06 What About Anaesthetics?
Description
This article is from the Tattoo FAQ, by Stan Schwarz with numerous contributions by others.
06 What About Anaesthetics?
Some people say that taking a couple of over-the-counter analgesics
before tattooing can take the edge off the pain. Acetaminophen,
commonly sold under the brand name 'Tylenol' is generally recommended,
but not aspirin, ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs, as they tend to inhibit
clotting. In short, you may find yourself bleeding like the
proverbial stuck pig.
There *are* actually topical anaesthetics available, even in the
stick-up-its-butt U.S. For instance, Bactine contains some
lidocaine, and it is possible to buy benzocaine preparations
over the counter. The drawback of these is that they do not
work on unbroken skin, but if they are applied after the first
pass with the needle, they *can* make a tremendous difference.
EMLA is reputed to be much better, and will work on unbroken
skin, but it is not generally available in the U.S.
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