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Emla is a numbing cream, also known as a topical anaesthetic.

Emla can be used to numb the skin before medical needle procedures, tattoo application or removal, and certain cosmetic procedures involving needles or lasers. Emla is suitable for use by adults and children of any age, from full-term birth.

Emla needs to be applied about an hour in advance of the procedure to allow its numbing effect to work. If using Emla on your face, numbing may occur more quickly (approx. 30-60 mins). After Emla cream is removed, numbing usually lasts for at least 2 hours (this time may be shorter if using Emla on your face).

Emla contains two active ingredients, lidocaine and prilocaine, both of which are numbing substances. These active ingredients create Emla’s numbing effect. Emla also contains macrogolglycerol hydroxystearate, carbomer 974P, sodium hydroxide and purified water.

Like all medicines, Emla can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. A mild reaction (paleness or redness of the skin, slight puffiness, initial burning or itching) may occur at the site where Emla is used. This is normal and will disappear in a short while. Before using Emla, always check the Patient Information Leaflet and follow the instructions provided. If you experience any troublesome or unusual effects while you are using Emla, stop using it and check with your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible.
Side effects should be reported. Reporting forms and information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. Side effects can also be reported to Aspen Medical Information. Contact us via email: aspenmedinfo@professionalinformation.co.uk or by telephone: 0800 008 7392.

Emla cream is sterile until opened but it does not contain a preservative. Therefore, when applying to intact skin, we recommend that the cream is not used beyond 28 days of first opening and the opened pack is not used by more than one person.

UK-LIDP-00022. January 2022

Yes. Emla is indicated for use prior to needle procedures. This includes tattoos, which are applied to the skin with needles. Please note, Emla should be applied about an hour in advance of your procedure.

Yes. Emla is indicated for use prior to laser procedures. This includes laser procedures used to remove tattoos.

The 30g tube is suitable for numbing larger areas of skin. You should not use more than 60g of Emla (or two 30g tubes) during one tattoo session.

Emla’s numbing effect usually lasts at least 2 hours, so bear this in mind if you are planning a large/intricate tattoo or have a longer tattoo appointment. Remember, Emla usually takes about 1 hour to get to work, so make sure you apply it in advance. Emla can be left on the skin for up to 5 hours.

Emla should always be applied about 1 hour in advance of your tattoo session. Emla should never be applied to broken skin (i.e. to areas where needles have already pierced the skin).

Cover Emla cream with an air-tight, water-tight dressing or plastic wrap, so the active ingredients absorb into the skin and do not get wiped off. If the area to be numbed is too large for a dressing, some people cover the skin with cling film.

Emla is used by many people to numb the skin before tattoo application. Check in advance with your tattooist if you have any concerns.

Emla is available without prescription from the pharmacy counter in-store or from UK-registered online pharmacies. Pharmacists must oversee all purchases of Emla and apply their own professional judgment as to the suitability of the medicine for each person. In general, Emla is indicated for use prior to needle or laser procedures. Tattoo application and removal are just examples of the needle or laser procedures that Emla may be used for.

You can have Emla delivered to your door by buying online from the UK-registered pharmacies listed on our website – visit www.emla.co.uk/where-to-buy/

UK-LIDP-00055. January 2022

Yes. Emla is for use prior to cosmetic procedures that involve needles or lasers. This includes procedures such as cosmetic injections, microblading, microneedling and laser hair removal.

Emla usually takes about an hour to get to work, but it may be quicker (approx. 30-60 mins) on the face.

This may vary depending on the procedure and the clinic. If you know you want to use Emla, it is worth checking with your practitioner in advance of your appointment.

Emla's numbing effect usually lasts at least 2 hours, so bear this in mind if you have a longer cosmetic appointment. The numbing effect can be a shorter duration when used on the face.

The 30g tube is suitable for numbing larger areas of skin. You should not use more than 60g of Emla (or two 30g tubes) during one laser hair removal session.

Cover Emla cream with an air-tight, water-tight dressing or plastic wrap, so the active ingredients absorb into the skin and do not get wiped off. If the area to be numbed is too large for a dressing, some people cover the skin with cling film.

