Why are people not afraid of needles and not afraid to get tattoos?

He fear of needles, Known as trypanophobia, it is quite common. In fact, it is assumed that 1 in 10 people They had it or had it to some extent. This is especially noticeable in doctors’ offices, but not as common in doctors’ offices. tattoo parlors. That is, the same person can be terrified of getting vaccinated because they have to stick a needle into their arm, but feel no hesitation when the needle gradually pierces the skin, leaving a drawn pattern on it. This. tattoo. What is it about?

The truth is that logically there is a psychological component to all of this. In fact, when people talk about fear of needles or trypanophobia, they are usually talking about a phobia that occurs in a medical context. We are not talking about needles in general, but about those that are used to draw blood or administer vaccines and other medications.

Those who have this fear may show some hesitation before getting a tattoo, especially if it is their first tattoo, but not after that. In fact, there are many people with this type of phobia. a large number of tattoos in his body. This already gives us some clues as to what the difference is. There is something that increases after the first tattoo that does not happen when we donate blood or get a vaccine. Essentially, our brain perceives reward. But that is not all.

Out of sight…

Journalist Sebastian Zulch wrote an article in 2015 in Bustle The goal of the project was to give those who don’t want to get tattoos some reasons to stop being afraid. Of course, in his list of arguments he does not leave aside fear of needles, but given this possible obstacle, it gives a very interesting answer. According to him, getting a tattoo is not scary because tattoo artists use a tattoo machine. It looks more like a pen than a syringe.

Medical instruments make it clear that this is the case, but tattoo needles, although they are also needles, are disguised and perceived for what they really are: the tools of an artist whose canvas our own skin.

This is still the opinion of a tattoo-loving journalist. But in fact, this is also being studied. In fact, in 2021, a team consisting of three Spanish engineering students developed a machine called Pinsoft, which aims to give injections to people who are afraid of needles. It’s as simple as a device in which the needles are hidden in shafts so that when you press on the skin, you don’t see or expect where the puncture will go. From a psychological point of view, it is a distraction that seems to help people with trypanophobia.

In fact, many male and female nurses try hide in your hand syringe before administering the vaccine to children so that they do not notice its appearance. The problem is not the puncture, but what they think about it. Therefore, the fact that the tattoo machine is not an ordinary syringe helps a lot.

Tattoos against fear of needles

The second factor why the fear of medical needles is not the same as that of tattoo artists is the reward.

Tattoo actually hurts more than with a regular injection. Usually, if the contents of the syringe are not very thick, only a very short-term pain occurs when the injection occurs and that’s all. With tattoos, on the contrary, many continuous punctures. This causes a painful reaction and in response to this release of endogenous opioids, such as enkephalins and endorphins. All these substances have an analgesic effect from the inside. But at the same time, hormones such as serotonin or dopaminethe pleasant effect of which helps to relax painful sensations.

As a result, we not only feel Less painbut our brain perceives a certain reward. A reward that we, moreover, have already thought about in a much more fundamental way. When we go to get vaccinated or donate blood, there is a huge reward behind it. This may be the prevention of diseases or the diagnosis or exclusion of possible diseases. But This is not a tangible short-term reward.. On the other hand, when we go to get a tattoo, we know that there will be a short-term reward waiting for us. We will see on our skin a beautiful pattern that we ourselves have chosen.

Therefore, the reward is double, both before the tattoo is applied and during its execution. And more after.

In fact, this is why it is often said that once you get a tattoo, you won’t be able to stop. This is not so noticeable for everyone, but it is clear that in general, the fear of needles does not become an obstacle to visiting the tattoo artist again.

After all, even if we are talking about needles, we are talking about very different scenarios and our brain knows it. That’s why the sensations are so different.