Frequently Asked Questions

A topical anesthetic is a product used on the skin that causes a temporary numbness in the area that it’s applied to. It can help reduce the pain associated with needle insertion and other minor procedures.

You can use emla^® Cream on intact skin anytime you’re receiving a needle insertion or having blood drawn, for vaccinations, and for minor skin procedures or surgeries.

emla^® Cream can also be used for the cleansing of leg ulcers, and on the genitals for short-duration superficial surgeries. Please speak with your doctor or refer to the Patient Medication Information leaflet for more information.

The medicinal ingredients emla^® contains are a mixture of lidocaine (2.5%) and prilocaine (2.5%). These drugs are anesthetics that cause a temporary numbness of the skin where the patch is applied.

No, emla^® is available without prescription at most pharmacies. Find out more about where to buy emla^® here. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about when & how to use emla^®.

Find out more information about how to apply emla^® here.

Or, consult the Patient Medication Information leaflet for more details.

Find out more information about how to apply emla^® here.

Or, consult the Patient Medication Information leaflet for more details.

Your skin where emla^® Cream was applied may stay numb for up to several hours after you take the cream off. Be careful to avoid hurting your skin until your skin isn’t numb anymore. This includes scratching, rubbing, or exposing your skin to extreme hot or cold temperatures.

The following side effects can happen to the skin where the cream was applied:

• Whitening or redness
• Slight swelling or puffiness
• Initial burning or itching
• Small red dots or purple spots

emla^® may cause an allergic reaction in some patients and can cause eye irritation if it enters the eye. The most serious, rare, side effect is methemoglobinemia, which presents with brownish or greyish skin especially around lips and nails. If you experience any of these reactions, stop taking emla^® immediately and seek medical help.

For more information about side effects, please consult the Patient Medication Information leaflet.

If you are currently taking Antiarrhythmic drugs, make sure to consult your doctor before taking emla^®. Caution should also be taken when using large doses of emla^® in conjunction with other local anesthetics, or with other drugs that may cause methemoglobinemia.

Consult your doctor before using emla^® in repeated high doses over a long period of time.

If you suspect your child has ingested emla^®, please contact your doctor, contact your doctor, hospital emergency department or regional poison control center  immediately, even if there are no symptoms. They may require medical attention.

Yes, emla^® can be used on babies, including neonates. The only exception is use in pre-term infants. Please visit the How to Apply page for detailed dosing instructions, or consult the Patient Medication Information leaflet.

emla^® is not indicated for use during pregnancy. Please consult your doctor or pharmacist before use during pregnancy.

The active ingredients in emla^® (lidocaine & prilocaine) are passed through human breast milk. If you have any concerns, please consult your doctor or pharmacist before using emla^®.

The emla^® Patch cannot be used on an open wound.

emla^® Cream cannot be used on an open wound except when undergoing a procedure to clean a leg ulcer.

emla^® is not indicated for use with tattoos, however it can be used in minor needle procedures.

Visit the How to Apply page to find out more information.

Talk to your doctor or nurse to find out where your child will be vaccinated.

Download and print the following image and bring it to your next doctor’s appointment so they can indicate where you should apply emla^® for your child’s next vaccination.

Download emla^® Placement Diagram for Adults
Download emla^® Placement Diagram for Children

For Adults:

When using emla^® Cream or Patch for needles or minor procedures, you should leave emla^® on for at least 1 hour before the procedure. When using emla^® Cream for larger areas, you should leave emla® on for at least 2 hours before the procedure. The effects of emla^® should last for at least 2 hours.

When using emla^® Cream on leg ulcers, leave emla® on for 30-60 minutes. The procedure should begin within 10 minutes of removing the cream. The effects of emla^® can last up to 4 hours.

When using emla^® Cream on the genital area, apply the cream when you’re with your doctor as it only needs to be applied for 5-10 minutes before the procedure. Your doctor should begin the procedure immediately after removing the cream.

For Children & Infants:

For infants under the age of 3 months, emla^® Cream or Patch should be left on for a maximum of one hour. For infants between 3-12 months, emla^® Cream or Patch should be left on for one hour and no longer than 4 hours.

For children between 1-12 years, emla^® Cream or Patch should be left on for one hour and no longer than 5 hours.

The effects of emla^® should last for at least 2 hours.

Find out more information about how to apply emla^® here. Or, consult the Patient Medication Information leaflet for more details.

For Adults:

For minor procedures and needles, you should leave emla^® Cream or Patch on for at least 1 hour before the procedure. When using emla^® Cream for larger areas it should be left on for at least 2 hours. There is no benefit to leaving emla^® on for longer than 5 hours.

When using emla^® Cream on leg ulcers, leave emla^® on for 30-60 minutes.

When using emla^® Cream on the genitals, apply the cream when you’re with your doctor as it only needs to be applied for 5-10 minutes.

For Children:

For infants under the age of 3 months, emla^® Cream or Patch should be left on for a maximum of one hour.

For infants between 3-12 months, emla^® Cream or Patch should be left on for one hour and no longer than 4 hours.

For children between 1-12 years, emla^® Cream or Patch should be left on for one hour and no longer than 5 hours.

Find out more information about how to apply emla^® here. Or, consult the Patient Medication Information leaflet for more details.

emla^® Cream should be covered with an air-tight dressing, such as the Tegaderm^® dressing provided with the 5g tubes or plastic wrap. This will ensure that the cream penetrates the skin properly and that the numbness will be felt.

The dressing will ensure that the cream penetrates the skin correctly, so that the cream will work to numb the desired area. On children, it also prevents accidental removal and accidental swallowing of the cream.

Yes, please let your doctor or nurse know if you’ve applied emla^®. If you’re applying emla^® for a procedure to be performed by a doctor, you should leave the dressing on for the doctor to remove, unless otherwise instructed.

If you are experiencing an allergic reaction, have brown or greyish skin especially around the lips and nails, or if emla^® enters the eye, stop using it and seek medical help immediately.

If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed above or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, talk to your healthcare professional.

If you experience any side effect while using emla® please Contact Us by calling 1-844-330-1213 or emailing
can.drug-safety@aspenpharma.com.

You can also report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:

• Visiting the Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting for information on how to report online or by mail; or
• Calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.

You can keep the unopened tube until the expiry date on the packaging, or for 30 days after opening it. Keep emla^® at room temperature and out of reach of children. Remember to return any unused emla^® Cream to your pharmacist.

No, but you are able to pick up emla^® from your local pharmacist without a prescription. See our Where To Buy page for more information on how to purchase emla^®.