How to Not Be Afraid to Get a Tattoo/Piercing

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Does the needle freak you out as well as the gun? Here's how to survive.

Steps

What kind of piercing/tattoo are you getting? If it's your ears you're getting pierced, you don't have to worry at all. It never hurts. It's just quick as a pinch, then they sting a bit for a few minutes.
To conquer your fear, know all about getting it done. How does a pro do it? If you have a friend with tattoos or piercings, ask her/him about the pain.
Take deep breaths when you think about what you're afraid of. Soon your mind will think that getting body art done isn't scary or nerve-racking, but perfectly fine, even calming.
When you go to get it done, breathe deeply. If you're getting something pierced, ask the piercer to do it when you least expect it. That way the pain is barely noticeable, and you probably won't even know it is pierced after it is! But if you're getting a tattoo ask the artist to drift you into conversation so you take your mind off the pain.
What really helps with tattoos is to sip on a bottle of water (or a sugary drink if you're prone to fainting)during the tattooing process. Having hard candy to suck on helps too. It keeps your mind off the pain. It also helps to bring a friend who can you can talk to, a lot, through out the whole thing. This makes everything go by faster. Also, if you go to a good tattoo shop, they will usually have a lot of cd's to choose from and you can listen to whatever you want while they tattoo you.

Bellybutton: Not very bad, but it will hurt. It will be over so fast you don't have a chance to react...and once it's in it doesn't really hurt, just a little sore.
Ear piercing (not including lobes): The harder the part in the ear the more painful.
Tattoo: The pain varies depending on where it is.
Nose piercing: Similar to the ear cartilage piercing. *Will cause eyes to water*
Septum piercing: Very painful for some people, for others totally painless.
Lip piercing: Not very painful. Slight pain when done but stops when it's in.
Tongue piercing: If done by a skilled piercing artist, you will feel no pain at all until afterwards. Tongue piercings are sore for 3-5 days, and remember that it is not good to eat solid food for a few days.

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