Emla Numbing Cream (Without Dressing) 30g

Emla Numbing Cream (Without Dressing) 30g contains a unique combination of lidocaine and prilocaine, two local anaesthetic medicines. When applied to the skin, these active ingredients penetrate the superficial layers to block pain signals, creating a temporary numbing effect. While it significantly reduces pain, it's important to remember that it doesn't eliminate all sensations, such as pressure or touch.

This versatile numbing cream is widely used for a variety of purposes, making procedures more manageable. It's particularly beneficial for:

• Needle procedures: Such as injections, blood tests, or inserting IV lines.
• Minor skin operations: Providing comfort during small surgical interventions.
• Cosmetic procedures: Including laser hair removal, waxing, or tattooing (though dressings are typically required for application, which are not included with this product).
• Cleansing of leg ulcers: Aiding in the reduction of pain during necessary wound care.

At Weldricks Pharmacy, we understand the importance of accessible and effective pain management. Emla Numbing Cream (Without Dressing) 30g offers a reliable solution for preparing your skin, ensuring a smoother and less painful experience. For further guidance on pain relief, explore our comprehensive Pain Relief category.

Emla Numbing Cream (Without Dressing) 30g works by numbing the surface of the skin for a short time. It is a topical anaesthetic applied to the skin before certain medical procedures. Emla Cream helps to stop pain, however it does not stop all sensations of pressure and touch.

It can be used to numb the skin before:

• Having a needle put in (for example, if you are having an injection or a blood test).
• Minor skin operations.
• Some types of skin graft.
• Cleansing and debridement of leg ulcers.

It can also be used on adults to numb the genitals before:

• Having an injection.
• Medical procedures such as removal of warts.

A doctor or nurse should supervise the use of Emla Cream on the genitals.

Where to put the cream, how much to use and how long to leave it on for will depend on what it is needed for. Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will put the cream on or show you how to do it yourself. If applying the cream yourself, before you do you must get dressings from your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to use with Emla, as this product is supplied without them.

When Emla Cream is used on the genitals, a doctor or nurse should supervise its use.

Adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over:

• Use on the skin before small procedures (such as having a needle put in or minor skin operations): The cream is put on to the skin in a thick layer. Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will tell you where to put it. The usual dose is 2g applied for 1 to 5 hours under a dressing.
• Use on the skin before hospital procedures (such as split-skin grafting) that require deeper skin anaesthesia: The usual dose is 1.5 g to 2 g of cream for each area of skin that is 10 cm² (10 square centimetres) in size, applied for 2 to 5 hours under a dressing.
• Use on larger areas of newly shaven skin before outpatient procedures (such as hair removal techniques): The usual dose is 1.5 g of cream for each area of skin that is 10 cm² (10 square centimetres) in size, applied for 1 to 5 hours under a dressing.
• Use on genital skin before injections of local anaesthetics (adult men only): The usual dose is 1 g of cream for each area of skin that is 10 cm² (10 square centimetres) in size, applied for 15 minutes under a dressing.
• Use on genital skin before minor skin surgery (such as removal of warts for adults only): The usual dose is 5 g to 10 g of cream applied for 10 minutes with no dressing. The medical procedure should then start immediately.
• Use on leg ulcers before cleaning or debridement: The usual dose is 1-2g of cream for each area of skin that is 10 cm² up to a total of 10 g. The cream is put on under an airtight dressing such as plastic wrap. This is done for 30 to 60 minutes before the ulcer is to be cleansed. Remove the cream with cotton gauze and start cleansing without delay. Emla Cream can be used before cleansing of leg ulcers for up to 15 times over a period of 1 - 2 months.

Children:

• Use on the skin before small procedures (such as having a needle put in or minor skin operations): Application time: approx. 1 hour.
• Newborn infants and infants under the age of 3 months: Up to 1 g of cream on a skin area not larger than 10 square centimetres in size. Application time: 1 hour, not more. Only one single dose should be given in any 24 hour period.
• Infants aged 3-12 months: Up to 2 g of cream on a total skin area not larger than 20 square centimetres in size. Application time: approx 1 hour, maximum 4 hours.
• Children aged 1-6 years: Up to 10 g of cream on a total skin area not larger than 100 square centimetres in size. Application time: approx 1 hour, maximum 5 hours.
• Children aged 7-11 years: Up to 20 g of cream on a total skin area not larger than 200 square centimetres in size. Application time: approx 1 hour, maximum 5 hours.

A maximum of 2 doses at least 12 hours apart may be given to children over 3 months of age in any 24 hour period.

Emla Cream can be used on children with a skin condition called “atopic dermatitis”. The application time is then 30 minutes.

Measuring the dose: Cream applied to a circular area with a diameter of about 18 mm (a 1 pence coin) and depth of about 5 mm is equal to 1g of Emla Cream. Alternatively, a line of cream of about 3.5 cm squeezed from the 30g tube is equal to 1g of cream.

