7 Best Tattoo Numbing Creams in 2022 – Can You Use Numbing Cream Before Tattoo?

Getting a tattoo can be rewarding. But the pain you’ve got to tolerate to achieve that final result is something that makes many no go through that path.

It is why you still don’t have that dream tattoo of your favorite thing on your body. You can’t just think about lying under the needle.

But what if I told you that you don’t have to endure the pain. With the best tattoo numbing cream, you can get a local anesthetic on the body part where you’re planning to get the tattoo and have it without feeling a thing.

Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

So, if you haven’t found the courage to go through getting a tattoo before, you can have it now with the help of numbing cream.

Just check the ones I’ve got here to see what’s the thing is all about.

Can You Use Numbing Cream Before Tattoo?

Tattoos are again at the peak of its popularity, even though it is very painful.

When deciding to get a tattoo, we forget that it can be painful and even very painful. A different degree of pain awaits us, depending on the tattoo that we want to have on the body.

Now the news for those who want to get a tattoo and are afraid of hellish pain: you can ease the torment.

Can you use numbing cream before tattoo? Yes, you can!

There is nothing supernatural. You just need to use numbing cream.

The feature of this cream is that it has two types. The first one is a cream that you must apply before a tattoo appears on your skin. The second one is the gel or spray that you use after skin damage.

Numbing cream using is very important when your tattoo is placed on a very sensitive area, for example, on the elbow. In this case, you need to use an anesthetic cream for this sensitive area.

The problem is that you can use the cream incorrectly and at the end of the tattoo, you will need to return to this.

So that you do not fall into trouble, in this article we have explained how to use numbing cream before getting a tattoo and to be calm.

What are the Best Numbing Creams for Tattoo

Before you get to know more about the numbing creams here in detail, you can check out a quick summary about each of them right here.

Best For Vegans: Zensa Numbing Cream For Tattoos
If you’re a true vegan and looking for a vegan option, then the zensa one is for you.

Best Odorless: Bravado Premium Numbing Cream
To avoid the irritating smell of medical creams, get the Bravado.

Best For Quick Action: Numbskin Fast Acting Tattoo Numbing Cream
Perfect for use for its fast action on the skin.

Best For All Skin: Ebanel 5% Lidocaine Topical Numbing Cream
If you don’t want to have that greasy feeling on your skin after applying the cream, then Ebanel needs to be your go-to option.

Best For Lasting Action: Uber Numb 5% Lidocaine Numbing Cream
With this topical numbing cream, you can have long periods of anesthetic result on the skin.

Best For Max Numbing: Base Labs 5% Lidocaine Numbing Cream
To get the maximum numbing effect, get and use the base labs gel.

Best For Blocking Pain: Everyday Medical Numbing Cream
With this numbing cream, you can manage to block the pain from reaching the brain and have a pain free inking experience.

Best Tattoo Numbing Creams – Reviews

To avoid enduring the pain of getting inked, try any of the below tattoo numbing cream.

1. Zensa Numbing Cream For Tattoos: Perfect For Vegans

To keep your ink from getting ruined while numbing the pain on the body, get the Zensa cream.

Compared to most other creams to use on the ink, this one is different. That’s because it got healthy ingredients like purified water and Vitamin E in it. Purified water will keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Meanwhile, the antioxidant vitamin E will help with the healing.

It will hold back the skin from swelling—no more burning or itching after getting inked.

And if you’re a vegan, this is the best tattoo anesthetic cream. It got FDA approval for being steroid-free, safe to use on sensitive areas while keeping the tattoo ink untouched. The best part, the numbing effect will last almost over 3 hours.

Whether you’re getting a new tattoo or getting one removed, you can use it for both.

