Introduction
For many of us, having any surgical or cosmetic procedure done is enough to make our skin crawl. But what if there was a way to make the whole process much less painful? Enter skin-numbing cream.
What is Skin Numbing Cream?
Skin numbing cream is a topical anesthetic. It works by temporarily numbing the area of your skin that it’s applied. It can also be helpful for several cosmetic and surgical procedures.
Dermatologists often find skin-numbing creams helpful for treatments like laser hair removal and microdermabrasion. The same goes for aestheticians performing facial waxes. And for those who get regular manicures and pedicures, your technician often uses a numbing cream before starting the work.
That’s because numbing the skin makes pushing back cuticles and removing calluses easier—tasks that would otherwise be quite painful.
But numbing cream isn’t just for beauty treatments; it can also be helpful for people who have to undergo more invasive procedures, like tattoo removal or laser surgery. In these cases, numbing the area beforehand can help minimize discomfort during and after the procedure.
How Does Skin Numbing Cream Work?
Skin numbing cream contains an active ingredient called lidocaine. Lidocaine is an anesthetic that blocks nerve signals from reaching the brain, preventing you from feeling pain in the treated area.
Most over-the-counter numbing creams contain between 2% and 5% lidocaine. But depending on the procedure you’re having done, your doctor may prescribe a more potent cream with higher concentrations of lidocaine—up to 10%.
Conclusion:
Whether you’re getting a tattoo removed or undergoing laser surgery, there’s no doubt that skin-numbing cream can help minimize discomfort during and after your procedure. So if you’re looking for a way to make your subsequent cosmetic treatment less painful, ask your doctor or technician about using skin numbing cream.
