Painless Tattoos?

Is it possible to get a painless tattoo?

We think we're getting really close!

At Addicted 2 Tattoos, we have several options to help make your tattoo experience as painless as possible. Below you will find the many alternatives we now make available. We think this is important, especially in light of so many people who come in to our studio wanting their first tattoo (we do after all cater to women and first timers!)

And, wouldn't you just know it, it seems the most popular places right now for tattoos are also some of the most painful areas to get tattoos. Like the ribs, the feet, on the fingers, the chest, the upper thigh. And just between you and me, I often feel really sorry for people who want their first tattoo on their ribs or underarms. Because I know how badly it hurts in these areas. Maybe that's the reason I personally don't have any ink on my ribs or underarms (except a tiny band that goes all the way around my underarm.)

As much ink as I personally have, when I was getting the band under my arm, my artist insisted we stop and break the tattoo into two sessions, because like many, I thought I could take the pain, but when my ears started filling with cotton, my vision became tunnel vision, and the artist remarked how cold my skin had gotten and how white my face had gotten, he insisted we stop before I passed out.

Don't get me wrong, I did the tattoo with no pain relievers, and I was willing to go through the entire tattoo in one sitting, but my body had other ideas. Totally out of my control, I felt betrayed by my physical reaction to the pain.

And, so through my years as a tattoo artist I've often investigated what can help with the pain of getting a tattoo.

 I think it is every client's right to be offered the opportunity to relieve some or as much as possible of the pain to get a tattoo if they choose this course of action. I totally understand that some people actually like the pain of getting tattooed, and because of the
Dopamine released from the pain, find the whole experience pleasurable and rewarding to them personally. But, not everyone feels that way. And the old adage of 'you must earn the tattoo by the pain you go through to get it' seems really out of date with
modern tattoo artists who choose to keep up with modern advances in the tattoo industry.

Relieving the pain is a modern approach to tattooing. The products we offer do not interfere with the healing of the tattoo, and take nothing away from the tattoo experience except some or most of the pain. So, it's your choice if you want a less painful tattoo. There is no disgrace in that attitude.

With all this in mind, here are the products we are currently carrying and recommending to our clients who want less pain during a tattoo.

pain relieving pre-tattoo drink1. Vicozen (name change to Vivazen, but couldn't find a picture yet) ($15) this is a drink like a power shot. But, unlike a power shot, it does not energize you, but rather relieves pain. It is made of all natural ingredients, including kratom. We've heard from clients who have tried kratom alone, and also used Vicozen. Their comments are that the Vicozen works better. Being all natural, the FDA has no involvement with this product. It is advised to shake the product well before drinking, and drink it down fast with perhaps a water chaser due to a somewhat bitter aftertaste. It takes 10 to 40 minutes to work. Typically clients find relief in approx. 20 minutes. It lasts up to 4 hours. It does not mess with your head (you don't get any type of 'buzz' from drinking it, something that is common with power shots). We have several clients who purchase the product for pain relief even though they are not getting a tattoo. This leads me to believe this product actually does work to reduce pain, as many of the clients are regular, repeat purchasers of the product.

I, personally, have tried the product and found that it does relieve pain, not as effectively as say a prescription medication, but just made me feel comfortable and able to relax. The manufacturers of this product suggest it be used for pain relief, temporary or chronic; relaxing sore muscles; intensifying intimate moments; and 'kicking back after a stressful day'.

We are doing our best to keep this product on hand at all times, but due to the high demand for the product, we do sometimes run out.