Highlighted Features:

• Formula contains ingredients like purified water and vitamin E
• Vitamin E works to ensure to prevent inflammation while boosting healing
• Got FDA approval for safe use
• Has a 3-year shelf life
• Extensive R&D ensures cream work faster and for longer periods
• Perfect for use on tattoos, tattoo removals, piercing, and laser waxing

2. Bravado Premium Numbing Cream For Tattoo: Odorless Application

Unlike others, the Bravado numbing cream can be used for many things. You can use it for tattoos as well as for bikini waxing, microblading, derma rolling, and many other cases where you want to have numbing skin.

It penetrated deep inside the skin to take the edge off while you’re getting those painful needle threads on the body. With 5% lidocaine in the cream, the thing lasts up to 2 hours. You won’t feel a thing on the skin for the time being.

Also, it acts fast right after application. All it needs is 30 minutes to get absorbed in the skin. Plus, it got no greasy feel to it or that pungent medical smell like some of the other ointments in the market.

Highlighted Features:

• Perfect to use for multiple purposes like tattoos, laser hair removal, Brazilian waxing, and much more
• Has a quick 30-minute absorption
• Offers deep penetration for a numb skin
• Got high amount of Lidocaine 5% without a prescription
• Cream lasts up to 2 hours

3. New Numbskin Fast Acting Tattoo Numbing Cream: Fast Numbing Action

This best lidocaine cream for tattoos acts faster than most. All it takes 15 minutes to penetrate deep into the skin and make it numb to feel no pain.

Once applied the cream keeps doing its work on the body for almost 4 hours. And not that it just helps with numbing the body parts to feel no pain. The cream even works wonders to give you lush, soft skin.

Even it is quite easy to use. Just apply a thick layer on the skin and wrap it around and let the Numbskin do its magic.

Highlighted Features:

• Has 5% lidocaine in it
• Lasts up to 4 hours
• Quick action absorption within 15-30 minutes
• 100% cruelty-free product
• Perfect to use while removing a tattoo, on a new tattoo, micro-needling, piercing, microblading, and much more

4. Ebanel 5% Lidocaine Topical Numbing Cream: Oil-Free Ointment

If you don’t want the greasy feel after applying numbing cream, then Ebanel is the one to go for. This topical ointment helps you not only get relieved from the inking pain but also that infused aloe vera to keep the body supple and hydrated.

With the 5% lidocaine formula, the numbing effect kicks in within 5 minutes of its application. And it lasts an hour with a peak numbing effect before wearing off.

Besides using it for its numbing effect while inking, you can rely on it for things like minor cuts, burns bites, and more.

And you can use it without worrying about getting any side effects. The topical anesthetic cream has no harmful chemicals in it. That’s why it doesn’t have that irritating smell to it.

Highlighted Features:

• Offers non prescribed 5% maximum strength lidocaine
• Helps to relieve pain, itching, soreness, and burning
• Peak effect lasts for 1 hour
• Hydrates skin with infuses aloe vera, vitamin E, and other hydrating ingredients
• Cream is odor-free, oil-free and non-greasy

5. Uber Numb 5% Lidocaine Topical Numbing Cream: Lost lasting results

Rubbing the uber numb on your skin, you can forget about the pain of getting inked for hours. One dose of it is enough. The 5% lidocaine goes deep within the skin pores to block pain signals reaching the brain along the nerves.

And it works really fast. Within 20-25 minutes, you can get the numbing effect in action. And it will last for almost 1 hour before it starts to wear off.

Besides giving relief from those inking or waxing, the cream works to prevent inflammation. While vitamin E helps to keep the skin hydrated at all times. You will avoid that itchy feeling with a more moisturized body.

Highlighted Features:

• Got FDA approval for largest allowed dose for non-prescribed anesthetic
• Has 5% lidocaine
• Offers fast action within 20-25 minutes of its application
• Provides numbing effect for almost 1 hour
• Helps to inflammation with its Vitamin E enriched formula

6. Base Labs 5% Lidocaine Numbing Cream for Tattoos: Maximum numbing

Whether you’re getting inked or having something pierced on your body, first get the base ready with the Base Lab numbing cream.

