I have 40 tattoos on different parts of my body, from my shoulder to wrist. Bethan McConnell

• I have 40 tattoos all around my body, and some placements were more painful than others.
• Shoulder and ankle placements can be uncomfortable and difficult to heal.
• I barely realized how long it took to get my thigh tattoo since it was pretty painless.

I’ve gotten 40 tattoos and learned that the placement of the design can affect how painful it is.Some tattoos can be more painful than others. CREATISTA/Shutterstock

When it comes to getting tattooed, the pain is different for everyone. Some people describe it as a dull or aching sensation, whereas I think it feels like repetitive sharp scratches.

Once you start getting tattoos, it becomes easier to figure out your tolerance and where you prefer to be inked. Here are some of the best and worst spots, in my experience.

Shoulder tattoos can be difficult to heal.My bag straps would rub against my shoulder tattoo. Bethan McConnell

I have a cherry-blossom design on my left shoulder that curves under my collarbone, and I found this placement particularly painful because my shoulders aren’t very fleshy. Areas with less fat and more bone can hurt a lot more.

Additionally, shoulder tattoos can look very interesting but the healing process can be slowed if you often wear a tote bag or backpack over it, which I didn’t consider beforehand.

A tattoo is essentially an open wound, so it’s best to not have any tight clothes or bags rubbing against it.

Collarbone tattoos are particularly uncomfortable.My tattoo is right on my collarbone. Bethan McConnell

Collarbone placements are very prominent and extremely painful since your skin is very thin in that area and the bone lies close to the surface.

I got a small rose on my collarbone and instantly regretted the decision as soon as the artist started working on the design.

Although the final tattoo looks great, I spent the entire session hoping the artist would finish soon.

In my experience, shins are the worst place to get tattooed.The artist had to hold down my leg when doing my shin tattoos. Bethan McConnell

I once got four shin tattoos in one sitting.

When getting inked on an area of the body near the bone, you may inadvertently move and twitch without meaning to, so the artist had to put their full weight on my leg to ensure that I was able to sit still long enough to finish the designs.

The artist shared this is extremely common with lower-leg tattoos and not to feel bad if I physically couldn’t sit still throughout the process.

Your body is the canvas for the artwork, so it’s important to move as little as possible, but most tattooers are very understanding when it comes to painful placements.

 

My ankle tattoo made wearing socks more uncomfortable.I got a hand-poked tattoo on my ankle. Bethan McConnell

Ankle tattoos are a popular placement since they’re easy to hide.

I got a hand-poked daisy design — done by inserting the ink manually with a handheld single needle — on my ankle that was very sore but hurt less than getting a machine tattoo.

But the healing process made the tattoo hurt more, as tight-fitting clothes like socks got stuck to the design.

I couldn’t wait for the artist to finish inking my arm-bend tattoo.Most people move the inner crease of their arm quite a bit. Bethan McConnell

The second tattoo I ever got was a dot-work sunflower on my arm bend, the spot just below the inner crease of your elbow.

Since this part of your arm moves a lot, the healing process can take longer and the movement can irritate the wound.

Dot-work designs can involve a lot of layering, meaning the artist has to tattoo over the same area more than once. The repetitive process can take a while and really ache.

This design is very intricate and includes white highlights to make the pattern stand out. It was another tattoo I was begging to be over.

On the other hand, my wrist tattoos hurt less than I thought they would.I have several tattoos around my wrists. Bethan McConnell

The tattoos I have on my wrist didn’t hurt as much as I expected.

I got the phrase “only just” after my grandpa told me that I wasn’t “just a journalist” or “only a writer” and to be more confident in my work.

I got the tattoo over the summer, so I wasn’t wearing long sleeves that could rub against the design and interfere with healing.

But it’s important to note that new tattoos shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight. You should also put UV protection on your healed designs to preserve them if you’re outside.

My forearm was relatively easy to tattoo.This tattoo didn’t take very long to ink. Bethan McConnell

Getting a tattoo on my forearm was very similar to getting one on my wrist.

I have a traditional-style daisy that covers my forearm, which wasn’t too painful.

Something to consider is the style and size can greatly impact how long the design will take, and bigger, more elaborate tattoos will most likely require more time.

Traditional designs involve a lot of shading with varying needle sizes, but this tattoo took a surprisingly short amount of time to complete.

My calf tattoo wasn’t very uncomfortable.My calf has a decent amount of muscle. Bethan McConnell

Since my calf is quite muscly, it wasn’t a very painful placement for me.

An apprentice I followed on Instagram posted that he was looking for people to tattoo for free. When apprentices are training, they can use fake skin to ink their designs, but there comes a time when they have to practice on real people.

The tiger I got is probably my favorite tattoo, and I feel incredibly lucky that I got a design from such a talented new artist, who also did the cherry blossom on my shoulder.

 

I have several tattoos on my upper arm that were pretty painless.My upper arm is less bony than other parts of my body. Bethan McConnell

I have lavender on my upper arm that felt almost painless when I got it done.

The design was inked with a small needle and doesn’t include any shading, so it was a very quick and simple piece to get done.

The artist who did it said areas on your body that have more fat are generally less painful. And since this tattoo wasn’t uncomfortable, it made me want to get more on my upper arms.

 

I barely noticed how long my thigh tattoo took.The tattoo wasn’t near my bone. Bethan McConnell

I have a large Chinese lantern plant on the outside of my thigh that took around five hours to complete.

Although it was a long session, the design was nowhere near my leg bone so getting the tattoo wasn’t as painful as I’d expected it’d be.

Bigger tattoos can be extremely tiring, as your body is subjected to a repetitive and dull ache, but I didn’t realize that I had been sitting for so long while getting it done.

Some artists prefer to work in silence while others like to chat. I find the latter more calming. This particular artist has done a lot of my tattoos, so I can always catch up with him, which makes the whole process easier.