A little more about Emla 5% numbing cream 30g (lidocaine / prilocaine)
Emla 5% numbing cream 30g (lidocaine / prilocaine): Things you need to know
What is Emla Cream?
Emla Cream 5% is a topical anaesthetic cream containing lidocaine and prilocaine. It works by numbing the surface of the skin locally for a short time before certain medical or skin procedures, helping to reduce pain. Each gram of Emla Cream contains 25mg of lidocaine and 25mg of prilocaine.
Emla can be used before procedures involving needles, such as injections and blood tests, as well as before certain minor skin procedures. The cream is applied in a thick layer on intact skin, covered with a suitable dressing until shortly before the procedure.
Can you buy Emla cream over the counter?
Yes. Emla Cream 5% is a Pharmacy (P) medicine, which means it can be purchased without a prescription but must be supplied by a pharmacy. A pharmacist may need to check that Emla is suitable for you before it is supplied.
When Emla Cream is applied to intact skin for 1 to 2 hours, the numbing effect lasts for at least 2 hours after the dressing is removed.
Ingredients in Emla Cream:
The active ingredients are: lidocaine and prilocaine
1 g cream contains: 25 mg lidocaine and 25 mg prilocaine.
The other ingredients include carbomers, macrogolglycerol hydroxystearate, sodium hydroxide for pH adjustment, and purified water.
When can Emla Cream be used?
Emla Cream can be used to numb the skin before:
Having a needle put in, such as for an injection or blood test
Vaccinations and jabs involving needle insertion
Certain dermal procedures
Certain procedures involving the genital skin or genital mucosa in adults and adolescents over 12, when applied by a healthcare professional
Cleansing or removal of damaged skin from leg ulcers in adults, under the supervision of a doctor or nurse
How do I use Emla Cream?
Always read the information provided on the box and/or leaflet.
Squeeze the cream into a mound where it is needed on your skin (for example, where the needle is going to be put in) Do not rub the cream in.
Peel the paper layer from the ‘centre cut-out’ of the non-adhesive side of the dressing (leaving a frame of paper).
Remove the cover of the adhesive side of the dressing.
Place the dressing carefully over the mound of cream. Do not spread the cream under the dressing.
Remove the paper backing. Smooth down the edges of the dressing carefully. Then leave it in place for at least 60 minutes if the skin has not been damaged. The cream should not be left in place for more than 60 minutes in children under 3 months or for more than 30 minutes in children with an itchy skin condition called ‘atopic dermatitis’. If the cream is used on the genitals or on ulcers, shorter application times may be used.
Your doctor or nurse will take the dressing off and remove the cream just before they do the medical procedure (for example, just before the needle is put in).
For alternative uses, including use before hospital procedures, mollusca removal, use on genitals or leg ulcers, please see the leaflet.
Possible Side Effects:
If you have any severe side effects, stop use immediately and seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
Using EMLA Cream
Where to put the cream, how much to use and how long to leave it on will depend on what it is used for. Half a 5 g tube corresponds to about 2 g EMLA Cream. One gram of EMLA Cream pressed out of a tube of 30g is approximately 3.5 cm.
EMLA Cream should be used on the genitals only by a doctor or nurse.
When EMLA Cream is used on leg ulcers, a doctor or nurse should supervise its use.
Do not use EMLA Cream on the following areas:
Cuts, grazes or wounds, excluding leg ulcers.
Where there is a skin rash or eczema.
In or near the eyes.
Inside the nose, ear or mouth.
In the back passage (anus).
On the genitals of children.
Persons frequently applying or removing cream should ensure that contact is avoided in order to prevent the development of hypersensitivity.
Symptoms of using too much EMLA Cream are listed below. These symptoms are unlikely to happen if EMLA Cream is used as recommended.
Feeling light-headed or dizzy.
Tingling of the skin around the mouth and numbness of the tongue.
Abnormal taste.
Blurred vision.
Ringing in the ears.
There is also a risk of ‘acute methaemoglobinaemia’ (a problem with blood pigment levels). This is more likely when certain medicines have been taken at the same time. If this happens, the skin becomes bluish-grey due to a lack of oxygen.
In serious cases of overdose, symptoms may include fits, low blood pressure, slowed breathing, stopped breathing and an altered heartbeat. These effects may be life-threatening.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
If you experience any of the following effects while you are using EMLA Cream, stop using it and check with your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible:
Allergic reactions, which in rare cases may develop into anaphylactic shock (skin rash, swelling, fever, respiratory difficulties and fainting) during treatment of skin, genital mucosa or leg ulcers.
Methaemoglobinaemia (blood disorder), which in rare cases may develop during treatment of the skin, and may cause signs and symptoms of hypoxaemia (abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood). Methaemoglobinaemia is more frequently observed, often in connection with overdose, in newborn infants and infants aged 0 to 12 months.
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Transient local skin reactions (paleness, redness, swelling) in the treated area during treatment of skin, genital mucosa or leg ulcers.
An initially mild sensation of burning, itching or warmth at the treated area during treatment of genital mucosa or leg ulcers.
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
An initially mild sensation of burning, itching or warmth at the treated area during treatment of the skin.
Numbness (tingling) in the treated area during treatment of genital mucosa.
Irritation of the treated skin during treatment of leg ulcers.
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
Small dot-shaped bleeding on the treated area (particularly on children with eczema after longer application times) during treatment of the skin.
Irritation of the eyes if EMLA Cream accidentally comes into contact with them during treatment of the skin.
Frequency not known
Chemical burns to the eyes if EMLA accidentally comes into contact with them during treatment.
