbled and another part a few inches away feels like an Indian burn?

The worst spot for me was my chest, that I get. Right on bone. Figure that's why the shoulder caps were a little uncomfortable. Don't get why one arm near my pit hole is going to be almost 2x as bad. Bodies are weird.

I'm sort of interested in any tattoo anecdotes, so if you haven't had the same place done on both sidbes I'd like to hear what hurt the most (0-10), if you bruised, and also how fast and how much scabbing (I've had virtually none, but dude is super good).

a reply to: Domo1

No scabbing no bruising but I did get a few within a small amount of time and got the same thing, only felt the one side.

a reply to: JinMI

Which side hurt more? I'm working on a theory. By same thing do you mean as I did size wise, or actually the same thing on both sides?

Thanks for responding! The other night I woke up with a super itchy arm, started going to town and realized I need to sleep in long sleeved shirts for a few days - OUCH.

a reply to: Domo1

The right side. It's a piece that goes from my wrist to mid forearm, got that one first. The other was outside my left elbow to mid-forearm. I don't remembering that one having any issues at all. A few months from now you might see a color or two "pop" out of your skin! It's pretty freaky but it's normal.

a reply to: JinMI

What do you mean "pop out"? Is that the same as "blow out"? Like when the lines just go to crap or color escapes? Not too worried about that, I've had a fair amount of tattoos and even the crappy one on the left that's getting (is already) covered up had no issues other than being a dumb tattoo mistake when I was younger.

Feels really good finally finishing up my right arm and getting the nonsense on my left covered up. You should have to be 25 to get a tattoo, and also be forced to think about it for 3 months. There should also be a competency test to be licensed, so many bad tattoo shops. I know a ton of people that love tattoos but started out young and naive and have a few that turned out terrible/were bad decisions.

a reply to: Domo1

Same here, I also have one that needs work ugh. What I mean by pop out is the skin will raise up. I'm surprised it didn't happen to you if you already have em. Every once in awhile a certain color, never the same, will pop out. Kind of like the whole color gets goosebumps.

a reply to: JinMI

Huh, haven't heard of that! I don't have a lot of color in mine (It was getting a little ex-con with a lot of cigarettes), but I have had certain lines and areas look like welts. We'll see what happens when I get the one on my left finished, it's going to be more colorful. My right arm has a lot of black, grey and this awesome blue/grey mix I haven't seen used much. Left is going to have a lot of black and red/orange accents.

a reply to: Domo1

The one on my calf felt like a grizzly was tearing my leg off and I fell asleep all the time when my arm was done.

Whole arm.Top to bottom,all the way 'round.

not tats but i have both my rooks (inner ear) pierced. left ive had longer and never had an issue (cant even get the balls off with pliers lol), the right hand side has always been problematic. took ALOT longer to heal and hangovers seem to agitate it? wierd but definitly the right. maby it has got to do with the blood travelling longer around the body?

I've got a large one over my left back and left arm/shoulder that curls slightly on the rib cage.
The lines all raised quite a bit and to this day are still risen slightly (when i rub my hands over them)
Cant say I had any bruising so to speak, but lots of blood and LOTS of scabs.

Bepanthen creams the go to keep it soothed..

Worst spot for me was down the rib cage.. that hurt.

7yrs later i wasn't happy with some of it, so i went back and had the entire thing redone over the top, darker..

now, it took 5hrs to get it done the first time.. the second time took a fraction less but hurt 10x as much. Tattoo artists said because its scar tissue it will hurt.. and he was right.

I had both of my forearms done at the same time years ago. I don't like color so I don't habe much at all but when I had my forearms done one part of my left arm wouldn't have looked right without it so I said ok. It's a prison drawing by Henry Lee Lucas and there's a fairly small amount of red in it. I'd been warned about red ink and the reactions a lot of people have but I figured "how bad can it be?" So I went ahead and said ok, while you're doing that there's another small spot on the outside of the same arm, I need that colored red (a teardrop about the size of an average pinkie nail).

Well anyway. Woke up the next day and my left arm hurt like hell and I was massively swollen and could barely touch the arm. Right arm (just black and shading, actually far more detailed than the left)? Totally fine. That little pinkie nail sized drop of red ended up taking about 3 months to heal totally. Having a scan that long and not picking it is, i'm fairly certain, one of the punishments Dante forgkt to mention in his Inferno.

Speaking of pinkies... knuckles don't hurt even half as bad as people assume. That is right up until the pinkie. There are fatty deposits in there on most people that make the needle skip off of the skin repeatedly. The only reason I mention that as painful is because after the 5th or 6th try, you're tender as hell and ready to say "OK I GIVE UP" and move on. Other least favorite place? Outside of my right wrist. Dunno why, even the inside of my wrists didn't bother me but those damned bones...

originally posted by: Domo1
...bruising...

