I have many. I’ve sat for probably several days if all the time was added up. Ankles and armpits are usually the most painful.
What I usually suggest to a ‘blank’ person is to run your shower as hot as you can stand it. Get in. The places where you can tolerate it are less sensitive. The places it burns are more sensitive. It’s usually right at the tip of a persons pain threshold, depending on where on your body, and the artist.
I would speak to several artists, and make sure they have experience with both the image you want tattooed, and your skin type. If you’re getting something small ,ensure that the size you have chosen is realistic for the amount of detail you want. Lines need to be a certain distance apart or they will heal together,or weird. If you are interested in a detailed image, you may have to increase the size of the tattoo considerably more than you thought, or reduce the details or focus. For instance, if you want a lion , you would need a large area to get the entire animal. If it’s a small area you are covering, the artist may recommend just the lions head, so detail can be appreciated.
Once you get your image chosen and the artist deems it doable, ask for an extra traced stencil. You can then apply the stencil in the location you intend and walk around with it for a day. Get used to seeing it in the mirror or making sure it won’t be a problem with your work. If the artist doesn’t use stencils he/she traced from the original image, that artist could be a risky choice. Some can free hand , but it takes lots of experience.
Consider things like color too. Brighter colors like yellow , or red can fade quickly in lots of sun. If you intend to let the sun beat on it, it might be better to put it somewhere concealable by clothing. Otherwise, get used to taking a small amount of high SPF on sunny days just for the tat. When I go fishing, I put at least a 50 SPF on my color stuff. In contrast to 30 SPF for my regular skin.
Also keep in mind that you won’t be able to swim for like a week after you get it. So don’t get the ink a day before a cruise ship, or you’ll regret it. Also, it will be very sore for a week or so (much like a bad sun burn.) So if your work shirt would bother it, don’t do it unless you’re off for a few days. It will need to be uncovered as it heals. And kept dry and clean, like a injury.But once it heals, it’s there forever.
Hope you go through with it. It’s a cool ability our bodies have, to be scared and then heal over it.
Keep in mind tattoos are somewhat addictive. Most will get a second, third etc.
Count on spending around 120 -150 an hour for the ink. Most shops have a shop minimum also. So even if it’s less than an hour because it’s so small, you’ll still have to pay at least 60.
Color usually is more expensive, and takes longer.
I also wouldn’t recommend an image that could be considered offensive. Such as nudity, fowl language, or certain icons.
Either way, good luck.
Peace n love.