2. PowerNumb ($50 - 30 gram tube or $20 - 10 gram tube) is a pre-tattoo ointment that contains 5% lidocaine. Lidocaine is like Novocain that dentists use to numb your mouth before treatment, but this product is intended to make the  skin surface numb and it does not have to be injected with a needle, but rather applied to the surface area where the tattoo will be placed. It is recommended that the area be cleaned with soap and water or alcohol
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before use. A thick layer of the product is applied to the skin and then the skin is occluded. (This means putting a layer of plastic wrap - what you use to keep leftovers from spoiling so fast in the fridge - cover the entire area and seal the edges well all the way around with tape that will stick to the skin. tattoo-skin-numbing-pre-treatmentBy keeping air from getting to the area, the
ointment won't evaporate and the heat from the body activates the main ingredients. Apply this product approx. 1-1/2 to 2 hours before the tattoo is begun. Make sure your artist cleans the product thoroughly off the surface of the skin because it is intended
for topical use only, not to be injected into the skin by the tattoo needle.

This product is 5% Lidocaine and 5% Prilocaine for fast action and rapid absorption. It utilizes Vitamin E Acetate to enhance recovery of the skin.

(In the past we carried Dr. Numb, but have discontinued the product because the manufacturers have changed the formula of the product and it no longer contains prilocaine. We feel the combination of prilocaine and lidocaine provides the best pain relief for our clients and will continue to stay on top of the market for the product and introduce new products as they become available.)

This product has also proved to be extremely popular. Yes, we know the price is rather high, and there are other similar products available which cost less, but we keep coming back to a strong product like Power Numb because it works so very well. We do occasionally make other lidocaine pre-tattoo ointments available just so our clients know we are trying to offer products that are less expensive, but we've run into problems with some products expiring after just a couple of months. So we try to select the best available products for our clients.

We do run out of this product sometimes, because it is costly (for us to purchase) and has been so popular. We are doing our level best to always have a pre-tattoo numbing product that works on hand.

5% lidocaine creme used during tattoo process for reducing pain3. Vasolcaine ($5 - $10 per application). This is a new product for us, but so far client feedback is positive. You know how a tattoo artist will use Vaseline to 'lube' your skin so the needles slide easier into the skin? This product is like that except it contains 5% lidocaine. It does not work on unbroken skin (pre-tattooing) but does seem to help during the tattoo process. Again, the product is expensive for us to purchase, so we are making it available on an 'as-needed' basis for clients. Unlike the Betacaine that we previously used and made available, the alcohol content of this product is minimal, so the initial burning sensation is a great deal less. When using this product, you will feel the initial needles piercing your skin surface as the tattoo is started, but once this product has been applied, the pain is greatly lessened. It is not recommended to be used at the
beginning of a tattoo session until the stencil has been completed by outlining. If the stencil is ruined by the use of this product, it might not be possible to recover the design and complete it correctly. Once the stencil/outlining work is completed, then this product works well.

high quality ink with lidocaine for less painfull tattooshigh quality ink with lidocaine for less painfull tattooshigh quality ink with lidocaine for less painfull tattoos4. Painless Tattoo Ink ($150 per hour for use of this ink due to the cost of the ink.) This is something totally new and we are still determining if we like how all the inks work. Presently, we have available only a limited number of colors (red, orange, yellow, white, med. purple, darker purple, sky blue, grass green, and black outlining ink). The company makes a triple black, but we are finding it much more difficult to get full coverage using this ink, so we may not be offering this in the future. All other inks work similar to non-lidocaine inks. We have had the opportunity to try this ink on several clients, and the strongest effect seems to be felt by the outlining of the tattoo. The lidocaine enters the body at the same time as the ink, and quickly disperses
into nearby skin giving a positive numbing experience. Additional use of the other inks increases the effect up to a point. Healing is not affected by the ink and if proper aftercare instructions are followed, the tattoos heal to the same level of brightness and clarity as non-lidocaine inks.

**A word of caution about using lidocaine products. If you have a heart condition, it is advised that you speak to your physician about using lidocaine before requesting its use on your skin. Lidocaine products can increase heart rate if used in abundance, or if you have a sensitivity to lidocaine.


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We're here to not only give you a great tattoo, but to try to make it a memorable experience with less pain!

Come see us today to discuss you ideas and get started on your next tattoo.

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