The least painful place to get a tattoo for most people is the fleshy part of the arm including the forearm and bicep. In general, places with similarly dense skin, such as the thighs and buttocks, are also among the less painful areas for the placement of tattoos.
The calves and back or shoulder area are often also less painful when it comes to getting a tattoo, although there are sometimes issues with slow healing when it's done on the calf.
Pain thresholds vary from individual to individual along with the density of the skin so there is no guarantee that any area of the body will be more or less painful. However, areas where the skin is thin and the bone is close to the surface tend to be the most painful. This includes the hands, feet, wrists and ankles. Any part of the neck or head or that involves the spine is likely to be very painful to tattoo. Other highly sensitive areas include the breasts, back of the knee and genital area.
The level of pain produced by the tattooing process also depends on the nature of the tattoo. A small, detailed tattoo, for example, necessitates the use of small needles in concentration, which is likely to be more painful than a larger tattoo on the same area.
