Emla Cream

What is Emla Cream?

Emla Cream is a local anaesthetic that is topically applied. It helps to numb an area of skin, reducing its sensitivity to any sensations. Emla Cream contains two active ingredients, lidocaine and prilocaine.

It can be used for numbing the skin before an injection and minor procedures. It is also an effective treatment for premature ejaculation in men.

You can buy Emla Cream over the counter without needing a prescription.

What is Emla Cream used to treat?

Emla Cream works by temporarily disrupting the pathway of signals along your nerves. Local anaesthetics like Emla numbing cream can be applied before minor skin operations, such as the removal of leg ulcers. It is often applied to adults and children alike to numb the skin before blood tests. This makes it very popular among people who have a fear of needles.

You can also apply Emla before you have a tattoo, to alleviate the pain that comes with this procedure.

Additionally, Emla numbing cream is often used as an off-label treatment for premature ejaculation. It reduces the feeling in your penis and, as a result, reduces sensitivity and delays ejaculation. This means you can use it to enjoy sexual intercourse for longer, without the fear that you will ejaculate prematurely.

Why is Emla Cream recommended to treat premature ejaculation?

Studies have shown that Emla Cream can effectively numb areas of the skin, making it an effective treatment for premature ejaculation by reducing sensitivity in the penis. 

How does Emla Cream treat premature ejaculation?

As Emla Cream numbs the penis slightly, the speed at which a man ejaculates is reduced. When the cream is applied to the penis, certain signals passed along the nerve fibres of the penis to the brain are suppressed, which helps to reduce sensation in the penis. This makes the penis less sensitive, which helps to delay ejaculation.

Who can use Emla Cream?

This cream may not be suitable for everyone to use. Speak to your doctor before applying the cream if you have any of the following conditions:

• You are anaemic
• You have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency – a rare inherited illness that affects your blood
• You have methaemoglobinaemia – a problem with blood pigment levels
• You have atopic dermatitis

Always read the patient information leaflet thoroughly before using Emla numbing cream. Speak to your doctor if you have any doubts or concerns before you start to use this medicine.

Can you buy Emla Cream over the counter?

Emla Cream can be bought over the counter from pharmacies without needing a prescription.

Can you buy Emla Cream online in the UK?

You can buy Emla Cream online from Medicine Direct. All you need to do is fill out an online consultation questionnaire for one of our prescribers to make sure it is safe for you to use.

Next day delivery is available if you place your order by 2pm.

You do not need a prescription for Emla Cream, but you should still only order it from a regulated pharmacy like ours. This will make sure you only order a safe and genuine version of the medicine.

Emla Cream alternatives

At Medicine Direct, we also stock the prescription medicine Priligy tablets for premature ejaculation. This oral medicine has been found to be an effective treatment for premature ejaculation in around 80% of men who take it. It gets to work after around two hours and allows you to enjoy a longer and less stressful sexual experience.

If you feel that your problem is caused by anxiety or a psychological issue, speaking to a sex therapist may also help you to combat premature ejaculation.