06/08/2026
Not every numbing cream is made equal. Some are made for small procedures or permanent makeup which is done on the face and completely different skin, these procedures also don’t take as long as a tattoo which makes them less effective for us.
Emla is a no no in our books. We have found it changes the elasticity of the skin making it harder for us to puncture the skin in a consistent manner and therefore make a consistent tattoo.
Zenza, this one has been known to work ok but does not usually last for larger tattoos that take a full day.
Dr. numb, this one has been great for a few hours and is easy to apply.
Make sure you talk to your artist about the numbing cream they prefer and if it’s ok to use!
remember to apply correctly an hour or two prior and saranawrap the area! not doing so will cause the numbing not to set in and will actually cause you more pain!
Read our blogs on how to keep your pain tolerance high and ways to make your tattoo appointment more comfortable without numbing!
Happy Tattooing :)