Skin Numbing

We allow skin numbing at Ferngully Studio. Oregon law states that your artist cannot apply numbing products to you, but you may purchase and apply them yourself. Misuse of numbing products can result in it not working, or being turned away due to side effects. Be sure to follow our instructions and information below!

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INSTRUCTIONS for PRE-NUMBING

Approved Brands:  

Zensa (can be found on Amazon)

Ebanel Numb 520 (budget option, also found on Amazon)

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These products work well for the outline of a tattoo, though they tend to wear off after the lines are complete so the color application will not feel numb. For numbing during the tattoo, look at more products listed below.

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1. Shave the area to be tattooed which helps exfoliate the skin for better penetration.

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2. Time your application so when you arrive to the studio the cream has been on for 1.5-2 hours.

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3. Apply a GENEROUS amount of numbing cream. You want it to be a couple millimeters thick, like icing on a cake. If you apply thin it like a lotion it will not be enough! Make it goopy.

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4. Wrap the area in plastic-wrap to lock in the numbing cream. 

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5. The cream will be removed in the studio immediately before starting the tattoo.

 

*If you want to pre-numb you need to prepare in advance. This service isn’t offered in-studio!

*Pre-numbing is best used for smaller tattoos 1-2 hours long because that’s about how long it lasts.

*Don’t leave it on longer than 2 hours, overuse can make the skin too difficult to work with and complicate healing. 

*There are no free touchups or free reschedules due to overuse of skin numbing.

 

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NUMBING GEL INFORMATION

Approved Brands:

Feel Better Now! Topical Gel (found on painfulpleasures.com)

Bactine MAX Pain Relieving Cleansing Spray (found on Amazon)

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These products work well for color tattoos and long appointments. They are applied during breaks and covered with plastic wrap while you go to the bathroom and eat a snack. They are safe to be used on "broken skin” meaning the tattooing has already started. You'll still feel the tattoo, they don't work for outlines, but these types of products take the edge off the worst parts- like blending colors together and revisiting areas that have already been touched, so are more sensitive. 

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*Using a combination of pre-numbing and numbing gel/spray is allowed, but it does increase the chances of side effects like rough healing. A touchup may be warranted if your tattoo doesn't heal perfectly as a result- some people find this as an acceptable risk. There are no free touchups or free reschedules due to overuse of skin numbing.