A word on numbing cream

Hey Everyone!

I get a lot of questions about the use of numbing products, and hear a lot of bad information being shared. Here are my thoughts, and some recommendations.

Does numbing cream work? Yes, but your mileage may vary. Just about all numbing products are using 4-5% lidocaine as the active ingredient. While there is one other difference to be aware of, epinephrine, the actual numbing agent is the same across the board. I have noticed that, most often, when someone says it doesnt work, its because it wasn’t applied correctly. Most brands recommend the use of a thick layer over the area to be tattooed, wrapping in a plastic wrap and letting it soak for up to two hours before your appointment. Topical lidocaine will effect everyone differently. Two people can use the same amount, in the same spot on the body, and have very different results. Person A may have completely numbed skin for 4+ hours, while Person B only feels some relief but not total numbness. The only way to know how it will effect you is to try it for yourself.

Does numbing cream effect the process of getting, or healing of the tattoo? Yes! In my experience, numbing cream with the ingredient epinephrine, while seeming to last longer, is the most problematic. The epinephrine causes the skin to become rubbery and very prone to overworking and under saturating. There is a correlation between this and tattoos healing hard an dull, and working with numbed skin from any product requires the artist to have an understanding of the skin textures and how to delicately work with it. Although it does make the process more difficult, with proper care taken from the artist and client, you can have a perfectly well applied and healed tattoo with the use of numbing cream containing epinephrine.

What about epinephrine free numbing cream? If you’re going to use numbing products, epinephrine free is my recommended way to go! There are several options available, I personally recommend Mad Rabbit Relieve Numbing Cream, along with a companion lidocaine spray during the tattoo session. This allows my clients to have a less painful/painless session without compromising the integrity of the tattoo.

All tattoo artists will have different preferences, so it is important to communicate with your artist on their feeling about numbing cream. The last thing you want is to show up to your appointment and find out your artist wont work on numbed skin, and lose your deposit.

All in all, I find numbing cream to be a great product that makes tattoos accessible to a wider variety of people. I use it when I get tattooed, I don’t mind it when my clients use it, provided its an epinephrine free variety, and if you have sensory issues or other high pain/sensitivity problems the numbing cream can be the difference between getting tattooed or not.

This is all based on personal anecdotes as well as information gathered from other body art professionals. You should always consult your doctor before the use of any medical products, and follow the manufacturers instructions.

I hope you found this helpful, and may your next session be as pain free as possible!

-Tracci