How can I make a tattoo hurt less?

My first tattoo took 8 hours with one 15 minute break. Ouch. It's a needle implanting ink into your skin so it's going to hurt. Some parts of your body hurt worse than others. I don't know of any artist who actually numbs the skin for you. The numbing of the skin is used to REMOVE tattoos not APPLY. Drink water and bring hard candy like mints or jolly ranchers. The sugar helps your blood pressure and the flavor gives you something to focus on. And yes, drink plenty of water. Pain pills thin your blood causing you to bleed a lot more and that can sometimes cause the artist to take longer because he/she is constantly having to wipe away blood. If you feel it's too much, tell your artist and take a break. You are not weak or a sissy for doing so. Take your ID with you. Most states require that the shop has a copy of it for their records. Pay attention to the after care instructions. If you don't properly care for your ink the results can be off putting. (When it itches: DON'T SCRATCH IT! SMACK IT!) And above all....BREATHE AND RELAX! It's been a year since my first one and I'm going in for my third next Friday. They ARE addicting.