You're in the chair, and your artist switches out their needle grouping. You know they use different needles for different parts of the tattoo, from the outline to the shading. This often leads to a technical but very common question: "Do smaller needles hurt more than bigger ones?"
It's a logical question—a smaller point seems like it would be sharper and more painful. The answer, however, is a bit of a paradox. While smaller needles create a sharper sensation, many people find that the larger needle groupings used for shading are actually the most painful part of the process.
This is your guide to the different sensations of tattoo needles and why a smaller needle doesn't always equal more pain.
Understanding the Tools: Liners vs. Shaders
To understand the pain, you have to understand the tools. Tattoo artists use two main categories of needles.
-
Liners (Smaller Groupings): These are tight groupings of a small number of needles (like a 3RL or 5RL). Their job is to create the sharp, solid outlines of your tattoo.
-
Shaders & Magnums (Larger Groupings): These are wider, often flat groupings of many more needles. Their job is to shade, blend, and pack in solid color over a large area.
The Sensation of Smaller Needles (Lining)
What does getting a tattoo feel like with a small liner needle?
-
The Sensation: This is the classic "hot cat scratch" feeling. The pain is sharp, stinging, and very precise. Because the needles are in a tight bunch, the sensation is focused on a single, fine line.
-
Why it can feel more painful: The sharpness of the sensation is very high. It's an intense, biting feeling that gets your immediate attention.
The Sensation of Larger Needles (Shading)
What does getting a tattoo feel like with a big magnum shader?
-
The Sensation: The pain from a large shader is completely different. It's a broad, abrasive, and burning pain. Instead of a sharp line, it feels like a patch of your skin is being scraped, similar to a bad sunburn being rubbed.
-
Why it can feel more painful:
-
More Trauma at Once: Although the individual points may feel less sharp, the larger grouping of needles is covering a much wider area of skin at the same time, which can be a more intense overall trauma.
-
Repetition and Duration: The process of shading requires the artist to go back and forth over the same area repeatedly to build up tones and saturate color. This makes the skin progressively more raw and tender, and you have to endure this sensation for a much longer period than the initial linework.
-
The Verdict: It's a Different Kind of Hurt
So, do tattoos hurt more with smaller needles?
While a smaller needle creates a sharper, more acute pain, most seasoned tattoo collectors will tell you that the most difficult part of a tattoo is enduring the long, grinding hours of shading with larger needles. The combination of the raw, burning sensation and the sheer amount of time you have to endure it often makes shading the true test of a client's endurance.
The Solution: Make the Sensation a Non-Issue
Ultimately, you don't have to worry about whether the liner or the shader will be the most painful part of your session. A great pain management plan is the best way to prepare for tattoo pain and ensure the entire experience is comfortable.
Our No Pain Tattoo Numbing Cream is designed to deeply numb the skin, dramatically reducing both the sharp sting of the liner and the raw, burning feeling of the shader. It turns both sensations into a dull, manageable pressure. This allows you to relax through the entire process, confident that your artist can do their best work without you wincing in pain. It's the ultimate way to make tattoos hurt less, regardless of the needle being used.