One of the most important things to think about when getting a new tattoo — aside from the design [1] and what talented artist you'll entrust to do it — is where you want to place it on your body. Some areas like the feet [2] or spine are extra sensitive and more painful to get tattooed, while areas like your sternum [3] make hiding a tattoo easy. Then there are some areas, like the hands [4] or fingers [5], that come with an extra set of rules for you to think about when considering them.
While they're some of the most popular places for people to get tattooed, there are tons of artists out there who actually wouldn't recommend getting inked in this area because of the tendency of tattoos placed there to fade over time. Along with that, there are a few other things you should know about getting finger tattoos if you haven't already done the research. Read ahead for some things to keep in mind before you book your next tattoo appointment.
Why Some Tattoo Artists Might Refuse Finger Tattoos
The first thing you should know if you're considering getting a finger tattoo is that some artists might not even agree to do one for you. "Finger tattoos often have a high rejection rate [because of their] high chance of healing with imperfections," New York City-based tattoo artist Gianna Maria Galli [6] told POPSUGAR. "This is often regardless of how skilled the tattooer is and has more to do with the area."
On top of being a smaller part of the body that requires a lot of attention to detail when being tattooed, finger and hand tattoos tend to fade easily. Because of this, Galli said, many artists refuse to tattoo in this area as a way to avoid the overall difficulty associated with it. That said, this doesn't mean it'll be impossible to find an artist to draw one for you.
"I personally like tattooing hands and fingers," she said. "I usually just ask folks what level of a perfectionist they are, and if the answer is high, logic often dictates that we tattoo another area. If they can live with imperfections, we'll do it, and most times folks are super happy [with the results]."
Do Finger Tattoos Hurt More?
Though hands and fingers are highly sensitive areas, Galli mentioned that getting them tattooed is often an "oddly tolerable" experience. (That said, it depends on your personal pain tolerance, so it's different for everyone.)
How Long Do Finger Tattoos Take to Heal?
Because of how often we use our hands to complete daily tasks, you'd think that waiting for a finger tattoo to heal would be ten times more complicated than it would be for a tattoo in another area, but according to Galli, they actually heal pretty quickly.
"By design the skin in the area is rougher and less supple, so it tends to seal up quickly," she said. The main thing to keep in mind about the aftercare process is to make sure you're not overwashing your hands or suffocating your tattoo with ointments.