One of the main reasons people seem to avoid tattoos is the pain. Yes, tattoos hurt–no, they do not all hurt the same. Regardless, with pain being (no pun intended) one of the pain points of being tattooed, we thought that numbing cream would be a solid topic to discuss.

Numbing cream works best on small tattoos. For larger tattoos, if not applied consistently, it can wear off and the nerves can come back to life during the tattoo–and be even more sensitive than they were previously. It is also important to note that you should consult with your tattoo artist before using numbing cream if they don’t bring it up or use it themselves. In some cases, it can make the tattoo harder to produce, if not impossible altogether–as numbing cream pulls the blood supply away from the area, making it harder to tattoo effectively, as it becomes greasy, flabby and otherwise a hard surface to use.

The long and short is that it can both be good and bad. The pain behind tattoos is part of it and if the pain is the main reason you do not want to be tattooed, maybe reconsider why you are being inked in the first place. For small tattoos and certain spots, numbing cream can work really well. For large spots, though, Bactine spray or other methods may work better.

Regardless of what you choose to try and decrease the pain during the tattooing process, consult your specific artist before doing anything, before, during, or after the tattoo. Remember that they are the master of the craft and take their advice. The pain is temporary, but the tattoo is forever–so make sure you remember that before you baste your arm up like a thanksgiving turkey and walk into a shop in Philadelphia.