Do not use Emla in or near the eyes. You can use Emla in the general vicinity of the eyes, but you must avoid getting Emla in your eyes as it may irritate. If this happens, immediately rinse well with lukewarm water or salt solution and be careful to protect your eye until feeling returns.

Emla can be applied to the skin around the mouth and the skin of the lips. Please note Emla should not be applied in the mouth and should not be swallowed.

Emla is available without prescription from the pharmacy counter in-store or from UK-registered online pharmacies. Pharmacists must oversee all purchases of Emla and apply their own professional judgment as to the suitability of the medicine for each person. In general, Emla is for use prior to needle or laser procedures, including use on the face. Cosmetic procedures such as cosmetic injections, microblading, micro-needling and laser hair removal are just examples of the needle or laser procedures that Emla may be used for. If in doubt, check with your practitioner before use.

You can have Emla delivered to your door by buying online from the UK-registered pharmacies listed on our website – visit www.emla.co.uk/where-to-buy/

UK-LIDP-00057. January 2022

Medical needle procedures include injections, childhood immunisations, vaccinations, blood tests or cannula (drip) insertion e.g. for dialysis or intravenous treatment.

Emla has been used before a range of minor skin surgeries including removal of warts and mollusca, and for skin biopsies. However, as procedures vary, it is best to discuss with your Doctor first.

Emla has been used for over 20 years in the UK prior to the injection of many different medicines. However, please discuss with your Doctor or Pharmacist if you are concerned about a specific medicine.

Clinical studies involving a range of different vaccines (including measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diptheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, haemophilus influenzae B, hepatitis B) have examined whether using Emla impacts the effectiveness of immunisations. The studies consistently showed that Emla did not reduce the protection achieved from any of the vaccines tested, nor did it affect the speed or extent of the immunity provided by vaccines.

Most vaccines are administered into the muscle (intra-muscular) or under the skin (sub-cutaneous). For children and adults, the injection site is usually the upper outer area of the arm, and for infants under 1 year, the upper outer area of the thigh. Please see the shaded areas of the diagrams and check with your nurse or doctor as to where they will inject the vaccine. If two or more are to be given at the same time, they should preferably be administered to a different limb or, if they are given to the same limb, at least 2.5cm / 1 inch apart.

Adapted from Immunisation against Infectious Disease - gov.uk

Emla Cream eases the pain of needle procedures by numbing the skin. By acting to reduce needle pain, Emla Cream may make it easier for people with needle fears and phobias to overcome their anxiety when facing needle procedures.

Emla needs to be applied about an hour before you have your vaccination to allow its numbing effect to work. It’s a good idea to apply Emla at home before you leave for your appointment. Don’t worry if you have to wait longer than expected to be given your vaccination. If you have applied Emla and waited for 1-2 hours before removing it, the numbing effect usually lasts for at least 2 hours.

Emla Cream has been shown to reduce the pain of needle insertion of vaccines. Check the guidance in the pack to ensure you apply the right amount of cream for the appropriate time before the injection.

UK-LIDP-00054. January 2022

The amount of Emla to use varies according to the age of your child and the procedure they are undergoing. Please check the Patient Information Leaflet and follow the instructions provided for the age of your child.

The length of time varies according to the age of your child and the procedure they are undergoing. Please check the Patient Information Leaflet and follow the instructions provided for the age of your child. If your child is less than one year old, the cream should not be left on for more than an hour.

Emla is measured in grams. Two grams of cream is approximately half of a five gram tube.

Yes, Emla can be applied to multiple areas of skin, so long as you do not exceed the maximum total amount of cream and area of coverage specified for the age of your child in the Patient Information Leaflet.

UK-LIDP-00053. January 2022

Emla can be bought without a prescription in pharmacy stores & from UK-registered online pharmacies.

