EMLA ELA-MaxÈ Cream (lidocaine 2.5% plus prilocaine 2.5%) is a topical
anesthetic cream. This may be the solution to hair removal pain
for you, or it may not. Some people swear by it; others say it
does nothing for them. I am firmly in the camp of EMLA fans, but
I do think it is sometimes overhyped. I have very rarely experienced
100% anesthesia from topical anesthetics like EMLA. However, it
does an excellent job of taking the edge off the pain for me,
and that's all I really want.
Disclaimer:
A pain medication which works
perfectly for one consumer may not work at all for another.
I make absolutely no guarantee
that any product mentioned in this section will work for you
or will work better or worse for you than another product.
For details, see my  Pain management intro page.
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EMLA
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ELA-Max
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Prescription
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Over the counter
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30 gram tube
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30 gram tube
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lidocaine 2.5%/prilocaine 2.5%
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lidocaine 4%
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covered
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not covered
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EMLA is a thick white cream with very little smell and a rather
bitter taste. It contains two common local anesthetics: 2.5% lidocaine
and 2.5% prilocaine. It's not a good idea to get the junk in your
mouth (or worse, your eye), so be careful. I usually keep a tissue
in my hand in case some accidentally gets smeared in my mouth
or eye.
EMLA was developed by Swedish pharmaceutical Astra (now part
of Merck) and is only available in the U.S. by prescription. There
are some medical advisories, so read all instructions before using
it. EMLA comes in 5 and 30 gram ointment tubes, with the 30-gram
tube usually around $40. I buy the 30 gram ones since my insurance
co-payment is $10 per prescription, no matter what the size. I
just went to my regular doctor and told him I wanted some. Some
hair removal clinics refer clients to a doctor who will get them
an EMLA prescription.
How long does a tube last? It depends. Some people make a 30
gram tube last for months; others use a whole tube in a couple
of sessions. I personally feel that the price is far outweighed
by how much more tolerable it can make treatment, but not everyone
does.
EMLA application
tips
Additional EMLA observations
Begin treatment immediately after uncovering
The numbness starts to wear off as soon as the dressing is
removed and the cream is wiped away. Sometimes this happens
quite quickly, other times it may stay numb long after treatment.
The EMLA instructions claim it should last at least 20 minutes.
It's important to work on an area as soon as it's wiped clean
if you want the full effect. Let them remove the wrap as he
or she gets to the next area. They should peel it back like
a sardine can lid, only uncovering the area they are just about
to work on. Sometimes, the stuff may just be too messy and getting
in the way, in which case it might be easier to remove the whole
price of plastic. That's why it's good to do the plastic in
several smaller pieces.
Freshly-opened tubes seem more potent
Many people have commented on the difference in potency between
a freshly-opened tube and one that's been open awhile. Once
the EMLA in the tube has been exposed to the air it seems that
it starts to lose effectiveness. Temperature seems to affect
it adversely as well, so don't let it get too hot or cold. If
you aren't on a prescription co-payment plan and are paying
full price out of pocket, you might look into the 5-gram tubes,
which could be used up before the EMLA starts to lose effectiveness.
Avoid getting it in creases
I find that if the EMLA sits in the creases that run from my
nose to the corners of my mouth (nasolabial folds), I get a
rash. I can prevent that by covering those creases with scotch
tape BEFORE applying EMLA, and then taping the cling wrap over
the whole thing.
Trivia answer
EMLA stands for Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics. A eutectic
mixture has a melting point below room temperature. Lidocaine
and prilocaine crystals turn to oils at room temperature.
Tricky tubes
Careful when you puncture a new tube! When the seal is broken,
the pressurized cream sometimes oozes out quickly. A friend
observed a phenomenon I've had myself: a depressing point when
you're in the middle of a tube where the tube looks to contain
more EMLA that it really has in it. You're flattening it out...
still no EMLA. When it finally does start coming out again you
have a lot less than you thought you had left, so plan accordingly
if you use it generously. Finally, it can be a bit tricky getting
the last few grams out. Best bet is to roll up the tube as you
empty it, then squeeze out the last part like a syringe: thumb
pressing down on the rolled-up part, index and middle fingers
on side of the mouth of the tube. It will probably all come
out at once, so point it toward your palm so it doesn't spill
on the floor.
Pages in this section:
What's it feel like?
Factors that affect pain
Over 30 pain reduction tips
EMLA application tips
Other topical anesthetics
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