Advice for someone who is terrified of needles

[Natveggie45]

Yeap, you are reading right..... This is it; we belong to a biker club, and most of us love tattoos. The more the better, and we have fun talking about the whole process and what we will have done next. But my friend ( huge football playr guy) has none. So he asked me to go with him to see my artist; cool. Helped him pick a nice skull football theme ; cool. He lasted 20 mtes in the chair; not cool. We are at visit 3 , and the outline of the damn thing is not finished. At first i thought well, i am helping a friend. Plus i had hours of sitting in that chair and did not feel much. But i am getting mad as hell; how can i calm him down? He says it hurts too much (forearm). But he wants ( and needs now ) to get it done or he'll never hear the end of it. You know how bikers are sensitive about teasing... Lol

What do you recommend????

[Colored Guy]

I have heard of numbing topical creams some artists use, ask about that. If this is also an anxiety thing, does he have a prescription for something to take right before? I personally pop 2 percocets on the way to the appt if I'm gonna be in the chair for 2-3 hours.

CG

[slayer9019]

Tell him to man up. Haha. Assuming he isn't overly sensitive to pain (assuming nother since he plays contact sports) I would say it anxiety. Some people freak out at the idea of getting stabbed repetitively for hours on end (weirdos). If it's anxiety he has to be able to calm down himself and I do t know much you can do to help. If it's pain then there are creams than can dull the pain pretty good.

[Mr. Smith]

Never underestimate shame as a motivator. Seriously though, if it's just a forearm tattoo, one application of Dr. Numb (or whatever magic soap your artist prefers) should be enough to finish it. Xanax or something like that can be really helpful too (from what I'm told)...it doesn't ease the pain, but makes it easier to deal with. And like CG said, if it's an anxiety thing that might help with that.

[Amok]

Funny you mention this guy is a huge football player. I've heard tattoo artists say that they're always the ones who can't handle the pain!

I have heard of numbing topical creams some artists use, ask about that. If this is also an anxiety thing, does he have a prescription for something to take right before? I personally pop 2 percocets on the way to the appt if I'm gonna be in the chair fior 2-3 hours.

CG

I'm surprised this works as a prophylactic. Just seems logical to me that a painkiller would only work on existing pain?

[kylegrey]

Funny you mention this guy is a huge football player. I've heard tattoo artists say that they're always the ones who can't handle the pain!

Don't believe the hype , the last person I heard regurgitate a similar story was Bubbleberry !

[Natveggie45]

We tried the gel, i gave him tylenol before, we put headphones on him with music, we had music blaring in the shop to psyc hum up. His freaking whining is driving me crazy. After 3 kids, i swear this guy is driving me crazy. But he is a friend....but the noises he makes! First i had a few laugh and told his girlfriend he must be a noisy one... Lol . Now i get why she does not want to be at the shop. He does not take pills if any kind, except tylenols. So choices are scarce. My next option is a baseball bat on the side of the head; his or mine.

[Mr. Smith]

I wouldn't listen to his whining. Tell him to either suck it up or shut the fuck up and deal with having a half finished tattoo. Shit hurts, but not THAT bad. If he can't deal with it even with numbing gel, he doesn't deserve to have the tattoo.

[slayer9019]

We tried the gel, i gave him tylenol before, we put headphones on him with music, we had music blaring in the shop to psyc hum up. His freaking whining is driving me crazy. After 3 kids, i swear this guy is driving me crazy. But he is a friend....but the noises he makes! First i had a few laugh and told his girlfriend he must be a noisy one... Lol . Now i get why she does not want to be at the shop. He does not take pills if any kind, except tylenols. So choices are scarce. My next option is a baseball bat on the side of the head; his or mine.

I understand that getting tattooed is far from comfortable but seriously... I have felt FAR worse pain and never complained. The only time I could understand tapping out is long hours on uncomfortable areas (ribs, armpit, asscrack, ditch, etc).

I would say this guy must have something wrong going on in his head. I know some big sissies that can at least sit for an hour in the chair without whining. If it's a serious anxiety problem well I can feel for that from personal experience but if that's the case meds would probably be the only option.

[Natveggie45]

I will make him read all these posts; there is no anxiety there that i can see. He wants to be like the rest of the gang, and cant handle discomfort. On the football field, he is one of the biggest so people leave him alone. He always has to have the biggest bike, the loudest voice, the cutest girl ( she us dumb though....); he is a chilhood friend, and i love him that way. But hubby cant stand him... Wonder why!!!!!! Maybe reading some of these might shame him enough..... I just want him to finish the skull at least. It looks like a penis at this point.. It is empty and the base is not done! So i call him dickhead now.. Afraid i am a little nasty.

