Emla Cream medical

Worried about
needles?

Try Emla numbing cream before vaccinations, jabs, blood tests or other medical needles for a more comfortable needle experience

Why Emla & medical procedures?

Did you know, 1 in 5 people have a fear of needles? Whether it’s for vaccines, flu jabs, blood tests or an ongoing condition involving needles, Emla numbing cream can make your needle experience more comfortable and less painful & may in turn ease stress & fear.

As a trusted numbing cream, Emla has been available in the UK for more than 25 years. You can buy Emla without prescription from your local pharmacy or UK-registered online pharmacies.

What can I use Emla for?

Injections

Injections

Blood tests

Blood tests

Cannula (drip) insertions

Cannula (drip) insertions

Vaccines/jabs

Vaccines/jabs

Buy Emla for your next medical needle procedure

Emla Packshot 5pc tube and dressing

Buy Emla for your next medical needle procedure

Ready to try Emla numbing cream? You can buy Emla without prescription from your local pharmacy or UK-registered online pharmacies here.

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How to apply Emla for your medical needle procedure

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Before applying Emla
This information has been taken from the Patient Information leaflet.

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  • Step 1 (of 4)

    Select the right Emla pack for your needs. Emla cream comes in two tube sizes: 5g or 30g.

  • Step 2 (of 4)

    The 5g tube of Emla should be enough for up to two applications.

  • Step 3 (of 4)

    If in doubt, check where the needle(s) will be going in – your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can advise.

  • Step 4 (of 4)

    Plan ahead — Emla cream needs time to numb the skin & usually takes about 1 hour to get to work.

When applying Emla

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  • Step 1 (of 3)

    Make sure the area of the skin to be numbed is clean and dry.

  • Step 2 (of 3)

    Squeeze the Emla cream onto the right area. For a single injection, you will probably need about 2g of Emla cream, or half of a 5g tube. Don’t rub in the cream, as you will need a thick layer to help Emla’s numbing effect.

  • Step 3 (of 3)

    Cover the Emla cream with a suitable air-tight, water-tight dressing (known as an “occlusive” dressing), so the active ingredients absorb into the skin and do not get wiped off. Some packs of Emla cream contain suitable dressings.

After applying Emla

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  • Step 1 (of 2)

    Just before your procedure, your nurse, doctor or pharmacist will remove the dressing and wipe off the excess cream.

  • Step 2 (of 2)

    After removal of the cream, Emla’s numbing effect usually lasts at least 2 hours. However, this time may be shorter if you’re using Emla on your face.

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Patient information leaflet

For more information on how to apply Emla, download the full patient information leaflet.

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FAQs

Get answers to the most common questions about Emla numbing cream.

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how to apply

Emla & kids

Try Emla numbing cream to make your child’s next jab a more comfortable experience.

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