Head & Temple Tattoos: What to Actually Know Before Booking

Head and temple tattoos are a genuinely different commitment from almost any other placement — this is one of the most visible spots on the body, and it comes with a few practical considerations worth understanding honestly before you book.

How much this actually hurts

The scalp and temple sit directly over thin skin with bone very close underneath and minimal fat or muscle padding, which makes this consistently one of the more painful placements we work on — closer to the sensitivity of areas like the ribs or spine than to fleshier placements like the outer arm. Our pain-by-placement guide covers how this compares to other spots, but head and temple placements genuinely deserve their reputation for being intense.

Why healing here is a genuinely different process

Because the skin is thin and the area gets more incidental contact than people expect — from hats, pillows, hair brushing against it, even sleeping position — healing a head or temple tattoo takes real deliberate care. If the design is on a shaved area, the skin is also more exposed to sun and friction than it would be under hair, which is worth factoring into your aftercare routine, not just your initial healing plan.

What actually happens with hair regrowth

If you shave the area for the tattoo and your hair grows back over it, the design will be at least partially obscured once hair regrows — this is worth deciding on deliberately rather than discovering afterward. Some people specifically want a design that’s only visible when the head is shaved or hair is styled a certain way, treating it as an intentionally revealable piece rather than a permanently visible one; others want it genuinely always visible and plan their hairstyle around that going forward. Neither is wrong, but it’s worth being clear with yourself about which one you’re actually choosing before the design is finalized.

Why visibility here is worth thinking through honestly

A head or temple tattoo is about as visible as a placement gets, which our guide to visible tattoos and workplace considerations covers in more depth — but the head specifically carries less concealment flexibility than almost any other visible placement, since covering it consistently isn’t as simple as long sleeves or a scarf. This isn’t a reason to avoid the placement if it’s genuinely what you want, but it’s worth being honest with yourself about the concealment tradeoffs specifically for this spot before committing.

What to expect at GOAT Tattoo Studio

We’ll talk honestly about design size, shaved versus unshaved placement, and realistic healing time at your consultation — every session uses single-use needles and sterile equipment regardless of placement, and we’re happy to walk through exactly what aftercare looks like for this specific spot.