Hey, Faithfuls! I've covered my tattoos and what it's like getting one in my previous post, so feel free to go check it out if you haven't! My previous four tattoos were mostly done overseas, and most were machine tattoos. So late last year, I decided to try hand-poked tattoos, also known as stick-and-poke tattoos where instead of using a tattoo gun, a single sterilised needle is used instead! Stick-and-poke tattoos have been getting more popular recently, and people who've gotten one claim that the tattooing process is less painful and less intrusive. So in today's post, I will be sharing my experience getting machine VS hand-poked tattoos.

Let's start with machine tattoos first. I actually got another one during my trip to Germany last month! I was initially looking for a hand-poked tattoo artist during my stay in Frankfurt, but most of them were fully booked. I stayed at Goethestraße, the luxury shopping street in Frankfurt city centre, and there was a tattoo parlour there. I wanted to get a tattoo on my lower back to commemorate my grandmother, so I got one that read 'october eighteenth', as we both share the same birthday.

Generally, I do feel that machine tattoos are slightly more painful. If you're getting one near your waist, lower back, or stomach, it can also feel like you're having a stomachache. However, the plus of machine tattoos is that they are really quick - most of my small, simple machine tattoos were completed within 15 minutes. But don't be too worried as the pain is really bearable if you're doing it in less painful areas such as the back, the thigh, or the outer arm. Sometimes the pain can be pretty therapeutic too, once you get used to it.

If you're looking to get a design that's very small or with clean lines like cursive quotes, a machine tattoo may be more suitable. Machine tattoos are also better for bigger and more complex pieces or colour tattoos.

Now for hand-poked tattoos. I got my first hand-poked tattoo from an Instagram tattoo artist called @todayi.poke. My cousin often got her tattoos there and told me that she had one of the most affordable rates around. She also does very pretty UV tattoos!

I wanted to get a tattoo for my dad, and this one was inspired by An American Tale, a Disney movie that we used to watch together when I was a kid. This tattoo is my biggest as it is around 7cm and is located on the back of my right arm. The process was really comfortable and I would say, almost painless. My tattoo artist went slowly at first as I told her I had a low pain tolerance, but after a while, she sped up because I realised that the pain wasn't that bad. She took about 30 minutes to complete the tattoo, which I felt was rather quick!

My tattoo also had UV ink for the moon and stars so that it would glow in the dark! If you look closely and my stick-and-poke tattoo, you can see the small dots that come together to form lines. In comparison, lines made using machine tattoos are a lot bolder, darker, sometimes sharper, and cleaner.

After trying both machine and hand-poked tattoos, I feel that I prefer hand-poked tattoos more. Hand-poked tattoos are less painful than machine tattoos, and even though they take more time to complete, the process is a lot more comfortable. I also feel that hand-poked tattoos lack the stinging, hot feeling that you may feel after getting a machine tattoo and heals faster - but of course, this is just based on my own experience and your experience may vary from mine.

If you want to try stick-and-poke tattoos, you may do so for tattoos that are simple and small or ones with a soft and gentle aesthetic. I love my hand-poked tattoo because it's so cute and looks like a doodle!

While I personally prefer hand-poked tattoos, everyone's preferences are different. If you're getting a tattoo for the first time or are worried about the pain, you can opt for hand-poked tattoos first, and slowly transition into machine tattoos. Most importantly, you need to find a tattoo artist that is experienced and professional! There are many Instagram tattoo artists out there, so be sure to choose one that is legit and has a good customer base. After all, tattoos are permanent and you don't want to be stuck with a botched one for the rest of your life.

That's all for today's review, see you next post!