Busting The Myths About Numbing Cream For Skin

Numbing cream for skin is becoming an increasingly popular choice amongst people who are getting tattoos or undergoing skin procedures thanks to its ability to eliminate pain. However, there are still a number of misconceptions about this type of product. Here, we bust a few of the persistent myths that are still out there about numbing cream for skin and give you the facts you need to decide whether a numbing cream is right for you.

1.Numbing Cream Doesn’t Work

The biggest myth that exists out there about numbing cream for skin is that it doesn’t work. In fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Tattoo numbing cream contains exactly the same active ingredients as local anaesthetics that are used by doctors, nurses, and dentists when they perform minor surgeries in their offices. As long as you choose a reputable product that contains a well-known and reliable active ingredient like lidocaine, you can be confident that your numbing cream will work.

2.Numbing Cream Works Straight Away

This is a myth that leads people to believe that numbing cream for skin doesn’t work. In fact, the active ingredients contained in tattoo numbing creams take some time to work. The product needs to sink into the skin and take effect on the nerve endings, and that takes around 45 minutes to an hour. If you apply numbing cream to your skin just before you attend your appointment, you’ll find that you still experience pain when the needle goes in. That’s why you have to plan ahead and make sure that you’ve allowed sufficient time to apply the cream and allow it to get to work.

3.You Can’t Use A Numbing Cream On Skin Before Getting Tattooed

There is an ongoing school of thought that says numbing cream can’t be used before getting a tattoo, but in fact there’s no reason why you can’t use numbing cream on skin before you get inked. Some tattoo artists aren’t keen on the use of numbing products because they still have an old-fashioned opinion that tattoos are meant to hurt, but they are few and far between. Most artists these days would prefer to have their client sitting still and feeling comfortable, and if that means using numbing cream before the appointment, that’s absolutely fine with them. A good quality tattoo numbing cream won’t have any negative effects on your new body art, and will make the process a lot more pleasant.

4.You Don’t Have To Cover Up Numbing Cream After Applying It To The Skin

This isn’t quite a myth, but it isn’t exactly the truth either. While you technically don’t have to cover up the numbing cream with plastic wrap after you apply it to your skin, it helps it to activate more effectively. Applying plastic wrap to the product on the skin keeps it warm, encourages the pores to open up and the cream to be more rapidly and effectively absorbed, thus ensuring it activates to its maximum level.

5.You Don’t Have To Clean Your Skin Before You Apply A Numbing Cream

It’s important to always wash and clean the skin that is being treated before you apply the numbing product. In fact, cleaning and exfoliation of the skin before the application of topical anaesthetics is one of the best ways to ensure the product absorbs into the skin properly. Using a fragrance-free soap and warm water to cleanse the skin and then drying it thoroughly with a clean towel before applying the product in a thick layer will ensure that the numbing cream sinks properly into the pores and takes maximum effect.