# Tattooing vs. Branding



## Lobo Roo (Mar 12, 2008)

So, there's this guy in my class who has a brand. I have a tattoo. We have conversations all the time about which hurts the most - but we each only have one, not both. He has a friend who has both and says tattooing is worse, but I wondered how true that was. To me, it seems like branding would hurt worse, but tattooing would hurt longer. 

Does anyone here have both? Which was worse for you?

(And also, do brands always look as blah and they did on him, or is the same thing as tattoos...they don't show up as well on dark skin? I'd be interested in one, but his didn't look so great.)


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## eternal_flare (Mar 12, 2008)

Yes, when putting it on you branding(burn burn burn!) hurts more than tattoos(paint under skin).

But latter, when you may feel like taking it away. Tattoos hurt much much more than putting away the branding, both in physical term and economic term.

So, bear this in mind, I prefer occasional body painting to those scar leaving methods.


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## Rebel-lion (Mar 12, 2008)

Lately I been thinking of scaring, I got a few ideas of some tribal stuff I would like to get done


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## Rilvor (Mar 12, 2008)

It doesn't matter. It all depends on personal pain tolerance.


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## Wolf-Bone (Mar 12, 2008)

Why the hell would you brand yourself? Tatooing is one thing, because it doesn't hurt that much and is really just permanent body paint. But BURNING and DEFORMING yourself like a fucking SLAVE or a CONVICT of the old time PEASANT CLASS? What the fuck is wrong with you people?!


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## Lobo Roo (Mar 12, 2008)

Wolf-Bone said:
			
		

> Why the hell would you brand yourself? Tatooing is one thing, because it doesn't hurt that much and is really just permanent body paint. But BURNING and DEFORMING yourself like a fucking SLAVE or a CONVICT of the old time PEASANT CLASS? What the fuck is wrong with you people?!



That answers neither of my questions, and this isn't in the rant area. So, please. Say something on topic, or go somewhere else.


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## Wolf_Fox_Guy (Mar 12, 2008)

Wolf-Bone said:
			
		

> Why the hell would you brand yourself? Tatooing is one thing, because it doesn't hurt that much and is really just permanent body paint. But BURNING and DEFORMING yourself like a fucking SLAVE or a CONVICT of the old time PEASANT CLASS? What the fuck is wrong with you people?!



I know it gives me chills all over. thats why I'm gonna do that to my pet when I get teh money together.


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## TehJinxedOne (Mar 12, 2008)

I hate to break it to wolf-bone, but actually branding goes back FAR than slave times or convict times. I took this info from BME
"Scarification can be found in almost every tribal culture.

Up until quite recently, in modern western body art, most of this was done in an S&M environment. However, now that the vast majority of people interested in body modification have had little to no contact with the S&M community, that has changed, and many people are getting these types of modifications for purely aesthetic reasons. Some people just like the way it looks! "
So, Branding, which is scarification, dates back to almost ANY tribe you look at, African tribes, pacific islanders, anywhere. They use it to mark them as what tribe they are, some tribes cut 7 slits in their cheeks, some across the forehead, just look it up.

do some research before you make an opinion  Educate, my friend.


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## TehJinxedOne (Mar 12, 2008)

And to answer your question, Loboroo, no, most brands look good if they are done professionally. If his is a Frat brand, it was probably done with shabby equipment (some steel bar, paperclips, filler-rods for MIG welders, etc, and a torch or cigarette lighter.)
Here are some nicely done brands.

http://www.bmezine.com/scar/A80207/high/npbr-feather.jpg
http://www.bmezine.com/scar/A60509/high/bmepb265188.jpg
http://www.bmezine.com/scar/A80305/high/nop4-wayde-dunn-charles.jpg

still interested, check out www.bmezine.com , they got plenty of pictures, warnings, aftrecare procedures, etc. One stop shop for all piercing/tattoo/scar/etc needs.


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## stoelbank (Mar 13, 2008)

i can tell you... It hurts when accidentally touch something hot as in.. boiling water is just 100 degrees, try putting your finger in it for more then 3 seconds >.> now burning... o.o Red hot metal? hehehe... 

(i voted for tattoos by accident though)


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## sateva9822 (Mar 13, 2008)

Every one experiances pain diffrently some can take some punches in the face and laugh, but if you hold a needle to then they they shimmy and shake, and viceversa.

I don't thingk one really hurts more then the other, I think its all about the individual and how they scence pain.

So yeah a 5, 10 mins of being burnt v.s houres of needles, Ill take the burning. 
Back in high school smilies or hot knife burns never hurt to bad. I also hate needles


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## Coffee (Mar 13, 2008)

I had a friend with a brand, he just lit up a fork with a lighter and cross-hatched the back of his hand. I think it was a self mutilation thing, but it looked cool anyway. I honestly am too much of a little pussy for either, frankly.


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## Bokracroc (Mar 13, 2008)

Tattoo's can have colour so I'd go with them.


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## TehJinxedOne (Mar 14, 2008)

You can color a brand, it is called an ink rubbing. Also, usually, with a brand, the first 2 seconds hurt like a motherfucker, but, the searing hot metal usually kills the nerves around it, so it stops hurting for a couple of hours, then it is just like any other 2nd-3rd degree burn, at you treat it as so. 

