Most people ask about pain before they ask about anything else. Not the design, not the healing, not the price — just "how bad is it going to hurt?" And somewhere in that conversation, numbing cream almost always comes up.

The short answer is yes, you can use it. The longer answer is that it changes things, both for you and for your artist, and there's a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Here's what's worth knowing before you buy a tube.

First: talk to your artist, and do it early

This is the single most important part of this whole article. Bring it up when you book, or at the very latest a few days before your appointment — not while you're sitting in the chair with cling film on your arm.

There are a few reasons for this. Some artists are completely fine with numbing cream. Some prefer to work without it. Some will say yes for one placement and no for another, depending on the piece. It's not stubbornness — it's that they know how their own style behaves on prepared skin versus untouched skin, and they'd rather plan for it than be surprised by it.

Your artist may also want to adjust the session: how they apply the stencil, how long they book you in for, whether they build in a break. All of that is much easier to sort out in advance than on the day.

If you turn up already numbed without saying anything, you're putting your artist in an awkward position — and in some cases they may need to reschedule you. A quick message beforehand avoids all of it.

Does it actually work?

Yes, within limits. Numbing creams contain local anaesthetics — usually lidocaine, sometimes combined with prilocaine — which temporarily block pain signals at the surface of the skin.

What they do well is take the sharp edge off. What they don't do is switch sensation off entirely. You'll still feel pressure, vibration, and the dragging feeling of the machine. On bone — ribs, sternum, ankles, the top of the foot — you'll still feel a lot, because that discomfort is coming from deeper than a topical cream reaches.

The other thing people underestimate is the wearing-off. The cream is generally applied about an hour before and lasts roughly a couple of hours. If you're booked in for a five-hour session, the last three hours will be unnumbed — and by then the skin has already been worked, so it's more sensitive than it was at the start. Plenty of people find the second half harder than they would have if they'd gone in without anything. That's not a reason to avoid it, but it is a reason to know what you're signing up for and how to apply it. If your artist is comfortable working in sections, you can apply the cream on one area before your session, and then on other areas during your appointment. 

When it makes the most sense

There's no prize for suffering, and there's no shame in wanting help. In our experience, numbing cream is most useful when:

• It's a genuinely brutal placement — ribs, sternum, inner arm, knee, elbow ditch, feet, hands
• You're nervous enough that you're not sure you'll sit still, especially on a first tattoo
• You've got a long session booked and getting through the first stretch calmly makes the rest manageable
• You have a medical reason to keep pain low, in which case have a word with your GP or pharmacist as well as your artist

It's usually less useful for short sessions on forgiving placements. If you're getting something small on your outer forearm or thigh, you'll probably be finished before you'd have felt the worst of it anyway.

Why some artists are cautious

Numbing products can temporarily change how skin behaves. Depending on the product and the person, skin can feel firmer, spongier, or slightly slippery, and stretch differently under the artist's hand. Some creams are oil or petroleum-based, which can make stencils smear and mean more wiping during the session.

None of this is guaranteed, and it varies a lot between products and between individuals — anyone who tells you numbing cream categorically ruins tattoos is overstating it. But it explains why your artist wants to know in advance, and why they may have a preference about which product you use.

How to apply it properly

Getting the application right matters more than most people realise. Follow the leaflet that comes with your product, but broadly:

1. Buy the one recommended by your artist. Skip the creams someone recommends on social media ads. Email us if you need advice on that. 
2. Patch test first, ideally a day or two before, on a small area away from where you're getting tattooed.
3. Prep the skin. Clean and dry. Don't apply over broken or irritated skin.
4. Apply a thick layer to the area being tattooed and a little beyond it — don't rub it in.
5. Cover it with cling film or an occlusive dressing. This is the step people skip, and it's the step that makes it work. Without a covering, most of the cream just rubs off on your clothes.
6. Time it around your appointment, not around when you leave the house. Factor in your journey.
7. Bring the packaging with you so your artist can see exactly what you've used.

One thing worth stating plainly: more is not better. Don't cover a large area of your body, don't leave it on far longer than the instructions say, and don't stack products. The guidance on the packet exists for a reason. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication, or have any skin or heart condition, speak to a pharmacist or your GP first.

And if you'd rather not use it

That's a completely reasonable choice, and it's what most of our clients do. Tattoo pain is manageable for the vast majority of people. Eat properly beforehand, don't turn up hungover, bring water and something sugary, wear comfortable clothes that give access to the area, and tell your artist when you need a break. Nobody is judging you for asking for five minutes.

Getting booked in

At Sacred Gold, our 13 resident artists all have their own approach to this, so the honest answer to "should I use numbing cream?" is: ask the person tattooing you. Message us when you enquire and we'll pass it on, so you know where you stand well before the day.

If you're thinking about your next piece — or your first — you'll find us at Unit 74, Coal Drops Yard, King's Cross. Drop us a message at sacredgoldart@gmail.com or on WhatsApp at +44 7438 780845, and we'll get you booked in with the right artist.