All About a Tattoo Numbing Spray

No matter what tattoo design you choose, what your age is, or whether the tattoo is big or small, one universal concern about getting tattoos inked is the pain that accompanies it. Fortunately, the process of tattooing has evolved over time, and this evolution has led to some amazing innovations, one of which is tattooing being made more accessible to people by tattoo numbing sprays and creams as they reduce the pain involved with getting inked.

Tattoo-numbing ointments, creams, and sprays all work the same way. When you apply them to the tattooed area, the active ingredient helps achieve the desired numbness. Lidocaine is an important component of a tattoo numbing spray or cream. It belongs to the family of drugs that are derived from the Coca-Cola plant, though it does not have intoxicating properties. But it causes numbness by preventing your nerves from sending the pain impulse to your brain when applied to the skin. 

The process of using a tattoo numbing agent is quite easy. You can first apply the tattoo numbing agent to the tattoo area, let it sit for a few minutes or as suggested on the package. This will ensure that the skin begins to absorb it and its numbing effects can work before the tattooing procedure starts. Tattoo-numbing agents come in various forms, sprays, creams, and gels. 

• Tattoo numbing spray is the easiest to apply; however, it needs to be applied the most often. It is an ideal tattoo numbing agent for smaller tattoos located in sensitive areas like the face.  
• Tattoo numbing cream: This is the most versatile tattoo numbing agent. It is easy to apply and does not need reapplications as often as numbing spray. It works for almost any tattoo but is best suited for medium-sized tattoos.
• Tattoo numbing ointments: This is the heavy hitter numbing agent and only needs to be applied once or twice. It is great for larger tattoos or tattoos in painful spots, as it sticks to the skin very well. 

Do Tattoo Numbing Agents Work?

Although tattoo numbing creams, sprays, and ointments work, they won’t make it completely painless, but they can make it much more bearable. 

Tattoo numbing agents are recommended if you are going to get a tattoo in a very sensitive area or a very large tattoo. It is also suggested to be used if you are nervous about getting tattooed or if the fear of pain is the only thing holding you back from getting a tattoo. With a numbing spray or cream, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy getting a new tattoo.  

How Do Tattoo Numbing Agents Work?

How numbing agents work will depend on the active ingredients they are made of.

• Nerve deadeners: These include chemicals like lidocaine, which temporarily deaden the nerves in the skin and prevent the nerves from registering the pain. Though they are great, they rarely sink below the surface of the skin. This means they are not going to be 100% effective for tattoos. Hence, in order to get the most out of them, they need to be combined with a nerve blocker or vasoconstrictor. 
• Nerve blockers: These include tetracaine, which registers some level of pain but doesn’t send the signal to the brain. Benzocaine is another nerve blocker. Both are pH-neutral. Since they do not prevent the nerves from registering pain on their own, nerve blockers are mostly combined with nerve deadeners to prevent involuntary flinching. 
• Vasoconstrictors: These are the most powerful numbing agents one can use. They include epinephrine, which works by causing the blood vessels to constrict, thus reducing bleeding. They slow down absorption, therefore allowing them to last longer when mixed with other numbing agents. Epinephrine mixes cut down on bleeding and swelling. They are one of the most effective numbing agents in the market as they act quickly and reduce bleeding, thus can be safely used during the session.

How to Use a Numbing Spray?

• Pick the right one up: Remember that not every numbing cream is right for every tattoo. The right numbing cream will make a huge impact on how long it lasts. A cream or spray without epinephrine is going to wear off halfway.
• Wash the skin before applying: Make sure you remove the dead skin and oil before applying numbing cream by washing it with soap.
• Apply the numbing cream or spray: After applying the numbing agent, you will have to wait for 5-30 minutes for the area to numb. This time will depend on the numbing agent you are using. 
• Wash it off before starting the tattoo process: Once you feel the area is numb, wash the numbing spray off and start the tattooing process. Remember, some numbing agents that are topically safe can cause irritation on broken skin, so make sure you wash them off before starting the tattooing.
• Apply the spray every 15-20 minutes during the session: You can use a broken-skin-approved spray to keep you numb throughout the session.

To Conclude

Numbing Creams and sprays have become essential innovations for tattoo lovers. They can now sit through tattoo sessions getting their favourite designs inked on the bodies without having to sit through the pain and uneasiness.