A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Crazy Hurt (Tattoo Under Toenail)

Pete sends in a photo of a toe tattoo — done literally under the toenail — and it’s quite something… It was done by John at Holdfast Tattoo Co in Atlantic City… Pete tags the photo with the following keywords: “tattoo under toenail, tattoo, toenail, toe tattoo, ouch, pain, blood, ink, crazy, hurt.” Click through to watch the video.

Comments

47 responses to “Crazy Hurt (Tattoo Under Toenail)”

  1. Dev E. State Avatar
    Dev E. State

    I’ve been waiting for so long for someone to do this. I love it!

  2. Lilee Avatar
    Lilee

    Ewwwwww dirty toenail fungus. And that would hurt like a bitch. Kudos to him for his pain threshold I guess. And for being original in placement, though 13 is old.

  3. Louie Avatar

    Eck, i second Lilee’s comment. Owies and uckies.

  4. Ross Avatar

    I LOVE seing people come up with new placements for old mod’s!

    It’s pretty damn cool!

    x

  5. Frances Avatar

    that’s gotta hurt badddd

  6. Shannon Larratt Avatar

    Frances – Watch the video, it’s hilarious!

  7. picometer Avatar
    picometer

    my brother’s thumbnail fell off and he tried to get a tattoo underneath it, but no one he knew would touch it. he even got kicked out of one shop for suggesting it.

  8. dutchweirdo Avatar
    dutchweirdo

    It does hurt! He removed or filed of the nail before the tattooing. By my own experience that is not necessary. Using the poking or dotting method you can tattoo right through the nail. You just have to go little slower to let the needle penetrate the nail. Of course the needle will get blunt faster than on normal skin, but the area is also small, so in effect you can do a few nails per needle…
    The advantage of not removing the nail is that the fingertip or toe remains protected afterwards.

  9. snaps Avatar
    snaps

    I had my toe stepped on so hard that te nail fell off and the area became less sensitive over time.. maybe if he had waited after getting the toenail off it would reduce the pain.

    i wonder if the tattoo will look warped or like a blob under the nail once its grown back

  10. Soup Avatar
    Soup

    My toe looks the same way, only mine is ravaged by years of DIY “surgeries” to keep the growth in check. It hasn’t had a nail in so long I feel no pain from its absence. I’ve always thought tattooing the nail-bed would be an awesome idea but never seen it done before. Very cool.

  11. Ralex Avatar
    Ralex

    That likes alot of ouch.
    But when the nail grows back will you still see it?

  12. louisa Avatar
    louisa

    we always tattoo funny things on top of our fingernails and leave them grow out, never even crossed my mind tattooing under the nail!

    toenails are real thick, and in this guys case, yellow. i cant imagine you seeing too much of it when the nail grows back!

  13. Jacques Avatar
    Jacques

    brilliant…was nervous watching…take my hat off to the guy and the artist for doin it hahahha

  14. Pidge Avatar
    Pidge

    That just makes me cringe for some reason.

  15. shokroklove Avatar
    shokroklove

    holy ouch, but thats a really cool idea

  16. Xalia Avatar

    I lost a fingernail after slamming my hand in a car door, and I looked into getting a tattoo on the nail bed, and I was met with the most overwhelmingly negative response ever. I thought it was funny, because the reason that I was given by the artists was that it would be visible at all times, and because I was still young, I’d regret it. I laughed. Apparently, the tattoo artists I spoke to wewen’t aware of the existence of nail polish.

  17. antigone Avatar
    antigone

    This foot is gross.

  18. CutThroat Avatar

    The cross contamination bothered me more than the tattoo, butt fuck that must have been unpleasant. I’ve lost a nail before. That was some sensitive damn shit!

  19. CutThroat Avatar

    Maybe I judged to quick. It just bothered me to see that gloved hand touching a whole bunch of shit that looks unlikely to be clean. But I’m ignorant as to whether it actually was.

  20. Anamis Avatar

    That need to hurt so much i can’t imagine how much

  21. Kate Avatar
    Kate

    I bet he’s a runner. That’s what my feet look like after I run a marathon. I lose toenails every time. And that whole area hurts like a bitch until the nail grows back.

  22. xSOPHH Avatar
    xSOPHH

    Holy crap. Kudos to that guy! Ouch!

