10 Pro Tips To Help Decide Where You Should Get Your Next Tattoo
Because the pros told us so.
Figure out if balance means anything to you.
"Customers with tattoos focused on one side of the body will sometimes come into the shop wanting a tattoo on the other side to even it out," Alex McWatt — tattoo artist of Three Kings Tattoo Parlor in Brooklyn — told BuzzFeed. If balance is a priority, that cuts your potential tat locations in half.
oddtattooer; Oracle Tattoo / Via instagram.com
If you're thinking of getting a color tattoo, you may want to avoid exposed areas that get a lot of sun.
"Extended sun exposure fades color tattoos," said McWatt. "If you're a sun bunny, I'd suggest sticking with a black tattoo." If you want to go for color, consider placing it in an area that isn't always exposed to the elements.
Cameron Rad / Via cameronrad.com
If you have a low pain tolerance, avoid tattooing areas of the body that are really ticklish to you.
"The most painful areas to get tattooed vary from person to person," Jon Mesa of Sacred Tattoo in New York City told BuzzFeed. "In general, areas that have ticklish, sensitive skin (like the neck, ribs, and stomach) tend to be painful for everyone." Why? Because those areas have more nerve endings.
Pinkypills / Getty Images
You also might want to avoid tattooing any joints.
"Knees, elbows, and at the base of the neck can be intense," McWatt said.
Cassieleedhan / Getty Images