Emla numbing cream is licensed as a medicine by the UK medicines authority for sale in the UK. All online pharmacy links from the Emla.co.uk website will take you to legitimate UK registered pharmacies who will supply genuine Emla. Unfortunately, there are many unlicensed and fake medicines advertised for sale online to UK customers and numbing creams are no exception. Such products are sometimes sold through online retailers who are not UK registered pharmacies or may be found through search engines. The adverts or websites may look authentic but are often not legitimate. Unlicensed or fake medicines may not have been manufactured safely and may contain ineffective or dangerous contents.

Unlicensed products or fake medicines are not regulated so there are no checks in place to assess the safety of manufacturing, what they contain nor to control the claims they make. Such products might contain too much or too little active ingredients, may not even state what the active ingredients are, or could contain no active ingredients, all of which could be harmful to your health. Always make sure that you buy a numbing cream that is licensed for sale in the UK.

By UK law, before a medicine can be marketed it must be granted a licence by the UK medicines regulator, the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency). The MHRA has specially trained medicines assessors who review all the evidence for the product and will only grant a licence once satisfied that the medicine meets high standards of safety, quality and efficacy. The MHRA also inspect the factory where the medicine is to be made to make sure that supplies will be of a high standard. Monitoring by the MHRA continues throughout the time that the licensed medicine is available. In contrast, unlicensed products will not have been evaluated by the regulator, no checks will have been made on the factories where they are made and there is no guarantee of which ingredients they contain. Such products could be poor quality at best or dangerous to your health at worst.

Yes, the MHRA defines that all topical anaesthetics which are applied to numb the sensation of pain (e.g. lidocaine and prilocaine) prior to carrying out medical and nonmedical procedures (including cosmetic and tattoo procedures) are legally categorised as medicines and need to be registered as such.

Numbing creams contain active ingredients which need to be assessed to meet the quality and efficacy standards needed to be licensed as a medicine from the UK medicines authority. Legitimate products will meet the following criteria;

• A Product Licence number is on the box and tube
• A Patient Information Leaflet is inside the box
• The manufacturer’s address / contact details are on the box and in the Patient Information Leaflet and these details are traceable
• An expiry date and batch / lot number is printed on the box and tube

Products bought from UK-registered online pharmacies or recognised pharmacy stores will be legitimate. If any product does not meet the criteria above it may be unlicenced or fake.

Fake / unregulated products are often missing key information and may have substandard packaging. If you have bought it from a UK-registered Pharmacy online or in-store, then it will be fine. Fake or unregulated products are often missing the key information listed in the question above this one, or they may have substandard packaging or spelling errors.

Emla is legally categorised as a 'Pharmacy Medicine'. Therefore, it can only be sold without prescription from pharmacy stores or UK-registered online pharmacies. This is because the active ingredients in Emla require the involvement of a pharmacist in the authorisation of sale. If you choose to buy Emla in a UK pharmacy store you will be asked a few questions to ensure it is suitable for you and if you choose to buy online you will need to complete a short questionnaire.

If you’re buying online, you should only purchase numbing cream via a UK-registered online pharmacy. You can also look for the voluntary internet pharmacy logo shown below - this can usually be found in the footer of their webpage. All online pharmacy links from the Emla.co.uk website will take you to legitimate UK registered pharmacies.

UK-LIDP-00056. January 2022

Emla Cream eases the pain of needle procedures by numbing the skin. By acting to reduce needle pain, Emla Cream may make it easier for people with needle fears and phobias to overcome their anxiety when facing needle procedures.

UK market research undertaken in 2018 found approximately 20% of adults, one in five, have a fear or phobia of needles. Globally, studies have shown that children exhibit a greater fear of needles than adults, and that the prevalence decreases with age – 20-50% incidence in adolescents and 20-30% incidence in young adults. It has also been recognised that fear of needles is more common in women than men.

Needle fear affects about 1 in 5 people. Some medical treatments need to be given by injection. Needles are also involved in blood tests, donating blood or receiving preventative medicines e.g. vaccinations. Avoidance of needles may therefore lead to delayed diagnosis or avoidance of treatments and procedures. Avoidance of protective vaccinations has also been reported.

UK-LIDP-01-21-00009. January 2022