Best numbing agent

[Jynarik]

I'm gonna puss out here. I'm about to get 6-12hrs of heavy detail on the shin area and would like something to help me sit through most of it.

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[OutOfIdeas]

I can't actually answer your question, but I can tell you that I found my shin to be amazingly easier than I thought it would be. As in, one of the easiest spot so far

[Jynarik]

I can't actually answer your question, but I can tell you that I found my shin to be amazingly easier than I thought it would be. As in, one of the easiest spot so far

That's good to hear. I have a bony shin, so I'm afraid that part will be the worst. 12hrs on the calf was mostly a breeze.

[ironchef]

Maybe speak to your doctor about either an over the counter or prescription pain med and muscle relaxant combo? It won't "numb" the pain but will certain help take the edge off and possible make the experience a little more comfortable.

[OutOfIdeas]

That's good to hear. I have a bony shin, so I'm afraid that part will be the worst. 12hrs on the calf was mostly a breeze.

Really? I thought the calf was kind of rough myself. I have bony shins as well, only parts that were painful at all really were the edges of the bone, where the muscle starts

[Sean Sinha]

A lot of meds will thin your blood, but I never had problems taking Ibuprofen in small doses to help.

[idyllsend]

When I was getting my last tattoo the other artist was working on a chest piece and the guy was having a pretty rough time with it. He borrowed some numbing spray from my artist, but didn't seem super keen on having to use it. Then they did a shot of whiskey. I'm not sure the point of this story, cause I dunno what the spray was called....but maybe your guy already has some on hand?

I also found my shin pretty much a breeze. I almost tapped out a few times on my calf and that wasn't even the worst place I've been tattooed. I just couldn't handle the twitching. But yeah, shin was easy as pie.

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[Lance]

He borrowed some numbing spray from my artist... I'm not sure the point of this story, cause I dunno what the spray was called....but maybe your guy already has some on hand?

... I almost tapped out a few times on my calf and that wasn't even the worst place I've been tattooed. I just couldn't handle the twitching.

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Was the spray possibly "bactine"? It supposedly takes the edge off. I'm not sure how much though. It's been used on me a couple times, but it still hurts.

And what is it with the calf and all the twitching. I think I mentioned it before but my artist had to put her full weight on my leg to try to compensate for the involuntary twitches. Seriously. The mind was more than willing but my leg said,"Screw you! I want off of this table. NOW!!!". It was almost embarrassing that it wasn't cooperating.

[ILikePie]

I used Inkeeze the stuff worked great I felt nothing buy pressure. That being said it was the worst healing tattoo ever. It looked more like a burn rather than a healing tattoo and left a scar. I had to have the whole tattoo redone. Stuff works great it's your choice.

I have both shins done, one by Iker Ruiz (VERY heavy handed) hurt like hell. The other done by Josh Woods (light handed) and it was a breeze.

[Mick Weder]

Doesn't matter that ya got bony shins. All of us don't have much meat on the shin bone. You'll be sweet.

We have a tendency to over think an area in advance of having the area drilled, I was the same when embarking on the shin, and I gotta agree with what's already been suggested, the calf is way harder a slog than the shin. You'll be pleasantly surprised mate. No need to seek an alternative at all.

There's nerve motor points that sit in the calf, hence the twitching. Sucks eh!

[abees]

Never had any experience with any numbing products. But one that I can think of that's the product of a tattooer would be this -

Untitled

[Mick Weder]

I'm not judging anyone, but a massive reason why I do submit to heavy tattooing is the pain factor.

Not because I like pain, on the contrary...I'm a fuckin sook my wife says (can't even pick up a hot cup of tea without having a faaarkin whinge whinge)...but pain, it's the predominant force, it dictates everything in life, it determines our way forward. Master, or learn how to channel pain, we can learn how to channel any emotion.

That's my take on it anyway.

[joakim urma]

I'm with @Mick Weder on this. Go for the pain and the experience, not because you love it but because you hate it. I'm happy I sat through some the worst sessions, it's only temporary anyway and pushing through is learning to cope.

[marley mission]

not to hate - i mean go get your spray on if you need to

but...the pain is such a part of getting a tattoo - i think i'd feel ripped off if it didn't hurt

[Jynarik]

not to hate - i mean go get your spray on if you need to

but...the pain is such a part of getting a tattoo - i think i'd feel ripped off if it didn't hurt

I've spent enough time in the chair without. I figured the shin would be a crappy area and wanted something to help me sit through completion, rather than splitting the sessions.

I did 8hrs on my upper calf without anything. Not the point.

I'll go without, though, since y'all say the shin isn't that bad.

[suburbanxcore]

I'll just say I agree with the others that the calf was definitely worse than the shin for me. I was expecting the shin to be terrible, but it was surprisingly easy.

[falco4758]

wow. the shin was by far the most brutal spot for me, lower inside and lower outside of the shin are brutal worst spot for me by far I had 8 hours eachside that's why maybe.. get this stuff made by shane oneill its a spray you use once everything is blocked in, I forget the name but its amazing ,spray it and wrap it in saran wrap for 5 mins, it takes almost all pain away and just re eapply every 30 minutes

[Rikhall]

i used the spray on my stomach before, it was a one shot n hurt like hell, think my tattooer applied it after two hours just to push me through rather than walking around with half a christ head for a year. i kind of felt ashamed if I'm honest haha

[William Coty Siegert]

wow. the shin was by far the most brutal spot for me, lower inside and lower outside of the shin are brutal worst spot for me by far I had 8 hours eachside that's why maybe.. get this stuff made by shane oneill its a spray you use once everything is blocked in, I forget the name but its amazing ,spray it and wrap it in saran wrap for 5 mins, it takes almost all pain away and just re eapply every 30 minutes

I had something similar to this when I had work on my ribs. Sat for 2 hours on the outline (enjoyed plenty of pain) then the spray/Saran Wrap/5min and then another hour of relative peace on the shading. Did start to wear off after 30 min though. Only applied once.

[Graeme]

http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/1534-use-painkillers.html

[pidjones]

I was rear-ended on my way to get my first tattoo by a bimbo that had let her insurance expire. After that, the tattoo didn't hurt at all!

[bongsau]

Bactine (and the like) only work after the skin is broken.

It works well after you've been sitting for a few hours and hit your wall and need a little relief when you are on the homestretch of a long session.

Calf is brutal, shin stings but is a walk in the park in comparison to most body parts.

8, 12 hour tattoo sessions? you guys are crazy. you don't need to be a hero eh

For any tattoo...keep your feet and toes loose and relaxed and the rest of the body will follow. try it, it works ;)

[Dennis]

Maximum Strength Dr. Numb!

An artist used it on me for back to back sessions. It made it much more tolerable, especially since I tend to get a little shaky/twitchy when I get further into a session. I see no harm in using it when a) it doesn't affect healing, b) it will help you sit better, thus making your artist's job easier and c) you've put a substantial amount of time/money into traveling for said tattoo and you want to get as much done as possible in the time that you are there.

[Deb Yarian]

I liken using numbing creams for getting large tattoos to my giving birth-- I've labored and delivered 6 children , 3 with an epidural ( a pain blocker) and 3 naturally ( without) and I love them all the same. I don't think the child that I labored in agony to deliver is any more precious than the others .

In recent years I've used Dr Numb - applying it and covering the skin with plastic a couple of hours prior to the start & then applying through the procedure, as needed.

It really helped me .

[Fala]

I use my company's internal herbal tincture, not for numbing, but for dealing with the perceived pain.