EMLA cream for local anaesthesia

Name of medicine

EMLA cream

The cream contains 2.5% lignocaine and 2.5% prilocaine.

Why is it important for my child to take EMLA cream?

The cream will help reduce any pain or discomfort that your child may feel during a minor procedure, such as when blood is taken or a cannula (drip) is put in, or during a small surgical procedure such as removing a lump. If the cream is not applied, the procedure may have to be delayed or cancelled, or your child may feel pain or discomfort during the procedure.

What is EMLA cream available as?

EMLA cream comes in tubes containing 5 g or 30 g of cream.

When should I give EMLA cream

• The EMLA cream needs to be applied at least 1 hour before a procedure with a needle (taking blood, inserting a cannula), or 2 hours before a surgical procedure such as a skin graft.
• The person giving you the cream will tell you when to apply it and where to apply it on your child’s body. They will probably ask you to apply the cream to more than one site.
• If the procedure is delayed and the effect of the cream has worn off, ask your doctor or nurse for advice before applying any more.

How much should I give?

Your doctor or nurse will tell you how much EMLA cream to apply – this is the amount that is right for your child. They may tell you to apply a whole tube of cream to each site, more than one tube, or part of a tube.

How should I give EMLA cream?

• Squeeze the cream from the tube onto the area of skin to be numbed. Do not rub it in.
• Place a waterproof dressing (plaster) over the cream to keep it in place. You will be given these with the cream.
• Make a note of the time that you applied the cream.
• Wash your hands properly with soap and water as soon as you have finished applying the cream.
• Remove the cream after 4 hours if your child has not had the planned procedure. If your baby is less than 3 months old, you must remove the cream after 1 hour.
• Take off the dressing and wipe off any cream with a tissue. The cream may have all soaked into the skin.

When should the medicine start working?

EMLA cream should make the skin numb after about 1 hour. The skin will stay numb for 2–3 hours.

What if my child is sick (vomits)?

You do not need to worry. The EMLA cream will still work if your child is sick. Do not apply any extra cream.

What if I forget to give it?

If you forget to apply the EMLA cream, or you applied it late, tell the person who is going to do the procedure. They may want to delay the procedure.

What if I give too much?

It is unlikely that you will apply too much EMLA cream. If you think you may have used too much, contact your doctor or nurse.

Are there any possible side effects?

We use medicines to make our children better, but sometimes they have other effects that we don’t want (side effects).

Side effects you must do something about

Other side-effects you need to know about

• Your child may feel itching or tingling where the cream was applied. If this becomes too uncomfortable, take the cream off. Be sure to tell the doctor or nurse that you took the cream off early, as your child’s skin may not be numb enough to have the procedure. If possible, contact them as soon as possible for advice.
• The skin may go pale, have red spots or some swelling. These effects should go away once the cream is removed. If there is still a problem after one day, contact your doctor.

• These effects may be worse if your child has conditions such as dermatitis or mollusca. Be aware that redness and swelling may also be caused by the needle or surgical procedure.

There may sometimes be other side effects that are not listed above. If you notice anything unusual and are concerned, contact your doctor. You can report any suspected side effects to a UK safety scheme at mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard

Can other medicines be given at the same time as EMLA cream?

• You can give your child medicines that contain paracetamol or ibuprofen, unless your doctor has told you not to.

• EMLA cream is applied on the skin, so it is usually safe to take with other oral medicines. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are using any cream or ointment on your child’s skin.

Is there anything else I need to know about this medicine?

• Only use EMLA cream for your child. Never use it for anyone else, even if their condition appears to be the same, as this could do harm.
• If your child is anaemic, or has methaemoglobinaemia, porphyria or G6PD deficiency, tell your doctor or nurse before using the cream.
• Make sure that the cream you have at home has not reached the ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date on the packaging. Give old medicines to your pharmacist to dispose of.
• Once you have opened a tube of cream, throw away any unused cream within 1 day. 

Where should I keep this medicine?

• Keep the medicine in a cupboard, away from heat and direct sunlight.

• It does not need to be kept in the fridge.

• Make sure that children cannot see or reach the medicine.

• Keep the medicine in the container it came in.

Who to contact for more information?

Your child’s doctor, pharmacist or nurse will be able to give you more information about EMLA cream and about medicines used to numb the skin (local anaesthetics).

Copyright disclaimer

Version [2]. © NPPG, RCPCH and WellChild, all rights reserved. Review by January 2018.

The primary source for the information in this leaflet is the British National Formulary for Children. For details on any other sources used for this leaflet, please contact us through our website, www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk.

We take great care to make sure that the information in this leaflet is correct and up-to-date. However, medicines can be used in different ways for different patients. It is important that you ask the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about something. This leaflet is about the use of these medicines in the UK, and may not apply to other countries. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG), WellChild and the contributors and editors cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information, omissions of information, or any actions that may be taken as a consequence of reading this leaflet.