To give you quick and temporary relief from the pain of such activities, the anesthetic cream got the highest dose of lidocaine in it. 5% lidocaine is the maximum non-prescribed topical available to be used for numbing effect, and that’s what the Base Labs offer.

But the cream doesn’t just work to numb the skin. It got other supporting agents such as menthol, aloe vera, and chamomile in it. Those things help to make the skin recover faster while making it plush and soft.

Unlike other ones, this one acts real fast. Just apply one thick layer of it on the area where you’re planning to tattoo or wax. This will get soaked within 15-30 minutes of application. The cream goes deep inside the layer and then blocks the nerves that send signals to the brain feeling the pain to make you all numb.

This effect will last over 4 hours, which will be more than enough if you will ever need to lie down on the table to get inked.

So, before your next tattooing, waxing, or micro needling session, apply the Base Labs and let the process be free of pain and discomfort

Highlighted Features:

• Got ingredients such as 5% lidocaine with hemp seed oil to give a desensitizing skin experience
• Blended with natural ingredients like menthol, aloe vera, and more to quicker skin recovery
• Helps to reduce pain, itching, and burning
• Offers numbing effect right after 2-3 minutes of application
• Gives peak numbing effect after 20-30 minutes
• Has a long-lasting effect up to 4 hours

7. Everyday Medical Numbing Cream For Tattoo: Blocks pain for long periods

With natural ingredients like clove oil, aloe vera, tea tree, and many for, the Everyday medicals never-failing skin numbing care is one of the great choices.

No doubt, the natural ingredients help with the healing while taking good care of the skin. Still, the real MVP is the 4% lidocaine it got in it. This small amount of dose is what does the real magic.

Getting absorbed within your skin in just 15 to 30 minutes, the cream blocks sodium to get to the nerve. And that’s what stops you from feeling the pain during those agonizing tattooing sessions. That’s because the pathway for the pain to send the feeling to the brain gets barricaded.

For long hours like 2-3, you can lie down on the table while getting microbladed, needled, pierced, waxing, anything painful like such without feeling a thing.

Don’t feel afraid if your skin gets numbed for long hours. The FDA approval lasts for long periods to let you endure those long sessions by design.

Besides getting relieved from such gruesome activities, you can rely on it for other things too. For instance, the water-based cream is perfect to use for sunburns, mosquito bites, eczema, and other such skin problems.

Highlighted Features:

• Offers deep penetration with 4% lidocaine cream
• Has quick effect formula that acts within 15 to 30 minutes
• Got healing properties with ingredients like aloe vera, tea tree oil, and many more
• Suitable for use on sunburns, mosquito bites, psoriasis, eczema, and for other skin-related issues
• Perfect to use for activities like tattooing, microblading, micro-needling, hair removal, waxing, and many more

 

Things To Know About Numbing Creams

There is no doubt, you know what’s the use of numbing creams. But for some reason, if you don’t know, then the answer is that you use such lotions to numb the skin.

Now, the sole motive to use them is to not feel pain while getting inked, or any such things that cause pain to you.

The creams make it possible with numbing agents like lidocaine. But not all gels get made the same. Many lotions are there with a high amount of such ingredients in them, while some have a minimal amount of the thing.

Here, the thing that you need to know and understand is why use such products and how much you need to use them.  Choosing the correct type of numbing agent is important as you don’t want to get overdosed.

The lotions that come out that you can use without any prescription should have a maximum of 5% lidocaine dose to them. And that’s the perfect amount to use. But if you require more than that, then you must need to consult with a doctor and get prescribed to have higher strength cream or spray for use.

Why Do You Need To Use The Correct Type Of Numbing Cream?

Some people don’t get it. But it is quite important to use the right type of numbing cream. You can’t just any gel and start using it as there are many side effects of using the wrong kind.

Here are some things that can go wrong with using the wrong type of numbing cream on the skin.

