BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Body Art Tattoo question

Hey guys,
basically, im getting a tattoo within the next couple of weeks, but im a BIG wimp.
I found this cream called Emla and its supposed to numb the area first so you cant feel it or something. So i was just wondering if anyone can tell me if i would be able to use this stuff or if itll work or anything!
Thanks!

Sorry to say, but this is NOT going to work for you to use this for tattooing. This product was made to numb a TINY area and lists several effects that would contraindicate it's use for tattooing. My EMLA info is from the web site http://www.emla-us.com

"EMLA Cream (lidocaine 2.5% and prilocaine 2.5%) is indicated as topical anesthetics for use on normal intact skin for local analgesia (pain relief)." See the phrase "normal intact skin?" Well, tattooing does not leave an intact skin surface. Also, it must be prescribed. This was designed to numb just the area of a single needle-stick, a single injection, FOR BABIES AND SMALL CHILDREN.

" If EMLA is left on the skin for longer times or applied over larger skin areas than recommended by a physician, serious side effects, such as methemoglobinemia, may occur." The web site posted by the company that makes this product shows that a small dab of this is applied and then covered with an adhesive disk.

The side effect methemoglobinemia is defined as "Oxidation of iron to the ferric state reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin and produces a functional anemia. In addition, methemoglobinemia shifts the hemoglobin dissociation curve to the left. Ferric heme groups impair the release of oxygen from ferrous heme groups on the same hemoglobin tetramer; thus, oxygen delivery to tissues is impaired.

Organs with high oxygen demands (ie, CNS, cardiovascular system) usually are the first systems to manifest toxicity. Oxygenated blood is red, deoxygenated blood is blue, and blood-containing methemoglobin is a dark reddish-brown color. This dark hue imparts clinical cyanosis when methemoglobin levels are at 1.5 g/dL (approximately 10-15% methemoglobin concentration); however, a level of 5 g/dL of deoxygenated blood is required for similar effects. Therefore, when methemoglobin levels are relatively low, cyanosis may be observed without cardiopulmonary symptoms." Basically, you can give yourself a bad and rare case of anemia, which would require hospitalization, by using this product over a larger skin surface.

If you are that much of a "wimp" about pain, don't get tattooed! Also, taking aspirin ahead of time will make you bleed A LOT, much the same as drinking alcohol does, as both thin the blood, so don't try either of those.

alright thanks for that!
Can someone describe to me what it would feel like to get a small tattoo lower back on my spine?

If you are a big wimp I'd recommend asking around about what tattoo artist has a heavy hand and which do not.

My tattoo artist has a heavy hand and is known through out vegas as one of the heaviest. So it freaking hurts. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I always plug him when I can so here goes. http://www.paradoxstudios.net you can see my too by him at http://www.hugemoron.com/pics/djtoo98.jpg

He has done lots of really amazing work not listed on his site. Most of the stuff listed on his site is kinda scary.

Ok lastly if you are going to get a tattoo you should be seriously asking yourself why. What is the purpose? Does it mean something special to you? Or are you just getting the dolphin on the small of your back because your best bud has one?

<img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> See where i'm going here?

Alright... keep cool and BREATHE!

ive wanted one for about 5 years but havnt been allowed until now so basically ill get one no matter how much it hurts. I am a wimp, not denying that, but i want one heaps!
So i just want to know if it hurts a LOT or if its bearable or what?

Pain is subjective, meaning how bad it is will depend a lot on what each person thinks. For you to ask us how much it might hurt isn't going to get you much in the way of good answers, as we have no idea how much it will hurt YOU.

Getting plenty of sleep, eating right and making sure you are healthy before getting tattooed can help make it less painful. Some artists do have a "heavier hand" than others, which means they tend to squeeze harder or dig the needle into you more when working on you. In the end, if you really want to get tattooed, you're going to sit there and endure it, like most folks do. If you stop midway, you'll just have an unfinished tattoo for the rest of your life.

Noooo id never stop halfway!
Ill put up with the pain, hopefully wont be too bad.
Thanks for your help!

I have 2 tattoos, one on my ankle and one on my lower back. My back took about 4hrs. and my ankle was about 2hrs.

I don't think that it's anything that you couldn't handle, after a few minutes you don't really tend to notice it as much, as least that's the case for me.

The only part that I can say really hurt was my lower back, only because on this one part of my tattoo it was hitting my syatic nerve so it shooting pain down my left leg to my knee. But when he would move on to another part of the tattoo it was as if it was nothing.

You can always try bringing a friend, having someone there to talk with tends to get your mind off it all. I'm sure you'll be fine, besides it's not like it's this unbearable pain or anything, anyone can handle it. Besides my tattoo artist (who's been doing it a long long time) says that he tends to find that girls handle it better then guys and are less likely to chicken out since girls don't have that macho thing going on. Anyways good luck!

I have 1 tattoo on my shoulder and found it wasn't exactly pain I felt. It was more annoying than anything else. By the time I got to the point of wanting him to stop, he had.

My advice to you is to ask
your tattoo artist!!!! That is why they are the experts.......we are just peons in that world!!!
goodluck with that!!! You will be addicted in no time!!