Stomach tattoo: pain, size and healing
Soft skin that changes with weight and posture – designs distort here more than anywhere else over the years.
- Pain
- 7/10 · high
- Design width
- 6–25 cm
- Healing (surface)
- 14–21 days
- Visibility
- mostly covered
How much does it hurt?
On the stomach, pain sits at about 7 out of 10 – high. For comparison: on the ribs it is about 9, on the chest about 6. On the stomach it sits in between.
Pain values are our own rough assessment on a scale of 1 to 10, not measurements – every body feels it differently.
How much room is there?
Designs on the stomach are usually 6–25 cm wide – from about half to three quarters of a credit card wide to about 1.5 times the width of an A5 sheet.
The skin is restless or sees a lot of friction – bold lines hold up much better here than fine ones.
Healing and visibility
On the stomach, the surface is usually closed after 14–21 days; the skin underneath takes several weeks.
This spot is usually covered in everyday life. Good for designs not everyone should see, and good for longevity because little sun reaches it.
Which style works?
| Style | Verdict | Width |
|---|---|---|
| Fine line | difficult | 6–25 cm |
| Realism | difficult | 12–25 cm |
| Micro realism | difficult | 6–25 cm |
| American traditional | good fit | 6–25 cm |
| Blackwork | good fit | 6–25 cm |
| Geometric | difficult | 6–25 cm |
| Japanese (Irezumi) | good fit | 12–25 cm |
| Colour | good fit | 6–25 cm |
| Tribal | good fit | 6–25 cm |
| Polaroid | difficult | 6–25 cm |
| Anime and manga | good fit | 6–25 cm |
| Blackout | good fit | 12–25 cm |
| Dark art | good fit | 6–25 cm |
| Dotwork | difficult | 6–25 cm |
| Māori-inspired | good fit | 12–25 cm |
| Nordic | good fit | 6–25 cm |
| Ornamental | difficult | 6–25 cm |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tattoo on the stomach hurt?
On the stomach, pain sits at about 7 out of 10 – high. For comparison: on the ribs it is about 9, on the chest about 6. On the stomach it sits in between.
How big can a tattoo on the stomach be?
Designs on the stomach are usually 6–25 cm wide – from about half to three quarters of a credit card wide to about 1.5 times the width of an A5 sheet. The skin is restless or sees a lot of friction – bold lines hold up much better here than fine ones.
Which style works on the stomach?
Good fits are American traditional, Blackwork, Japanese (Irezumi), Colour, Tribal and more. The skin is restless or sees a lot of friction – bold lines hold up much better here than fine ones.
See it on your body before you ink it
Tattvue places your design on a photo of your own skin, so you can judge size, placement and style before you book an appointment.