Emla Cream is used as a local anaesthetic (i.e. for pain relief) on the skin prior to procedures. These procedures may include taking blood samples, skin grafting, cleaning leg ulcers or inserting intravenous catheters. Emla Cream is a mixture of two local anaesthetics, lignocaine and prilocaine. These local anaesthetics are combined with special agents which allow the products to pass through the skin. Once through the skin the numbing effect they produce allows minor surgical procedures to be done without you feeling any pain. However you may still experience sensations such as pressure and touch in this area. Emla Cream is not addictive. This product is available in different sizes and as a cream in a tube or as patches.

Be sure to follow the instructions in the pack on how to apply Emla Cream carefully.

Apply a thick layer of Emla Cream to the skin under an airtight dressing such as Tegaderm or plastic food wrap.

Adults: For minor skin procedures (e.g. needle insertion and surgical treatment) apply approximately ½ tube (2 g) for a minimum of 1 hour, maximum 5 hours. For larger procedures (e.g. skin grafting) apply 1.5-2 g/10 cm² for a minimum of 2 hours, maximum 5 hours.

Children: Minor skin procedures (e.g. needle insertion and surgical treatment), apply approximately 1 g/10cm², application time approximately 1 hour.

Neonates under the age of 3 months: Apply up to 1 g of Cream on a skin area no larger than 10 cm².

Infants between 3 and 11 months of age: Apply up to 2 g of Cream on a total skin area of no larger than 20 cm². Application time approximately 1 hour and not more than 4 hours.

Children between 1-5 years: Apply up to 10 g of Cream on a skin area no larger than 100 cm³.

Children between 6-11 years: Apply up to 20 g of Cream on a total skin area no larger than 200 cm².

Leg ulcers in adults: Apply a thick layer of Cream approximately 1-2 g/10 cm² up to a total of 10 g to the leg ulcer. Cover with an air-tight dressing. The application time should be at least 30 minutes, but up to 60 minutes may improve the anaesthesia further. Cleansing should start without delay after the removal of the Cream. Remove the Cream with cotton gauze.

Lignocaine 2.5% / Prilocaine 2.5%

The use of Emla cream is contraindicated in patients with congenital or idiopathic methaemoglobinaemia or known hypersensitivity to local anaesthetics. Emla cream should not be applied to open wounds other than leg ulcers. When applied near the eyes, Emla Cream should be used with particular care since it causes corneal irritation. The safety of Emla Cream during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established.