Hand tattoos seem more popular than ever so it makes sense that more and more people would make the jump to getting such a prominent part of their body tattooed. And while hand tattoos can certainly be beautiful and unique, there may be a few things to keep in mind before you walk into the next tattoo shop.
Here are a few reasons why you should think twice before getting a hand tattoo.
The Pain
Yes, they hurt a lot. In fact, hand tattoos are some of the most painful tattoos out there because it’s an area with very thin skin and a lot of ligaments in it. If you want tattoos that don’t hurt all that much to get drawn, stick to your arm or the side of your calf.
The Stereotypes
Especially when it comes to hand tattoos, our society and social interactions are very much based on visibility of the hands. This won’t be a shoulder tattoo you can hide. When making a first impression, you’ll instantly be stuck with all the stereotypes that come with being a tattoo owner.
Dead Skin
The hands are the part of the body where you lose most skin cells through everyday life, which makes your hand tattoos fade and go smudgy all the faster. So while it may sound like a good idea to get a hand tattoo, be prepared to have it redone a couple of times or just remove it outright at a certain point.
The Part of The Hand Matters
If you want the hand tattoo to stick, there are a few parts that will give you a higher chance of success than others. The top of the fingers and the top of your hands are two areas that will pretty much guarantee your tattoo will last for a lifetime. When getting a hand tattoo, the aftercare becomes all that much more important to make sure the design lasts.
Not Everyone Does Them
Even if all the above doesn’t seem like a problem to you, most tattoo parlors flat-out refuse doing hand tattoos. And the ones that have no difficulty with doing hand tattoos will usually try to talk you out of it in advance.
It’s Not One and Done
We’ve already mentioned that hand tattoos can fade and will probably need to be redone after a few years, but even putting on the tattoo the first time will take multiple tries. Odds that the artist won’t have to go over the design three to four times are slim to none, meaning you should look at all these previous points and remind yourself that you’ll have to go through them multiple times. If you can only stomach the pain twice, you’ll be stuck with a half-finished tattoo.