[slayer9019]

I will make him read all these posts; there is no anxiety there that i can see. He wants to be like the rest of the gang, and cant handle discomfort. On the football field, he is one of the biggest so people leave him alone. He always has to have the biggest bike, the loudest voice, the cutest girl ( she us dumb though....); he is a chilhood friend, and i love him that way. But hubby cant stand him... Wonder why!!!!!! Maybe reading some of these might shame him enough..... I just want him to finish the skull at least. It looks like a penis at this point.. It is empty and the base is not done! So i call him dickhead now.. Afraid i am a little nasty.

From what it sounds like he is just an attention grabber (biggest, baddest, etc). Make him go by himself and give no attention to the tattoo.

[CultExciter]

Never underestimate shame as a motivator.

Truer words were never spoken.

[SStu]

Biggest & baddest?

Next visit, have the whole team and gang waiting for him. See if his whining stops with a full audience.

[Natveggie45]

Sstu.... This is an awesome idea!!!!!! Never thought about that. And i will also make sure he leaves a HUGE tip to the artist. That guy has prepared his stuff so often for no good reason. And it also ties in another post as shame being a good source of motivation. I will keep you posted, as we ride tomorrow night and then stop by the shop. We might just make it our first stop. With just the right amount if tequila, the guys are going to make his life miserable....,

[rozone]

If you can't sit through 20 minutes of getting tattooed, you probably don't deserve to get tattooed.

In my opinion, it's a good thing they hurt because it keeps people who shouldn't have them away...

[irezumi]

If you can't sit through 20 minutes of getting tattooed, you probably don't deserve to get tattooed.

In my opinion, it's a good thing they hurt because it keeps people who shouldn't have them away...

agreed. maybe its best on both him AND the artist that he lives with what he has already, finished or not.

3 visits and the outline isnt finished for something as small as a forearm tattoo?? speaking from an artists point of view, i would be done with that client by now. tell him take what he has to the grave as is.

[reverend1]

I am scared of needles, and I going in for my first tattoo with Kore Flatmo in October. I'm really excited. There is no way I'm going embarrass myself. I can sit through anything if I put my mind to it. I get cavities filled with no Novocain, how much worse can it be? My wife is having his wife tattoo her at the same time, so I can't have her make me look bad.

[Mr. Smith]

I am scared of needles, and I going in for my first tattoo with Kore Flatmo in October. I'm really excited. There is no way I'm going embarrass myself. I can sit through anything if I put my mind to it. I get cavities filled with no Novocain, how much worse can it be? My wife is having his wife tattoo her at the same time, so I can't have her make me look bad.

I mentioned this in another thread, but I'm scared as shit of syringes/getting shots/having blood drawn/needles in general and have no problem at all with tattoo needles. You'll do just fine. Kore Flatmo does killer tattoos...what are you getting?

[SStu]

Yeah, syringes never bothered me much - and I have no fear of tattoo machines (well, except for some choice body areas), but I never equated hypo needles with tattoo needles. No real correlation for me.

[slayer9019]

Yeah, syringes never bothered me much - and I have no fear of tattoo machines (well, except for some choice body areas), but I never equated hypo needles with tattoo needles. No real correlation for me.

Agreed. It is a very different experience. I associate getting burned more with getting tattooed, as it is the closest feeling I can relate it to.

[reverend1]

I mentioned this in another thread, but I'm scared as shit of syringes/getting shots/having blood drawn/needles in general and have no problem at all with tattoo needles. You'll do just fine. Kore Flatmo does killer tattoos...what are you getting?

I'm doing a dragon emerging from water on my upper arm, over my shoulder and onto my chest. Black and grey background, with the dragon in color.

[SStu]

Agreed. It is a very different experience. I associate getting burned more with getting tattooed, as it is the closest feeling I can relate it to.

or bee stings!

That usually scares them off . . .

[Gato Negro]

First I tell 'em It's only like falling down and skinning your knee or elbow...for a couple of hours!! Then I tell 'em if they don't stop whining, I'll start laughing at them...if that doesn't work, threatening them with Youtube usually works.

[Abellve]

agreed. maybe its best on both him AND the artist that he lives with what he has already, finished or not.

Yep, at the end of the day it's not for everybody. Being a footballer or a riding a motorcycle doesn't mean you can take any more than the golfer/banker. Social expectations don't make you tough or impervious to pain...they just make you act like it when you have an audience...and a choice.

[reverend1]

Hey, I'm a golfer and a badass! :p