Chest tattoos for men are very popular nowadays. Their strong and intense meanings make them a compelling choice. The chest is also one of the most prime spots for tattoos and it is ideal for larger tattoos. The chest offers a bigger canvas than other body parts such as arms, forearms, feet, etc. As it is very close to the heart, men are getting tattoos that mean something special to them.
It doesn’t matter if you have a great physic or average body, chest tattoos on men look rad, and when you take off your shirts, they scream, “Look at me!”
If you are thinking about getting a chest tattoo and looking for some inspiration and ideas, then we have got you covered. In this blog post, we will talk about popular chest tattoo designs, ideas, pain, and aftercare. We have also put together a collection of two hundred chest tattoo images for men to inspire you.
Meaning and Symbolism
Chest tattoos for men symbolize strength, pride, loyalty, courage, and masculinity.
Chest Tattoo Designs for Men
The tattoos on the chest can be significant to men as they are close to the heart [literally]. The designs of chest tattoos show your dedication and the thing that you value the most in life. That is why you will see a lot of men getting religious symbols, portraits of their spouses and children, or their names tattooed on their chest. The size of the chest tattoos can range from large to small. You can either get a full chest piece or a tiny one. You can also extend or join them with your existing neck, shoulder, and stomach tattoos. Most Japanese and Maori tattoos are beautifully joined from the shoulder to the chest.
Placements for Chest Tattoos
The best thing about getting a chest tattoo is that you can have the most badass tattoo design and still cover them up when you need to. Placement on the chest is critical for your tattoo design. As it is a large area, you will need to consider the theme and the size of the tattoo design before putting it on your skin. You might want to keep your chest tattoo separate from your neck, shoulder, or stomach tattoos or make it a part of them. Usually, large portraits look good on the upper chest. Small tattoos look good on the side of the chest and the outer collarbone. There is no rule where you can put a tattoo or not. If you are not sure about where to put it, then ask your tattoo artist to give you some recommendations.
Chest Tattoo Pain
All tattoos hurt. It is not going to be comfortable when you are jabbed with needles continuously. But don’t ever decide where to get a tattoo based on your preconceived ideas about how painful it will be. Everyone is different, and all tattoos hurt to some extent. Let’s focus on the chest tattoos as we are talking about chest tattoos.
Would you believe there are actually some forums dedicated to chest tattoo pain ratings? Tattoo pain depends on a few factors. If the needles hit the bones or the nerve ends, then it is going to hurt. It also depends on the tattoo artists. If they are heavy-handed, you’ll feel more pain. While if they are light and gentle, the pain will be less. How you are going to tolerate that pain depends on your pain threshold.
Why Do Chest Tattoos Hurt So Much?
Under the chest, you have the ribs and sternum. The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bone located in the central part of the chest. It connects to the ribs via cartilage and forms the front of the rib cage. The area over your sternum is going to be more painful than other fleshy areas of your chest. On top of your collar bones can be painful too.
One of the main reasons chest tattoos hurt more is because of the proximity to bone. The sternum area is bony, and with the bones closer to the surface, it can cause a lot of pain when needles touch the bones.
The skin on the chest is also thin and more sensitive.
Tattoos on the chest are usually larger than your average design. So if you are getting a big tattoo with lots of details, then the shading can cause some pain and you will need multiple sessions to complete the chest tattoo.
Just make sure to eat before going in for a chest tattoo and let your tattoo artist know if you need a break. Most artists are OK with taking small breaks.
Aftercare
Small tattoos heal faster than bigger tattoos. So if you are getting a chest tattoo, then allow plenty of time for it to heal. Just like any other tattoos, if you follow the below aftercare, then your chest tattoo will heal a lot quicker.
Make sure that you keep the tattoo clean from the dirt and grime. Rinse it down in a nice warm shower with regular soap. Moisturize the tattoo daily, but don’t over-moisturize. Allow your tattoo to breathe. If you are wrapping it during the day to protect it from the dirt, then make sure to take it off at night time.
Do not expose it to the sun. If you are at the beach or out in the sun, then make sure to cover the tattoo. Also, make sure that you don’t scratch it when it’s scabbing.
Images of Chest Tattoos For Men
Chest tattoo designs for men are bold, meaningful, and creative. The most common and popular chest tattoos for men are wings, roses, lion, eagle, cross, angel, clouds, names, portraits, traditional, and Japanese designs.
Chest Tattoos Lion
Lion tattoos symbolize courage, strength, power, protection, glory, victory, and masculinity. Men get the lion tattoo on one side of their chest.
Chest Tattoos Wings
One of the most popular chest tattoos for men is Wings. Wing tattoos symbolize freedom, and the ability to liberate oneself from the shackles of whatever holds them down. Double wings are more popular than a single wing tattoo on the chest. They are often incorporated with various objects and elements.
Small Chest Tattoos for Men
Small chest tattoos for men are equally meaningful as the big tattoos. Simple, minimalist tattoos look pretty cool on the chest.
Chest Tattoos Roses
Chest Tattoos Names
Name tattoos on the chest are pretty common for men. Names of the loved ones can be tattooed on one side of the chest or place them on the entire chest. If there is only one name, then under the collar bone is the best place to put it.
Chest Tattoos Eagle
Eagle tattoos symbolize wisdom, power, and spirituality. Most eagle tattoos on the chest are traditional style. People also get eagle head tattoos on the side of their chest.
Shoulder to Chest Tattoos
Tribal Chest Tattoos
Traditional Style
Chest Tattoos Japanese
Sacred Geometry
Religious Chest Tattoos
Religious chest tattoos for men include Cross, Praying hands, Jesus, Virgin Mary, Sacred Heart and Angel wings. Some of the religious tattoos portray biblical stories as well.
Chest Tattoos Clouds
Cloud tattoos on the chest are incorporated with the religious theme, quotes, doves, and other objects.
Chest Tattoos Family
A good man always keeps his family close to his heart. Family tattoos show how much a man loves his family and willing to do anything to protect them.
Quotes
Lettering Tattoos on the Chest
Chest Tattoos for Black Men
Various Chest Tattoos for Men
Pros & Cons
If you like to keep your tattoo private, then the chest is probably the best place to get a tattoo. You can easily cover it with a shirt or a T-shirt.However, if you want to show your tattoo, then the only way to show it would be by taking your shirt off. It might not always be possible, depending on the situation and your surroundings.
The chest is also an area where skin is least likely to stretch as you get older, which is a great thing that can affect how a tattoo holds up over time.
The skin on your collarbone tends to stay right where it is, which makes it an excellent place for a long-lasting tattoo.
Last updated on August 5th, 2023.