When you apply the cream, it is very important to exactly follow these instructions:

1. 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.
2. Peel the ‘centre cut-out’ from the dressing (if using one).
3. Peel the paper layer from the dressing.
4. Remove the covers of the dressing. Then place the dressing carefully over the mound of cream. Do not spread the cream under the dressing.
5. Remove the plastic backing. Smooth down the edges of the dressing carefully. Then leave it in place for at least 60 minutes.
6. 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).

Do not use Emla Numbing Cream (Without Dressing) 30g if:

• You are allergic (hypersensitive) to lidocaine, prilocaine or any of the other ingredients of Emla Cream.

Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before using Emla Numbing Cream (Without Dressing) 30g if:

• You or your child are anaemic (a blood problem which means you have too few red blood cells).
• You or your child have a rare inherited illness that affects the blood called ‘glucose-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency’.
• You or your child have a problem with blood pigment levels called ‘methaemoglobinaemia’.
• You or your child have a skin condition called ‘atopic dermatitis’. The cream may need to be put on the skin for a shorter time, as longer application times (over 30 minutes) may increase the incidence of local skin reaction.
• Your child is a pre-term newborn infant.
• Your child is younger than 12 months and is being treated at the same time with other medicines that affect blood pigment levels ‘methaemoglobinaemia’.
• You take particular products for heart rhythm disorders (class III antiarrhythmics, such as amiodarone). Your doctor will monitor your heart function in this case.

Do not use Emla Numbing Cream (Without Dressing) 30g on the following areas:

• Cuts, grazes or wounds, excluding leg ulcers.
• Where there is a skin rash or eczema (unless supervised by a healthcare professional for atopic dermatitis).
• In or near the eyes. If Emla Cream accidentally gets into your eye, rinse well with lukewarm water or salt solution immediately. Be careful to avoid getting anything in your eye until feeling returns.
• Inside the nose, ear, or mouth.
• In the back passage (anus).
• On the genitals of children.
• On an impaired eardrum.
• On an area of newly shaven skin larger than 600 cm² (e.g., 30 cm by 20 cm). The maximum dose is 60g.

Other important information:

• Avoid getting Emla Cream in your eyes, as it may cause irritation.
• If Emla Cream is accidentally swallowed, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse straight away.
• If you use more Emla Cream than recommended, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse straight away, even if you do not feel any symptoms. Symptoms of overdose can include feeling light-headed or dizzy, tingling around the mouth, numb tongue, abnormal taste, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, and in serious cases, bluish-grey skin due to lack of oxygen (‘acute methaemoglobinaemia’), fits, low blood pressure, slowed or stopped breathing, and altered heartbeat, which can be life-threatening.

Other Medicines and Emla Cream:

Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking, or have recently taken, any other medicines. This includes medicines that you buy without a prescription and herbal medicines. This is because Emla Cream can affect the way some medicines work and some medicines can have an effect on Emla Cream. In particular, tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you or your child have recently used or been given any of the following medicines:

• Medicines called ‘sulphonamides’ such as sulfamethoxazole.
• Other local anaesthetics.
• Medicines to treat an uneven heart beat, such as mexiletine or amiodarone.

Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Fertility:

Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before using Emla Cream if you are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. The active substances (lidocaine and prilocaine) are passed into breast milk, but the amount is typically too small to pose a risk to the child.

Important information about some ingredients:

• Emla Cream contains polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, which may cause skin reactions.

Possible Side Effects

Like all medicines, Emla Numbing Cream (Without Dressing) 30g can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following side effects bother you or do not seem to go away, or if you notice any other side effects not listed.

Severe allergic reactions (rare, affect less than 1 in 1,000 people):

If you have a severe allergic reaction, stop using Emla Cream and see a doctor straight away. Signs may include sudden onset of:

• Rash
• Feeling short of breath
• Low blood pressure (may make you feel faint or dizzy)
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body.

If the skin becomes bluish-grey due to a lack of oxygen, see a doctor straight away.

Other possible side effects:

• Common (affect up to 1 in 10 people):
  • Transient local skin reactions (paleness, redness, swelling) in the treated area. This usually goes away after a short time.
  • An initially mild sensation of burning, itching, or warmth where the cream was applied (common on genital mucosa).
• Uncommon (affect less than 1 in 100 people):
  • A mild burning or itching sensation when the cream is put on the skin.
  • A tingling feeling where the cream was applied (on genital mucosa).
  • Irritation of the treated skin during treatment of leg ulcers.
• Rare (affect less than 1 in 1,000 people):
  • Mild allergic reactions (rash or swelling).
  • Small red dots on the skin where the cream was applied (more likely in children with skin problems like ‘atopic dermatitis’ or ‘mollusca’).
  • Eye irritation after accidental contact.

Storage and Disposal

• Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
• Do not store above 30°C and do not freeze.
• Do not use after the expiry date shown on the tube.
• Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines you no longer need; this helps protect the environment.

• Active Substances: 25 mg of lidocaine and 25 mg of prilocaine per gram of cream.
• Other Ingredients: Polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, Carbomer 974P, sodium hydroxide, and purified water.