• Not everyone has the same level of pain threshold. Some can endure a lot while some can’t take it at all. That’s why based on your pain tolerance use cream with more or less lidocaine in it.
• For the ink to insert into the skin and set, you need to use good quality lotion. Some numbing cream will have the undesirable effect that can ruin your tattoo instead of helping it to set.
• Even a tattoo artist won’t be ok to ink you if you’ve used the wrong kind of numbing agent. That’s because the cream used by you can cause the ink to ruin and not set the way they’ve intended
• Then there is the risk of always having side effects like skin irritation, itching, and inflammation because of one wrong step of yours. And that is applying the wrong type of numbing agent.
• No need to panic reading the things getting wrong in case you choose not the right kind of cream. All the gels mentioned on the list are 100% safe to use. The topical products have no such side effects that might cause you to trouble instead of relieving you from the pain.

Still, you can always consult with a dermatologist and get expert advice before using one.

How Numbing Creams Work?

So, you know why numbing cream can be useful. You know what can go wrong if you use the incorrect type for the skin. But do you know how the whole thing works?

Have you ever imagined how a simple gel can make the skin on your feel nothing? A cream that works as a local anesthetic for the skin sounds really crazy, doesn’t it?

So, if you’re interested in how the entire thing works to make your life painless on those tattooing and other sessions, get a quick look here.

Blocking Nerve:

Many of the local anesthetics work based on the idea of blocking the nerve from sending signals. The brain doesn’t get the idea that you’re in pain, nor do you feel it. That’s the basic idea of the entire thing.

So, what happens here is that many of the ointments today have chemicals. Those chemicals work to reduce the amount or completely block pain signals like sodium from reaching the brain.

Lidocaine is such an ingredient that gets used for its extensive effect on dampening these pain signals. It does a great job of blocking the path of the nerve from reaching the brain. But it doesn’t completely cancel it out which is why, after some time, the effect of it washes out and things get to normal.

To maximizing the nerve-blocking effect, usually, it gets mixed with something called the nerve deadeners.

Deadening The Nerves:

While the blockers just stop the pain signal from reaching from the nerve to the brain. The work of nerve deadeners is to make the nerves temporarily stop working.

That’s right.

With its use, there will be no registration of pain of any sort.

So, you might think then why the need for the nerve is blocked. The reason that both of them get mixed and used is because the deadening chemicals aren’t that great in penetrating the skin. They don’t reach the depth and stop all the nerves on the part where you apply it from stopping working. It is exactly why both of the chemicals get mixed and used to make sure to numb the skin area.

And that’s the pharmaceutical companies achieving the maximum numbing effect.

Vasoconstrictors:

Then there is the third ingredient known as vasoconstrictors. Unlike the other two, it isn’t an agent that works directly to numb the skin to avoid pain.

Instead, the use of this ingredient allows only to slow down the blood flow by contracting the blood vessels.

And that helps to slow down the chemical absorption within the body. So, this slowing agent allows the numbing agents to last for a longer period. Thanks to it, you can have painless sessions for a longer time.

Not just that, it also helps to reduce the bleeding to reduce when getting inked on the body.

How To Use Numbing Cream to Numb Skin for Tattoo

The goal of any numbing cream is to blunt the nerve endings. You must use the numbing cream correctly. Just follow below simple steps to know how to numb skin for tattoo and you will not be so hurt.

Step 1: Wash the skin on which the tattoo will be placed. Use warm water and soap, and then let the skin dry.

Step 2: Put on gloves before taking cream in your palm.

Step 3: Take a generous layer of cream on the skin and rub it into the area of the skin where the tattoo will be. How generous should the layer be? The cream thickness should be about 1 mm.

Step 4: Cover this area of skin with a film or gauze or something similar to both. Leave it covered for the next 45 minutes or even 1 hour.

Avoid the situation when the cream is on the skin for more than one hour. Reserve 1 hour before the tattoo artist begins work on the tattoo and apply the cream.

