Polaroid tattoo on the inner arm

Pain

6/10 · high

Sensible width

6–12 cm

Healing (surface)

10–14 days

Visibility

sometimes visible

Is it a good match?

These are good conditions for fine lines: the skin stays calm and sees little friction, so lines that are crisp when fresh stay that way for a long time. Ageing still happens – don't plan the design smaller than necessary, so the lines still have room between them in ten years.

In summer this spot is often uncovered. Put sunscreen on it then, or the colours will visibly lose strength over the years.

More on the style: Polaroid tattoo – every placement at a glance.

What size?

For a Polaroid tattoo on the inner arm, a width of about 6–12 cm makes sense. At the lower end that is about half to three quarters of a credit card wide, at the upper end a little wider than a palm.

Because this style works with fine detail, when in doubt go one size up. What looks razor-sharp on three centimetres when fresh needs room over the years so the lines don't merge.

Try the size against your own measurements

How much does it hurt?

On the inner arm, pain sits at about 6 out of 10 – high. For comparison: on the forearm it is about 3, on the upper arm about 3. On the inner arm 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.

All spots on the pain chart

How long does it take to heal?

On the inner arm, the surface is usually closed after 10–14 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.

Aftercare day by day