DIY Numbing Gel: Pain Relief for Piercings & Tattoos | Expert Guide

Numbing gel is used to avoid pain. A numbing gel --- also called a topical anesthetic --- can be used to deaden the pain of the needle passing through skin during ear or body piercings. Likewise, a numbing gel can be used before getting a tattoo so the scraping of the needle over the skin won't hurt so bad. You can buy a numbing gel from a drugstore, or take a little bit of time and make one yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Red chili peppers
• Aloe Vera gel
• Container with lid
• Bowl
• Mixing spoon

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Instructions

• 1

  Measure one cup of aloe vera gel and pour it into the bowl. Use clear aloe vera so you can see when it gets a tint from the peppers. Avoid colored gels.

• 2

  Chop 1 ounce of red chili peppers. Discard the stems but keep the rest of the pepper. The seeds have concentrated amounts of capsaicin, the active ingredient that gives peppers their pain-relieving ability.

• 3

  Mix the chopped chili peppers into the bowl with the gel. Keep mixing until you get a slight pink tint to the gel. If you don't get a pink tint, add more chopped chili peppers until you do.

• 4

  Put the gel mixture into a closed container and let sit so the peppers and gel can meld together. When needed, apply liberally to the area you wish to numb.