Tattoo Numbing Cream: Why You Should Use A Numbing Cream Before Getting Inked
What is a Tattoo Numbing Cream? A Emla numbing cream is a topical analgesic cream meant to reduce pain and discomfort during the tattooing process. The main active ingredients in most numbing creams are lidocaine and/or prilocaine, which are local anesthetics. When applied to the skin, these ingredients work to block pain signals from reaching the brain by interrupting sodium channels in the nerve fibers. This creates a temporary numbness, taking the sting out of the needle punctures during a tattoo session. How Does Tattoo Numbing Cream Work? For a Tattoo Numbing Cream to take effect, it needs to be applied to the skin area that will be tattooed 1-2 hours before the appointment. The active ingredients penetrate the outer layer of the epidermis and stimulate the skin's nociceptors. This confuses the pain signals meant for the brain, replacing them with an initial tingling or cooling sensation instead. As the cream absorption continues over 60-90 minutes, it will begin blocki...