American traditional tattoo on the ribs
Thinking about getting an American traditional tattoo on the ribs? Here is how well style and spot go together, what size makes sense, how much it hurts and how long it takes to heal.
American traditional and the ribs go well together: Thin skin right over the ribs, moving with every breath – one of the most intense spots there is.
- Pain
- 9/10 · very high
- Sensible width
- 6–25 cm
- Healing (surface)
- 14–21 days
- Visibility
- mostly covered
Is it a good match?
Bold lines forgive a lot, even on a spot with more movement. The design stays readable for years, even if the edges soften a little.
This spot is usually covered – good news for the colours, which stay saturated longest that way.
More on the style: American traditional tattoo – every placement at a glance.
What size?
For an American traditional tattoo on the ribs, a width of about 6–25 cm makes sense. At the lower end that is about half to three quarters of a credit card wide, at the upper end about 1.5 times the width of an A5 sheet.
Bold lines stay readable even at the lower end of the range – here you choose the size mainly by how present the design should be.
Try the size against your own measurements
How much does it hurt?
On the ribs, pain sits at about 9 out of 10 – very high. For comparison: on the chest it is about 6, on the stomach about 7. On the ribs it is the most sensitive of the three.
Lines tend to feel sharp, fills and shading more like scratching over irritated skin. The more is filled in, the longer the session.
Pain values are our own rough assessment on a scale of 1 to 10, not measurements – every body feels it differently.
How long does it take to heal?
On the ribs, the surface is usually closed after 14–21 days; the skin underneath takes several weeks to fully renew.
Colour fills are packed more densely than plain lines, so the skin is more irritated afterwards and peels more noticeably in the second week. The colours look milky during that time – you only see their true brightness once the skin has fully healed.
Frequently asked questions
Does an American traditional tattoo on the ribs hurt?
On the ribs, pain sits at about 9 out of 10 – very high. Lines tend to feel sharp, fills and shading more like scratching over irritated skin. The more is filled in, the longer the session.
How big should an American traditional tattoo on the ribs be?
About 6–25 cm wide. American traditional and the ribs go well together: Thin skin right over the ribs, moving with every breath – one of the most intense spots there is.
How long does an American traditional tattoo on the ribs take to heal?
The surface is usually closed after 14–21 days. Colour fills are packed more densely than plain lines, so the skin is more irritated afterwards and peels more noticeably in the second week. The colours look milky during that time – you only see their true brightness once the skin has fully healed.
Preview it first
In Tattvue you photograph the spot where the tattoo should go and see your design in american traditional style right on it – at the size you have in mind. That way you know before the appointment whether it works.