TOPICAL ANAESTHETICS
FOR COSMETIC TATTOOING
Cosmetic tattooists must adhere to legal requirements for the supply and use of topical anaesthetics.
To ensure a more comfortable cosmetic tattooing procedure, you can consider using Numit, a widely recognized over-the-counter numbing cream. Numit contains 5% active ingredients, which can help reduce pain during the process.
How To prepare an Anaesthetic cream?
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Visit any local pharmacy, as Numit is commonly available there.
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Request a 10g tube of Numit from the pharmacy staff. They will assist you in locating and purchasing the product.
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Double-check the packaging to confirm that the numbing cream contains 5% active ingredients.
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Complete your purchase at the pharmacy counter and ensure you have the 10g tube of Numit in your possession.
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On the day of your appointment, remember to bring the Numit cream with you.
How To Arrange A Script For Our Anaesthetic?
(You must prepare this numbing cream for your lip tattooing procedure)
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Download the form from Clinicare Compounding Pharmacy Baldivis.
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Contact Clinicare Compounding Pharmacy (08) 9523 2274 to place an order
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Make the payment for the numbing creams.
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You have the option to either have the cream posted to you or arrange a pick-up.
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Once you have received the cream, please bring it with you to your appointment.
To ensure timely delivery, please take into account the estimated 3-day delivery time when opting for the postal service. It is important to consider your appointment schedule and place your order for the creams accordingly. This will ensure that you receive the creams before your scheduled appointment.
ANAESTHETICS AND REGULATION IN AUSTRALIA
Topical anaesthetics are controlled by federal and state & territory government regulation and cosmetic tattooists need be very careful what they use, and how it is supplied, is legal. Health authorities are now conducting audits of premises to check what is being used.
Topical anaesthetics are essential to keeping your clients as comfortable and pain-free as possible. This information is to help you understand what is currently safe and legal in Australia.
The main ingredients in topical anaesthetics can include one or more of the following: lidocaine (lignocaine), tetracaine, benzocaine, prilocaine and adrenaline (epinephrine). All these substances are regulated.
Topical anaesthetics with concentrations between 2 and 10% are classified under Schedule 2 of the Poisons Standard 2010 (and amendments). Topical anaesthetics containing epinephrine (adrenaline) in concentrations of 0.02 – 1% (used to stop bleeding and swelling) are classified under Schedule 3. Products with lower concentrations may also be regulated but are unlikely to have any significant anaesthetic effect during cosmetic tattooing procedures.
In addition to the Poisons Standard, topical anaesthetics are controlled under the Therapeutic Goods Act (1989). As topical anaesthetics are considered a ‘high risk’ product they are highly regulated and must be produced by a TGA-approved manufacturer. This can be identified by the ‘AUST R’ number. If your topical anaesthetic does not have an AUST R number or was not made by a compounding pharmacist it is illegal to use within Australia. This really limits your options, with a few weaker topical anaesthetics (less than 5%) being TGA-approved. EMLA is one of these.