tattoo numbing cream

Is it worth it?

This day and age, and especially in the capitalist societies of the Western nations, there is a remedy for almost every ailment or problem that anyone has thought of. From internet A.I. programs promising people thousands of dollars a day for doing nothing at all to phones that intentionally go obsolete after a certain amount of time, if you can imagine something, it's probably already out there in some way shape or form.

Unfortunately this may be the case with tattoo numbing cream as well. Now hold on because I know some people are going to be saying "i know one that really works, I've tried it" well hear me out on this one. Ive been in the tattoo industry for over a decade now, and if there really was a magic cream that made the pain go away, or even guaranteed to make it substantially less, I would stock up on it and use it on all of my clients. Believe me, my job would be a lot easier most days, not to mention the increase in deadly artwork that would be accomplished if my client had no physical reaction to the application.

However, as far as I've seen this 'Pain Away' in a bottle is not exactly what it's hyped up to be. First of all, in my city this idea started getting popular in my earlier years of tattooing, and of course any time a client brought up the idea i was and am more than willing to go along with it. The first 'numbing cream' that became popular for using with tattoos was a product by a company named 'emla'. This cream is a topical anesthetic used for minor skin procedures and available without a prescription at most pharmacies. However if you read the instructions carefully it clearly states it is meant for external use only, meaning it is to be used for unbroken skin. It also says that the effects will typically last anywhere from 15 minutes - 2 hours. In fact it warns about using the product on broken skin due to risk of toxicity poisoning. Some clients insisted on using this cream to see if it helped and I agreed as long as it was thoroughly washed off the skin before actually starting.

So after following the instructions to apply the cream the client did in fact feel numb on the area about to be tattooed, and while things went smoothly for the first part of the session, it wasn't long until there were the usual signs of some discomfort during the tattooing. Actually it may have even been an increased discomfort because however long the sensation did last allowed the first portion to go well but as soon as it wore off it seemed as though they were experiencing the rawness of the entire tattoo all at once, when typically they would have gotten used to the feeling of the needle by then and I wouldn't be wrestling them to stay put in the chair.

When people get tattooed without anesthetics they usually get into an almost meditative state where they actually don't mind the feeling once we've been at it for a few minutes.

Of course eventually this wears off but sometimes this natural state of calmness can last hours before they start to get uncomfortable. After discussing with my client about whether or not the cream actually worked they insisted it does at first but must have worn off quickly. I do believe it may help a little bit so if someone was getting a very small tattoo and the artist was completely ready as soon as they were finished applying the cream (its supposed to be wrapped on the area for approximately 30 minutes to take full effect) so the timing would have to be very specifically coordinated to have maximum results and my main point of view is that if it's primarily only useful for very small tattoos is it really worth all the hassle, not to mention some of the outrageous prices newer products have become available for?

Over the years more companies have realized that there would be a potentially large consumer demand for a 'painless tattoo cream' and now there are all sorts of products directed towards numbing tattoos specifically. However i'm almost certain that most of them would be similar if not almost identical to the emla cream, which is the strongest anesthetic a person is able to buy in Alberta Canada without a prescription from their doctor. It seems quite obvious that what is going on is a miracle that medical professionals call the 'placebo' effect; where the person ends up feeling 'numb' merely by believing that the cream can actually relieve them of the feeling of getting tattooed. The fact of the matter is that you have to earn your tattoos, like a rite of passage.

Think of it as an experience equal to walking on hot coals. The whole point is that afterwards you are stronger and prouder of yourself for the accomplishment. There is no easy way out and if there was one, it would dampen the sanctity of the victory and the appreciation of the challenge. People can do anything they set their mind to, and the more you can centre your energy and determine your mind to an outcome the better your results will be just like anything in life. So don't take the tattoo experience for granted, like I always say to my clients, just try to enjoy it. Part of the awe and inspiration that tattoos invoke in observers is the understanding of the difficulty in physical and mental strength that is required to complete amazing works of art and there really aren't any shortcuts.

(If there were we should probably avoid them anyways.)