What will happen to the cream afterward? The tattoo artist will remove it with a damp cloth. After three to four hours of crazy pain, you need to apply numbing cream again in the same way.

Things That Can Go Wrong Using Numbing Cream:

When using any kind of medical dose, there is often the chance that things can go wrong. In simple words, medicines have side effects.

Numbing cream is no exception and could give you side effects, even bread give you allergies.

There will be no problems if you adhere to the recommendations. If you use too much cream or you have sensitive skin, the chance of getting side effects increases. You need to be careful if you have skin diseases.

Still, you can’t just throw it out of the window, you might get unlucky and have some adverse reaction to it. In that case, you should always go and visit a doctor. And if you believe that, you get skin might react negatively to products like such, then always consult with the doctor before using it.

That said, you need to know about the possible side effects that it can have beforehand.

Here are the bad reactions your skin can have using numbing agents:

• Skin irritation: You might start feeling like your skin is irritating after using the cream.
• Inflammation: For some, things can turn for the worse and the area where you applied the cream can start swelling
• Redness: The part of your body might get red from irritation
• Itchiness: Your skin might feel itching from all the irritation and redness
• Burning: The body part where you apply the cream might start having a burning sensation.

There are more important points you may do not know:

• Be sure to wear gloves when applying numbing cream and when you touch the cream. Your fingers may be numb.
• Your tattoo artist should also use gloves in contact with the cream. What a tattoo can be if the artist has numb fingers!
• Water-based cream is better than glycerin-based cream because it makes the skin less polished.
• Standard anesthetic creams contain lidocaine or prilocaine as the main ingredient.

Does Numbing Cream Work or Not?

This is one of the things that get asked by everyone: Do the numbing creams really work?

And the answer to this question depends on the person using it.

That’s because not all skin is the same. Everyone has a different thickness, nerve structures, and even different levels of sensitivity.

It is why the numbing effect to kick in and to last for the time being will be different from person to person. But to be fair, with a high amount of lidocaine like the creams above, the gel should work for most people.

Almost, everyone can experience a local anesthetic that does let them be immune from the time being. While for others, it at least dampens the pain level to some quite bearable extent.

Still, there are a few for which the cream might not have the same level of effect. And they might need a stronger dose of the ingredients in their gel which will require a doctor’s prescription.

All said and done, you can expect knowing that for most the numbing creams will work without fail.

Best Tattoo Numbing Creams Buying Guide

If you’re thinking to look into the counter for a tattooing cream on your own, then great. But before you go ahead and do that, check out the buying guide. It will help you to look for the right thing in your cream

Lidocaine:

The number one thing that you need to consider is the existence of lidocaine in your cream. This is the magic ingredient that helps to block the nerve from sending pain signals to the brain. So, make sure to have this. Right now, the maximum amount of lidocaine approval by the FDA is 5%. And that’s the right quantity that you should look at in your cream.

Other ingredients:

No doubt, lidocaine is what makes the numbing cream getting worthwhile. Still, that’s just enough. Other ingredients like aloe vera, tea tree oil, and other such topical things should be in your cream. Those things help your skin to recover faster while preventing any sort of inflammation from tattooing, waxing, and other such things.

Fast-acting:

There are many numbing agents out there that work great. However, the ones that are the best are the ones that act fast. You can find many creams that will start working right after application within 2-5 minutes. While to get to peak numbing, it takes them only 20-30 minutes as they get absorbed real fast. You should try to get those for use for sure.

Long-lasting:

No doubt, there is the cream that provides real fast numbing, but they do wear out even faster than that. Those are of no good as a regular tattooing session or waxing session takes at least an hour or more. It is why you should eye for products that can give you long-lasting effects. Take any of the ones like Uber which can prolong numbing up to 3-4 hours.

Base:

Another thing that might not look like a big deal, but you should remember while going to get the cream is the base used to make it. It can make or break the game as greasy creams are hard to work with.

