Stomach tattoos aren’t as popular as arm and back tattoos, but they have been shooting up the rankings in recent years. Not only is it a “new” place to get inked, it also gives people yet another large area of their bodies to place a design that they love. No, you don’t have to get a very big and detailed design as a stomach tattoo, but in most cases people use this area to place designs that don’t work as well anywhere else on their bodies.

Many people wonder if stomach tattoos hurt. Well, yes, but like all other tattoos, the pain is most definitely temporary. Even though you have more fat in the stomach area than in pretty much any other area on your body, the stomach is still very sensitive and it can be a bit tough to sit still while you’re getting inked there. If you do have a highly sensitive stomach, you’ll need to let your artist know that ahead of time so they are more careful while making your tattoo. You should be more worried about squirming from the sensitivity than being in pain, that’s for sure.

Besides being a large canvas for some very cool designs, the stomach is also a great location for a tattoo because it is concealable. Even though tattoos have been quite mainstream for a few years now, some folks still prefer to keep at least some of their tats hidden from public view. If you really want a tattoo but you aren’t comfortable putting it on your arm or leg, then definitely consider getting a stomach tattoo. It’s true that most people choose the back over the stomach in these cases, but some designs simply work better as stomach tattoos.

Remember that the stomach is quite large compared to most other parts of your body, so you have quite a lot to think about as far as designs go. Some people prefer to get their stomach tats directly in the middle of their stomachs, while others might prefer a design that goes down one of the sides of their midsection. In a way this is great because it opens up more possibilities, but that also means you need to really take your time before you commit to any design.