You must have seen tattoo artists using this cream and beauty salons recommending it. TKTX numbing cream has built a reputation online, mostly through word of mouth publicity. But before you order a tube, you should know what is actually inside it and what the rules say about using it in Australia.
What Is TKTX Numbing Cream
TKTX is a topical numbing cream that covers a wide range of products, usually colour-coded by strength. Green, red, gold, and black boxes all claim different levels of numbing. However, this inconsistency can be a problem for buyers when choosing a particular tube. Two tubes with the same name can list different ingredients depending on where they came from.
Ingredients You Should Know About
In most cases, TKTX contains lidocaine as its active anesthetic ingredient. In some cases, TKTX may contain prilocaine or tetracaine. Lidocaine works to numb you by blocking nerve signals from being sent out from your nerve endings.
How to Use It
TKTX numbing cream should be applied to clean skin about 40 to 60 minutes before the tattoo session. A thick layer, covered with cling wrap, is the common method used to trap warmth and help absorption into the upper layers of skin. Application timing also matters. Applying it too early will cause the numbing effect to fade before the process starts. While applying it too late will force you to wait for too long until the artist is ready to work.
Safety Notes Worth Taking Seriously
Highly potent topical anesthetic medications pose significant dangers when improperly used. As the amount of cream applied increases, the amount of medication that enters the body through the skin will increase correspondingly. Extremely potent topical anesthetics have been known to cause serious side effects such as arrhythmia, convulsions, and even death in some instances.
A few things you should do regardless of which product you choose:
- Patch test a small area 24 hours before use
- Keep the application to the area being tattooed, not your whole arm or back.
- Avoid broken, irritated, or sunburnt skin.
- Do not cover with plastic for longer than the instructions say
- Stop immediately if you notice dizziness, numbness beyond the treated area, or a racing pulse.
Pregnant women, people with heart or liver conditions, and anyone on certain medications should talk to a doctor first. Your tattoo artist is not a medical professional, even if they sell the cream at the counter.
A Practical Take Before You Buy
While many individuals have no issues when using TKTX, this should not necessarily be taken to mean that it is the safest or most predictable substance. When searching for a reliable numbing cream, ensure that the cream in question has a valid TGA certification, accurate percentage information, and is manufactured by an Australian company. Remember to read the label on the box carefully.
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