Whereas, I know a lot more about tattoos, and actually, the thing that hurts the most is the outlining, as it is only a single to three needle mag. So when the artist swaps guns, and starts using a three to 20 needle mag (depending on size of tattoo), it kinda goes numb for awhile, then it feels like a sunburn. 

It is all on personal decision, tattoo parlors are more commonplace, it'll take some research and hunting to find a tattoo artist/mod artist that will do branding/scarification (at least that KNOWS what they are doing..).
Some artist do a form of scarification called tattoo-gun-scarring, where they take a dry needle and pretty much cut you up with it, it is very precise, and can do fine details much better than a brand. 

Just check both of them out and whatever you think you like more, go for it. You got anymore questions about this subject, I'll be more than happy to help you out


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## Bokracroc (Mar 14, 2008)

TehJinxedOne said:
			
		

> You can color a brand, it is called an ink rubbing. Also, usually, with a brand, the first 2 seconds hurt like a motherfucker, but, the searing hot metal usually kills the nerves around it, so it stops hurting for a couple of hours, then *it is just like any other 2nd-3rd degree burn*, at you treat it as so.





> *it is just like any other 2nd-3rd degree burn*





> [size=large]*it is just like any other 2nd-3rd degree burn*[/size]





> [size=x-large]*it is just like any other 2nd-3rd degree burn*[/size]





> [size=xx-large]*it is just like any other 2nd-3rd degree burn*[/size]


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## eternal_flare (Mar 14, 2008)

should also take the pain of removing them into counts.
It's painful putting them on your body, yet maybe more painful to have them removed later.


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## stoelbank (Mar 14, 2008)

i think both will hurt. but i also think it depends on where you take the burn and the tattoo.. like uhhh.. i won't give examples >.< 

I'd go for the needles, ive been there with the burning and shit and its not nice >.<


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## net-cat (Mar 14, 2008)

Huh. I never thought of branding as something people do willingly. I guess it doesn't really surprise me, but... yeah. *is generally creeped out by heavy body-modding*



> (And also, do brands always look as blah and they did on him, or is the same thing as tattoos...they don't show up as well on dark skin? I'd be interested in one, but his didn't look so great.)


Since branding is just scarring, I'd imagine it would show up fine. Get it done professionally. I would imagine such places exist...


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## coffinberry (Mar 14, 2008)

to ME, branding and tattooing the underside of the arm both suck equally. but i'll take quicker pain of branding over longer (eventually dulling) pain of tattoos.


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## Wolf_Fox_Guy (Mar 14, 2008)

never really thoguht of it like that. In the end I think I'd rather go with branding to. like coffin said, it really is short and from those pics it really does look like they can look good.


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## capthavoc123 (Mar 14, 2008)

Branding is a no-no for me. I prefer my body art to not smell of hot dogs.


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## TehJinxedOne (Mar 14, 2008)

One of the major risks in branding, is keloids and and other healing-anomalies. you do need to take that into consideration. If you are fair skinned (as I am), you are more prone to keloids, stiff scarring, and other complications with scarring.


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## sateva9822 (Mar 14, 2008)

TehJinxedOne said:
			
		

> One of the major risks in branding, is keloids and and other healing-anomalies. you do need to take that into consideration. If you are fair skinned (as I am), you are more prone to keloids, stiff scarring, and other complications with scarring.



I heard some one with fair skin can use vitamin E and/or A cream to help the scares heal more, normal like.


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## TehJinxedOne (Mar 14, 2008)

There are multiple treatments you can do to help healing, but also with those will limit your bodies ability to scar. You want a decent scar, but not one that is raised/looks nasty. I've heard Tea Tree Oil is good also.


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## Lobo Roo (Mar 18, 2008)

TehJinxedOne said:
			
		

> One of the major risks in branding, is keloids and and other healing-anomalies. you do need to take that into consideration. If you are fair skinned (as I am), you are more prone to keloids, stiff scarring, and other complications with scarring.



Ah, crap. You know, I forgot about that - I am rather prone to keloids. I have one on my neck that used to be awful, and even though it's a bit better now (years after the incident) it's still not great. Which means it'd probably be best if I stuck to tattoos, though those pictures looked pretty awesome...

His was a frat brand, by the way, so that probably explains it. You couldn't even tell what it was until he drew it out with his finger...greek letters, which should have been rather easy to spot, even if you weren't very familiar with the letters. Instead it just looked like dark blotchy scars, not an image of any sort.


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## Rokye Ralin (Mar 18, 2008)

Branding, never had it done, so i wouldnt know, but ive seen it be done, sounds painful, and the after about an hour affect his horrific, plus, like you've said keloids isnt pleasnt eather...

so i'd rather stick to tattos... and im getting 2, for my 16, Under a month now, ill have wolf claws on my chest, =D...


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## ramsay_baggins (Mar 19, 2008)

Having a recent burn scar on my arm, I would say branding hurts more. With tattoos, it scabs and then its heals. With branding it can be an open wound, it can blister, the scabs come off in one rather than just in bits, the scab is weirdly more painful when it gets caught than with other injuries... just generally anything done with burning tends to hurt a lot more than other wounds. My other numerous scars were a lot less painful while being aquired.


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## Ir0nkicker (Jul 4, 2020)

I wonder if anyone else is reading this in 2020


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## Mambi (Jul 4, 2020)

Branding hurts more, no question. Tattoo is like a really deep cat claw scratch, while branding is a full on burn.


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