They leave oil residue which makes the working surface all slippery. That’s a nightmare for tattoo artists as there is always the risk of hands slipping and some bad accident happening. Keeping that in mind, you should always opt for water-based gels. Those leave no residue after application that might cause you trouble.

Benefits of Using Tattoo Numbing Cream:

The benefit of the numbing cream is quite self-explanatory by the name. Still, you might think, what good you get from using it.

That’s why I will take you through some of the perks you can enjoy using the numbing agent.

You can enjoy having your dream tattoo on the body without crying through the entire process of being inked. The needle piercing through the skin, injecting the ink inside in the depth of your body won’t be an experience with excruciating pain any more thanks to the numbing agent

After getting inked, most people have a swollen area that gives them a real hard time. But that won’t be a problem anymore. That’s because most topical numbing creams have that healing ingredient that comes in aid to prevent inflammation.

Besides getting no swelling on the skin, you will have quicker healing from pain because of it.

You can get a tattoo, pierced, or waxed any part of your body without any worry. Thanks to the magical numbing cream, the body parts remain desensitized for hours. So, no matter what gets done on whichever part of your body, you won’t have to endure it.

Not only it helps to give you a painless inking experience, it even comes to help to set your tattoo. Many tattoo numbing creams give you that benefit.

FAQs:

Do tattoo artists recommend numbing cream?

Some of them recommend it, while most prefer not to use it. That’s because some of the creams make the skin greasy which makes it hard to work on the body.

What will I feel after use numbing cream?

The first 45 minutes: this is the time of maximum activity of the cream. You will feel zero or minimal pain (depending on your border of pain).

Next Hour is the time of reducing the numbing effect. It will happen more strongly in the next 1-2 hours.

It is important to keep in mind: some people experience incredible pain (as if they did not use any cream) after the cream has stopped to work

Will tattoo numbing cream work from the moment it touches your skin?

No. It takes time for the skin to absorb it and block the nerves before your body where you apply it gets numbed

Do numbing creams affect tattoos?

Some of the tattoo creams can ruin the ink. But the ones here won’t cause any such issue.

What is in a topical numbing cream that makes you numb?

There is a chemical called lidocaine. Its existence in the numbing cream helps to make your skin numb

What to do if you’re allergic to skin numbing creams?

If you have an allergic reaction to such creams, then it is better to avoid using them.

How long does a numbing cream last?

It depends on the type of cream you’re using. But most tattoo numbing cream will last almost an hour

What if I take an overdose of numbing cream?

Overdose of numbing cream can have mild or severe reactions that might cause harm to the skin.

Why is lidocaine a popular ingredient for tattoo numbing creams?

Lidocaine is a popular ingredient because of its numbing effect.

Why Not Keep Numbing Cream Longer?

Just 1 hour is enough to not feel pain. If you hold the cream for longer you will also not feel pain (or feel less intense) like you hold the cream for 1 hour.

The opposite effect is possible. Too prolonged use of the cream can provoke exhaustion of nerves. That is why the process of applying a tattoo can become uncomfortable and even unbearable.

Keep the cream for 1 hour and this will be enough for better healing since the blood will come to this area in larger quantities.

Before using the cream, tell the tattoo artist that you want to use this. The tattoo artist should know not only about your intention but also about the brand that you are going to use.

You can ask the artist for advice. Alternatively, the tattoo artist could know the best one that you can use.

Why should a tattoo artist know that you would use numbing cream? Some artists refuse to work when the client uses cream. For example, a glycerin-based cream will interfere with a tattoo. Consult a tattoo artist before using the cream.

Conclusion:

Ok, there you have it, the best tattoo numbing cream that you can find out there. If you’re planning to get inked and don’t want to endure the pain of getting needled on the skin, then use it.

And not just for that. You can use it for other things like mosquito bites, burning skin, itching, and much more to find relief from them.

So, look at them, and choose one to have a good time.

Also read:

1. Top-rated tattoo kits for newbie
2. A deeper look at stick n poke tattoo kits