Is The Back Of The Arm A Good Place For A Tattoo?

Many of my clients ask me if the back of the arm a good place for a tattoo. My response is usually – it depends :) If you do not want to feel too much pain then the location for the tattoo on the back of your arm is perfect, but on the other hand, you may get less enjoyment from having a tattoo there since it is difficult to see it without a mirror.

back upper arm tattoo best place on arm for tattoo arm tattoo placement arm tattoo placements — Tattoo of a flower on the back of the arm made by me

What answers you will find in this article about a tattoo on the back of your arm?

Do back of arm tattoos hurt?
How much is a tattoo at the back of the arm? Is it expensive?
Tattoo on back of arm meaning,
Back of arm tattoo aging,
Back of arm tattoo healing,
45 ideas for the back of arm tattoo designs.

If you are looking for inspiration before your arm tattoo, check out my portfolio – you can find my works and projects here – on Instagram.

Do back of arm tattoos hurt?

Answer to the question does a tattoo on the back of the arm hurt is good – not so much as for example on the neck!

Because this part of the body has a little more muscle and a little more flesh pain on the back of the arm during tattooing is not so severe.

If that will be your first tattoo, and you do not know how you’ll handle the pain, the back of the arm would be a good location to start your tattooing journey.

pain chart for women arm tattoo places
tattoo placement forearm tattoo few nerve endings — Tattoo pain chart for women from healthline.com

pain chart for men tattoo on the back of arm nerve endings — Tattoo pain chart for men from healthline.com

How much is a tattoo at the back of the arm? Is it expensive?

You should talk to the artist and get a quote, without that you can’t know for sure how much you’ll end up paying for a tattoo on the back of your arm, but to make a rough estimation you can expect to pay $150-$200 for a small tattoo and up to $1100 for a full-color sleeve on your arm.

back of arm tattoo prices examples of arm tattoos elbow tattoos upper arm
forearm tattoos tattoo pain scale — Examples of prices for the back of arm tattoos

Tattoo on back of arm meaning

I always say that it’s the design that carries meaning, not the location. It could be a flower or a zodiac sign, the name of a loved one, or anything else that is important to you.

For example one of the more popular motifs for the back of the arm that I am being asked for is a butterfly. They symbolize freedom, beauty, and change, and are often chosen to represent a period of transformation in a woman’s life.

back of arm tattoo butterfly examples of above the elbow tattoo arm tattoo are arm tattoos painful — Butterfly on the back of the arm, inspiration from nextluxury.com

Back of arm tattoo aging

The back of the arm is a good location if you are concerned about how your tattoo will be aging. Tattoos that age well are mainly in body locations that don’t rub on clothes and other parts of the body, such as the back of the arm.

Back of arm tattoo healing

The back of the arm is a part of the body that has contact with clothing, but not so extreme as for example the neck, so you should take care of tattoos there. Usually, tattoos on the back of the arm take about 3-4 weeks to heal, but it takes up to three months to complete healing beneath the skin’s surface. If you plan on tattooing both arms, consider having only one hand at a time.