Lidocaine cream and acetaminophen (US Tylenol) for tattoos

[properjambon]

Anyone have any experience of using a numbing cream or oral painkiller before tattoos?

Anyone?

Nope, just had them done.

needs to be put on at least 2 hrs before, cover with cling film. Make sure you have a sugary drink or load up on carbs beforehand. As for painkillers, depends where it is getting done

Unless you're having it done somewhere REALLY sensitive, it's not that painful, unless you're getting a massive piece when the pain tends to build up?
A couple of ibuprofen before you start should be fine?

My tattooist said absolutely not to use pain killers or numbing cream.

Speak to your tattoo artist and see what their advice is (mine gave me a list of do and don'ts a week beforehand)

Nope, I just had them done. I've not had that much done - 4 tattoos - but I've not found them to be bad enough to require pain relief.