  23. labelle Avatar

    HAHAHAHAHA my hands sweat like a motherfucker watching that! i laughed so hard though. that’s brave brave shit.

  24. jk Avatar
    jk

    This is all kinds of awesome!

  25. Matt Avatar
    Matt

    I work outside in routinely wet conditions, and toenails fall off all the time. It sucks. Just touching them hurts. I can’t imagine sticking a pulsating needle into it. Thats nuts. But awesome all the same.

  26. svejksoldjer Avatar
    svejksoldjer

    fuckshitpiss, that must’ve been hurt like’ell…whuuuaaa

  27. Garth Avatar
    Garth

    Hmm..I’m missing a fingernail on my left middle finger..Maybe I should get something tattooed there..

  28. MaidenDisaster Avatar

    Well, you did it. After 10 years of being active on BME/iam, you’ve grossed me out for the first time. I can’t stand feet to begin with, and this just takes the cake. It’s terrible and awesome at the same time. You must be proud just for sitting through it!

  29. Lydia Avatar

    holyyyyyyyyyyyy cow, I cannot even begin to image the pain he went through for that.

  30. anonymoose Avatar
    anonymoose

    I would love to see this when it’s healed and when the nail grows back.

  31. hullwork Avatar

    wow, that anonymous poster on the video comments is definitely not a pete patrick fan.

    oh, and HAHA @ 18 CutThroat – you said “butt fuck”

    hehe

  32. Max Brand Avatar

    i’m gonna pass on the video…assuming it’s as bad as the idea behind this tattoo….

  33. petepatrick Avatar
    petepatrick

    cutThroat every thing he touched had barrier film. lol. take a better look. our saftey aswell as our clients and friends saftey is very important to us.

  34. bluey Avatar
    bluey

    erm Maybe he should ofchanged his gloves after he adjusted the stool , eeekkk

  35. Sade Avatar
    Sade

    I think my stomach just curdled, but it was hilarious.

  36. petepatrick Avatar
    petepatrick

    *Bluey the arm rest had barrier film on the handle.

  37. petepatrick Avatar
    petepatrick

    *hullwork that comment was posted by Chris. he is an idiot.

  38. Harleykim Avatar
    Harleykim

    CRINGE!

  39. kisstheviolets Avatar

    consider me squicked out. OUCH-O-RAMA

  40. eternalsunshine Avatar

    Love the idea! Please follow up with healed (regrown nail) pics

  41. nope Avatar
    nope

    i’m interested in whether the 13 is even visible when the nail regrows. this opens up whole new avenues for permanent, nonchip-able nail colors…although i don’t envision much of a market to be honest….

  42. stabbyLOVE Avatar

    My boyfriend has been wanting to do this for two years but we haven’t been able to find a willing studio. Keep us updating on how it heals Shannon!

  43. dutchweirdo Avatar
    dutchweirdo

    It will be visible, but very pale bluish and details will be lost. It will be difficult to read it.

  44. Bushi Avatar
    Bushi

    Better go to a doctor with this ugly feet

  45. petepatrick Avatar
    petepatrick

    the feet made me wanna puke too. but the video is fucking awesome. and just the fact that the kid that did it was brave enough to go through with it. kudos to him. he is johns roommate thats why john did it for him.
    i will post a pic after its all healed and the nail has had a chance to grow back.

  46. James Brand Avatar
    James Brand

    I am a close personal friend of John (The Artist) and Chris (The guy in the chair) and was there when this video was taken. The armrest was wrapped in clear plastic as was the bottle. John didn’t set up for this to be filmed and it was filmed with a digital photo camera. But if you notice there was blue barrier film on the light so stop with cross contamination crap. Everythinhg had barrier film on it.

    Chris lost his toenail because he kicked a chair while chasing John”s daughter. It wasn’t filed or anything like that. Also he’s a mechanic in work boots for 10 hours a day then we go skate. He also has psoriasis, so his toenails aren’t really his fault.

    The toenail has grown back to just about where the tattoo is so once it grows back (and I finish the Holdfast website) there will be pictures.

    If you would like to contact John, you can at http://www.inkednation.com/iceberg and you can also check out some of his other work while you’re there.

    James

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