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On a basic level, being on your menstrual period will not affect your tattoo, and a tattoo will not affect your period. As an adult, you’ve learned to persevere through the inconvenience of menstruating and hardly let your cycle hold you back from living your life. So if it was a struggle to secure time on your tattoo artist’s books, don’t let your period be the reason why you cancel your appointment. However, if you can avoid scheduling a tattoo session during that fateful week, do so for two main reasons: potentially heightened sensitivity during your period and conflict with pain medications taken for menstrual cramps or otherwise.

 

Are you more sensitive to pain on your period?

Pain receptors more active before and during your period cause you to be more sensitive to pain than usual.

During your period, your hormone levels are shifted and you generally have more swelling throughout your body, which can cause a heightened sensation threshold and result in more pain during something like a tattoo. If you are already cramping and uncomfortable, the last thing you want is to add the discomfort of getting a tattoo on top of that. Also, think about the part of your body you’re wanting to tattoo. If it’s an especially sensitive area, you likely won’t want the added pain of inflammation to make things worse.

If you’ve had a tattoo before, consider how much pain you felt during the previous session and whether you could handle a little more sting or not.