Anestetic creams

[luca]

what's your tought about using them?

i used it a couple of tims when it was about time to color the tattoos on my ribs.

[chrismoniz]

numbing creams.. many tattooers dont mind tattooing an area thats had the cream applied. personally, im not a fan of tattooing an area of skin that has been numbed with cream. an example of a numbing cream would be a product such as EMLA. i find that the treated area of skin seems to have changed when it has numbing cream on it. it seems more 'spongy' and feels off. i find it difficult to get a good saturation of ink in that area and find that linework doesnt appear as clean. perhaps my issues are due to lack of experience with the product? i dunno... feedback from clients tell me that the area does get a little numb and that the cream does take the edge off pain. traditional die-hards might argue that the pain is part of the whole process... the right of passage so to say...

its my own preference as a tattooer not to work with numbing creams. i feel it hinders more than helps when it comes to my job of getting the artwork in.

[jinxproof1996]

i've tried quite a few creams and there is one that definitely works and does not affect the skin whatsoever. its called maxiline and so far i believe you can only get it in canada. i have it shipped to me via a friend and that shit works great. way better than emla or dr numb or lidocaine patches. we have used it at the shop probably 50 times and have seen no issues with putting the ink in or the healing.

[Perez]

I second maxiline, have tattooed others who used it and used it myself, with great results. Just don't get any alcohol on it, it makes it stop working almost immediately.

[irezumi]

I second maxiline, have tattooed others who used it and used it myself, with great results. Just don't get any alcohol on it, it makes it stop working almost immediately.

the only time i've used it, it lasted about 5 minutes before it was ineffective to the client. i used it just as recommended, and after reading this i'm wondering if the alcohol in the soap is a factor in what made it wear off so quickly.

[Perez]

yeah whenever I've used it I wipe/have been wiped with water exclusively. it'll last for a hour plus that way. you hit it with greensoap and you feel the sting almost right away.