EMLA Cream 5% - 5g - With 2 Dressings

Few people enjoy needle procedures. In fact, up to 1 in 4 adults are afraid of needles, with most fears developing in childhood. Emla is an OTC topical anaesthetic designed to help numb the skin before needle procedures. Emla can ease needle pain, which may reduce the stress and fear that some children (and adults) feel when faced with a needle.

Uses:

• Routine immunisations
• Travel vaccinations
• Injections for ongoing medical conditions (e.g., testosterone deficiency, diabetes, endometriosis)
• Prior to cannula insertion

Active Ingredients:

EMLA Cream contains two medicines called lidocaine and prilocaine. These belong to a group of medicines called local anaesthetics.

How It Works:

EMLA Cream works by numbing the surface of the skin for a short time. It is applied to the skin before certain medical procedures to help stop pain. However, you may still feel pressure and touch.

Do not use EMLA Cream if you:

• Are allergic (hypersensitive) to lidocaine, prilocaine, or any of the other ingredients of EMLA Cream.

Check with your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before using EMLA Cream if:

• You or your child are anaemic (a blood problem with too few red blood cells).
• You or your child have a rare inherited illness called glucose-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
• You or your child have a problem with blood pigment levels called methaemoglobinaemia.
• You or your child have a skin condition called atopic dermatitis, as the cream may need to be applied for a shorter time.
• Your child is a pre-term newborn infant.
• Your child is younger than 12 months and is being treated with other medicines affecting blood pigment levels.

Tell your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse if you are taking, or have recently taken, any other medicines, including:

• Medicines called sulphonamides (e.g., sulfamethoxazole).
• Other local anaesthetics.
• Medicines for uneven heartbeats (e.g., mexiletine, amiodarone).

Pregnancy and Breast-feeding:

Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before using EMLA Cream if you are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. The ingredients in EMLA Cream (lidocaine and prilocaine) pass into breast milk in very small amounts, which generally poses no risk to the child.

Important Information About Some Ingredients:

• EMLA Cream contains polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, which may cause skin reactions.

Usage Instructions:

• Always use EMLA Cream exactly as instructed by your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.
• Do not use EMLA Cream on the following areas:
  • Cuts, grazes, or wounds (except for leg ulcers).
  • Skin rash or eczema.
  • In or near the eyes.
  • Inside the nose, ear, or mouth.
  • In the back passage (anus).
  • On the genitals of children.
• Do not use EMLA Cream on newly shaven skin areas larger than 600 cm² (e.g., 30 cm by 20 cm).
• The maximum dose is 60g.
• Do not get EMLA Cream in your eyes. If this occurs, rinse well with lukewarm water or salt (sodium chloride) solution. Avoid getting anything else in your eye until feeling returns.
• If EMLA Cream is accidentally swallowed, seek immediate advice from your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.
• If you use more EMLA Cream than recommended, seek advice from your healthcare provider even if no symptoms are felt.

Symptoms of Overdose:

• Feeling light-headed or dizzy.
• Tingling of the skin around the mouth and numbness of the tongue.
• Abnormal taste.
• Blurred vision.
• Ringing in the ears.
• Acute methaemoglobinaemia (bluish-grey skin due to lack of oxygen) may occur, especially with concurrent use of certain medicines.
• Serious cases may involve fits, low blood pressure, slowed or stopped breathing, and altered heart rate.

Possible Side Effects:

• Severe Allergic Reactions (rare): Rash, shortness of breath, low blood pressure, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or other body parts. Immediate medical attention is required.
• Common (affecting less than 1 in 10 people): Redness, slight swelling, or pale skin where the cream was applied. Usually resolves quickly.
• Uncommon (affecting less than 1 in 100 people): Mild burning or itching sensation, tingling feeling where the cream was applied. Common when used on genitals.
• Rare (affecting less than 1 in 1,000 people): Mild allergic reactions (rash or swelling), small red dots on the skin, eye irritation if the cream gets into the eyes.

Storage Instructions:

• Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
• Do not store above 30°C and do not freeze.
• Do not use after the expiry date shown on the tube.
• Do not dispose of medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist for advice on disposal to protect the environment.

Emla Cream can be used to numb the skin before various procedures:

• Having a needle put in (e.g., for an injection or blood test).
• Minor skin operations.
• Some types of skin graft.
• Cleansing and debridement of leg ulcers.

It can also be used on adults to numb the genitals before:

• Having an injection.
• Medical procedures such as removal of warts.

A doctor or nurse should supervise the use of Emla Cream on the genitals.

Application Instructions:

The specific amount of cream to use and duration of application depend on the procedure:

• For small procedures (e.g., needle insertion, minor skin operations): Apply 2g of cream for 1 to 5 hours under a dressing.
• For deeper skin anaesthesia (e.g., split-skin grafting): Apply 1.5g to 2g of cream per 10 cm² area for 2 to 5 hours under a dressing.
• For outpatient procedures (e.g., hair removal): Apply 1.5g of cream per 10 cm² area for 1 to 5 hours under a dressing.
• For genital skin before injections (adult men only): Apply 1g of cream per 10 cm² area for 15 minutes under a dressing.
• For genital skin before minor skin surgery (adults only): Apply 5g to 10g of cream for 10 minutes with no dressing, then start the procedure immediately.
• For leg ulcers before cleaning or debridement: Apply 1-2g of cream per 10 cm² area, up to a total of 10g, under an airtight dressing for 30 to 60 minutes. Remove the cream with cotton gauze and start cleansing immediately.

Application for Children:

• Newborns and infants under 3 months: Apply up to 1g of cream on a skin area not larger than 10 cm² for 1 hour. Only one dose per 24 hours.
• Infants aged 3-12 months: Apply up to 2g of cream on a total skin area not larger than 20 cm² for 1 hour, maximum 4 hours.
• Children aged 1-6 years: Apply up to 10g of cream on a total skin area not larger than 100 cm² for 1 hour, maximum 5 hours.
• Children aged 7-11 years: Apply up to 20g of cream on a total skin area not larger than 200 cm² for 1 hour, maximum 5 hours.
• A maximum of 2 doses, at least 12 hours apart, may be given in a 24-hour period.
• For children with atopic dermatitis, the application time is 30 minutes.

Dosage Measurement:

• A circular area with a diameter of about 18 mm (1 pence coin) and depth of about 5 mm is approximately 1g of EMLA cream.
• A line of cream about 3.5 cm from the 30g tube is equal to 1g of cream.

Application Procedure:

• Squeeze the cream into a mound where needed on your skin (e.g., where the needle will be placed). A 3.5 cm line is equal to 1g of cream.
• Do not rub the cream in.
• Peel the 'centre cut-out' from the dressing.
• Peel the paper layer from the dressing.
• Remove the covers of the dressing, then place it carefully over the mound of cream. Do not spread the cream under the dressing.
• Remove the plastic backing and smooth down the edges of the dressing. Leave it in place for at least 60 minutes.
• Your doctor or nurse will remove the dressing and cream just before the medical procedure.

Active Ingredients:

• Lidocaine
• Prilocaine

Other Ingredients:

• Polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil
• Carbomer 974P
• Sodium hydroxide
• Purified water