Does getting a tattoo hurt?

Getting a tattoo hurts, but the amount of pain depends largely on the part of the body being tattooed and also on the pain tolerance of the person receiving the tattoo. Many people describe the feeling of being tattooed as like getting a "hot scratch."

Because getting a tattoo involves having needles push in and out of the skin to a depth of about 1/16 inch, there is pain and sometimes blood associated with being tattooed. Some people find that their real concern regarding the experience of being tattooed has to do with a fear of needles, while others end up fainting due to their own fears or low blood sugar.