Bruising means that he went too deep, that there is no 'one depth fits all' ink-pushing!
He should have noticed.
In all my years of tattooing (22), I have never caused 'bruising'.
Sorry about the poor experience, but, I assume that it will, eventually heal.
There is little to no scabbing!
When I finish with a tat, after sterilizing the area I covered it with some Saran Wrap.
It kept the air out, let the ink settle and the little holes close up.
In a day or so, clean it and scabbing should be a non-issue!
Never had a problem.

I have found that it gets more tender where the skin is closer to the bone.
Doing the scales and shading on the backs of my fingers 2 or 3 times (rubbed it thin when I put my hands into my pockets) was a bit of a sting.
But I always loved the kiss of the needle... *__-

a reply to: JinMI

Do you find that your color "pop" areas stay that way permanently? Occasionally, my tattoo will get itchy and raise up. Like it's swollen. The first time it happened I know I had been picking chilies that day, had my arms all in the plant, picking bare handed. I thought it may have had something to do with the capsaicin reacting with the ink. It's happened a couple more time, but always goes away.

a reply to: Domo1

Hey there

Ive got plenty of ink myself cant really say whether 1 side hurt more than the other i can however tell where it has been the most painful tho
I tend to get tats done in different places than the average. I have my face done that wasnt painful more relaxing however the scab period was terrible i couldnt shave for a week and when the itching started i would have to keep slapping myself in the face but was worth it once healed. I also have the palm of my hand done i would rate that at an 8 for pain. Healing wise not so bad. I also have dog tags done so i can understand the pain on the chest especially the sturnum that gets a solid 10. I also have the inside of my ear done but that was nothing as its not on bone. I think the trick is to really talk yourself into thinking it will be the most excruciating pain and then when it happens you tend to think "thats not so bad" but also keep in mind that a few hours of pain is worth a lifetime tattoo
Good luck with it all

Steve

Lol inside the arm on both sides hurts pretty good if you ask me, both my arms in the same places are tattooed but I dont recall if one area or arm was more sensitive than the other I do remember though, that the inside of your elbow where your arm bends inwards hurt like a mofo on the right.

a reply to: Domo1

I did 14 and a half hours on my back last summer, across both shoulders and down to just below mid back. ( it was a cover up from my basic white girl days) The Right side hurt worse for me. My artist said that one side always hurts worse. He also pointed out that the side I said hurt worse ( the right) bled more. I went about 2 weeks in between sittings and sat for 2+ hours each time.

Now earlier this year I got the inside of my left bicep done and it hurt, not the worst pain, that was when I got my feet done. ( I won't even touch those up and they are my kids names). During the tattooing on the inside of my arm, it really wasn't too bad till he got to right about the "underside" of my arm, that was rough, and thankfully there wasn't much work to be done there. The next day there was no visible bruising, but damn if it didn't hurt like the dickens. Ugh and putting ointment on it ruined a few of my shirts.

I have a "few" tats, lets see;

-base of my neck- no pain during or after, no scabbing, very little bleeding/oozing.
-back and shoulders- ( mentioned above)
- inside left bicep -(mentioned above)
- both forearms- no pain at all at any point, easiest tats ever
-tops of both feet- F*&k that, never again
-right calf- not too shabby, my artist had to "make a needle" for me, because he didn't have one small enough. it felt like plucking hairs
-inside right ankle- no problems at all, minimal scabbing a few days later.
-Right Hip and thigh- up on the hip wasn't so bad, but down the thigh kinda sucked. I did bruise there but it wasn't really bad, you could see it though.
- lower back (tramp stamp) - not bad till he got to the butt crack and back of my hips, no bleeding or bruising though.
-lower left side stomach- that sucked, it bruised pretty bad actually, but I think that may be more of a location kind of thing, possibly the artist. ( this guy was really heavy handed)

I think that is all of my tats....

Oh!

- Back of my right bicep- no pain no bruising

and now my husband is going to be mad, because I want another one......

a reply to: namelesss

That sound... that whirr of the needle machine....

The smell of the soap, and the cool wipe off when it's done....

The sting of needle to skin...

It's all more relaxing than any spa I have ever been to.

For me it was left elbow, not so much intense pain but arm numbing and weird throbbing while the needle was in that area. Kinda like hitting funny bone but a tad worse. And not being able to move while it was being done makes it harder to ignore, thank god it only took a little bit, but after years of wear I could use a refresh of ink as the elbows get leaned on quite often lol. And yes the love of the machine buzz and the flood of adrenaline and the slapping of itchy skin later, love it all.

I would say it is normal, I have full sleeves on my arms and legs and work on my back and stomach. My right knee cap hurt a hell of a lot more than my left. You'll be fine.

a reply to: Squirlli

You must be nuts! (pun intended squirlli) My tattoos were like hours spent in a torture chamber. I'd like one more to commemorate a fallen brother but I just don't know if I can stand it again. Mine hurt everywhere, no matter where, inside the arms, outside, legs too. Nothing soothing about any of it.