Let’s face it; tattoos are painful. Painful enough that some people swear never to get tattooed again after the first time. Well, that’s understandable, considering pain tolerance isn’t for everyone, and if you are one of those people who dread the thought of pain cursing through your skin, we are here for you.
What if we tell you there is a cream that could help numb your pain during tattooing? Yes, you heard that right—a numbing cream. If your interest has been piqued at this point, keep reading to find out what a numbing cream is, how to apply numbing creams, and the best tattoo numbing cream to apply before your next tattoo session.
4 Best tattoo numbing creams
- Zensa numbing cream
This numbing cream has excellent reviews and is considered the best among other numbing creams.
The cream has a maximum lidocaine strength of 5% and can last 2-3 hours from the time of application. What’s more, it can be reapplied to extend the numbing sensation. It contains vitamin E that acts as an anti-inflammatory to boost the process of healing after a tattoo. Zensa numbing cream does not affect the settling of ink.
- Dr. Numb cream
This cream absorbs fast, within 15 minutes, and lasts 2-4 hours from the time of application. It contains 5% lidocaine and vitamin E to help numb the skin for various discomforts, including tattooing procedures.
- Ink Scribed tattoo numbing cream
This numbing cream relieves discomfort such as burns, soreness, itching, pains, and other skin discomforts.
The cream takes effect almost immediately, from 15 – 20 minutes of application, lasting up to 2 hours. It contains 5% lidocaine to lessen pain and other ingredients like vitamin E and Arnica Montana flower extract to reduce inflammation post tattooing.
- SyHuat tattoo numbing cream
This numbing cream is your best choice if you want to get a tattoo over a large area. It provides a 6-8 hours-long numbing effect.
The cream lasts about 60- 70 minutes after application, so take note of the time and apply it early if you want to use it for numbing pain during the tattooing procedure.
What is tattoo numbing cream?
Numbing cream is a topical medication applied to the skin to provide temporary relief for skin discomforts. It works by soaking into the skin to block nerve endings and reduce sensitivity to pain. Lidocaine, one of the most active ingredients in most numbing creams, is responsible for numbing the skin and providing relief.
Numbing creams aren’t only used for tattoos. They are also used for relieving other painful skin conditions such as severe burns, joint pains, scabies, and other discomforts.
Numbing creams for tattoos
Tattooing could take hours, making the whole process painful and unbearable. Numbing creams usually come in handy before tattooing to lessen the pain.
Numbing creams are considered safe to apply to the skin; however, there are rules you must follow before applying numbing creams; one of them is that you shouldn’t use them excessively to avoid health risks.
There are currently numerous over-the-counter FDA-approved numbing creams, but some are not as effective as others, so it is essential to check the ingredient list before purchasing a numbing cream. Numbing creams with the highest lidocaine are considered more effective for pain relief.
Numbing creams aren’t meant to eliminate pain; they make your experience less painful. Different people react to numbing creams differently. Some people may not feel the effects of a numbing cream at all, and others may develop allergic reactions to the ingredients. Before using a particular numbing cream, you can consult a dermatologist or do a patch test to ensure the numbing cream will not cause any adverse reactions to your skin.
Not all tattoo artists will apply numbing creams on the skin before tattooing, so if you consider using one, you can talk to your tattoo artist.
How to use numbing cream
You should apply a numbing cream about 30 minutes before your next tattoo session to allow it to take effect. Shave and clean the skin area where you want to be tattooed with water and soap; you can also wipe the area with an alcohol solution to disinfect it. Once this is done, you can apply the numbing cream to cover the designated area.
After it takes effect, you can wipe the excess cream and be ready for a tattoo procedure with zero to minimal pain.
Numbing creams vary on how long they can stay effective. If the numbing effect ceases while you are still undergoing a tattoo procedure, you will start to feel pain.
The bottom line
If you cannot bare pain during the tattooing procedure, there is no shame in seeking out numbing creams to minimize the pain. Do your research or consult a dermatologist before using any over-the-counter numbing creams. Also, check reviews from websites to find the best tattoo numbing cream with great reviews.
