Oh the pain!

Hi! Please help out the chicken of the century! I have this small passing out/throwing up/keeling over dead issue with blood, pain and well, anything that goes along with it. No matter how much I try to talk myself through something like this, I pass out no matter what. I have a very small tattoo on my stomach, and one would think I was getting a whole body tat done by the way I carried on. In 2 weeks I am getting a med sized tattoo that is beautiful to me and will take about 1.5 hrs to complete. This might as well be 1.5 years. Is there anything I can do mentally to get through this, and is there anything topical I can put on the area that will be tattooed to not have it be as painful? I really don't want to be a pain in the ass for the artist! Thanks!

I dont know of anything you can put on the body to not have pain when getting a tattoo. I got many and i said that when i got one that hurt that would be the last. As of now i have 24 tattoos. Not sure this was of any help or not.

What you can do is take about 2 or 3 Vicodin and maybe 1/2 a xanex, of course that is if you have a script for them.........and they do have a topical lotion that you can apply to your skin, its basically a type of lidocaine. If you goto your doc i bet he can help you with the nervousness, same as going get a script of xanex for a plane trip. hope this helps

go to the artist explain your fears over this tell the artist you would like some topical lotion to desensetize the pain they have a product actually a couple of them but be warned when using some of these it does prohibit the healing process some and may make them scab up some more than usual talk to the artist well before you get the tattoo tell the artist your fears and such see if they can set up a telivision for you or somethimng you can really focus on also see if the artist would mind if you brought a cd player with you and listen to some music while being tattoed i had a client the same way passed right the hell out on the floor when i ran a small line got him together pluged in the tele and did the tattoo without a problem fininshed the tattoo and he said wow already but its not even half time keep a communication going on with the artist over your fear maybe see if you can take a friend to talk to while you get the tattoo done something to keep your mind off it best of luck

you have been given some very good ideas . best of luck.

While I agree with most everything told to you, don't take the drugs. Perhaps the Xanex, but any other perscription pain "relievers" can, when it comes to a tattoo, FOCUS your pain on that tattoo and make the experience much worse for you. The best advice that you have been given was to take a friend with you. In my husband and my shop, he is the artist and I am the moral support. My job is to talk people through their tattoo. (I am also a brander and piercer and I do the books, so I am not totally useless to the shop!) We have one client, who is also a dear friend of mine, who will not be tattooed unless I am there to talk to her because she cannot handle the pain of it. When I talk to her, she focuses on our conversation and only realizes that she is gettin g tattooed right at the beginning and maybe once or twice throughout. Having that morale there with you can be the most helpful thing for you. Keeps your spirits high and your attention focused away from the pain.

Thanks very much for the tips! My fiance will be coming with me, and he is getting one done after mine. I'll ask him to talk my ear off. Unfortunatly for him, I told him he could find me at Starbucks down the street when he is done! He has no issues though, and is supportive of my "condition". :-) I have chosen to go to New Tribe in Toronto. If anyone has any experiences with them, please share.

best of luck to you and wishing you a good time and that your tattoo comes out and will be something you are proud to wear the rest of your life.

there is a topical cream called EMLA. It's only available by prescription in the states but can be ordered from canandian pharmacies easily online. It takes a little effort to get the desired effect (it has to be applied 1-2 hours before the tattoo and covered with plastic wrap). The numbing lasts anywhere from 1-2 hours which should be just enough for the size tattoo you want. I've read a lot of different opinions about the cream but in my experience it definitely gave the desired effect. Some people will also tell you you don't deserve the tat if you can't take the pain but i say if you don't have to be in pain, why do it? just make sure you talk to your artist about whatever measures u decide to take. They will know best.

Just a tip: I bought the EMLA today. No prescription needed. It was $50. Later!