EMLA cream for tattooing?

I am looking in getting a fair sized piece running down my ankle and almost the full top of my foot. Would EMLA cream work well on these areas even though it is mainly skin to bone?


Also anyone with a foot tattoo, I regulairly need to wear running shoes and would this affect my tattoo short and long term after getting it done?

EMLA cream for tattooing?
Lidocaine/prilocaine work best on mucous membranes and will be effective only after they're begun tattooing you since then your skin's integrity will have been disturbed by the tattooing needle. But yes, EMLA cream is used for especially painful tattoos. A friend had it applied when he was getting his stomach tattooed.


Any kind of friction on a fresh tattoo (in your case the friction caused by your running shoes rubbing against your skin) tends to damage the tattoo while it's still in the healing process. This is so because your skin can't stay moisturized then, scabs form and those scabs pull the fresh ink out of your skin. Maybe find a temporary work-out alternative such as yoga where you can still get some cardio in but won't have to wear shoes. Since it's summertime, you can wear flip flops for a couple of weeks while the tat heals.





P.S.: A%26amp;D ointment is what you use for the first 3 days of the healing process AFTER you get your tattoo. It offers no desensitizing benefits.
Reply:I've heard A%26amp;D Diaper Ointment actually works really well for tattoos.
Reply:the only thing emla would do is numb it but make sure u put it on and wait anywhere from 30 mins to a hour
Reply:EMLA cream would work, but only if you use it properly. You have to rub it on the area you are going to get tattooed at least 30 minutes prior to the tattooing. Wrap it in some kind of dressing, so it will absorb into the skin. A good dressing is one called Tegaderm.


Good luck
Reply:I wouldn't recommend numbing it just because you don't know how it will react with A) your skin. B) the inks. Where I volunteer at, we recommend triple antibiotic A%26amp;D. Keep it light, but keep it constantly moist. Where ever you get your work done, though, follow through with what THEY tell you. They should give you written and verbal instructions on how to care for it and what to expect. As to running shoes, just tie it a little loser, be diligent with the after care creams, and DON"T SLEEP IN A SOCK THE FIRST NIGHT. You'll wake up and take half the tattoo off with the sock.
Reply:I've tried EMLA and LMX for tattoos and neither really did much to reduce the pain, even with pre-application 45 minutes prior and re-application during the tattoo. Topicaine DID work well for me, plus it's a water-based gel rather than a cream. Apply 30-45 minutes before your appointment, then re-apply when you take a break (like between outline and shading, shading and color). Leave it on for about 5-10 minutes before starting up again.





I don't have any foot tattoos, so no advice to offer there, sorry! You might try a very smooth-textured sock to avoid the lint that often sheds off your average cotton sock.