Topical anesthetic pros and cons by brand Below is an alphabetical list (NOT a ranking)
of many of the more common topical pain reduction products. Many
of these are made by "mom and pop" operations, so I
have also narrowed these to a recommended list, discussed on the
following pages:
Recommended products:
 Purchasing information
Comparison
Clinical data
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.
ELA-Max:
Pro:
Performs well in clinical trials
Pro: Doesn't
need to be covered with plastic
Pro: Rapid
onset of anesthesia
Pro: Doesn't
require a prescription
Pro: Widely
available
Con: Must be applied very generously
Con: Some find it gets runny/sticky after application
Con: Can cause redness that lasts a few hours
EMLA
Pro:
Performs well in clinical trials
Pro: Might
be covered on insurance
Pro: Widely
available
Con: Must be applied very generously
Con: Must be covered with plastic
Con: Slow onset of anesthesia
Con: Requires a prescription
Con: Some find it loses effectiveness once
uncovered
Con: Can cause skin to look white for a few
hours
Ametop
Pro:
Performs well in clinical trials
Pro: Doesn't need
to be covered with plastic
Pro: Rapid
onset of anesthesia
Con: Must be applied very generously
Con: Not available in US
Con: Some find it gets runny/sticky after application
Betacaine:
Pro:
Doesn't need to be covered with plastic
Pro: Rapid
onset of anesthesia
Pro: Doesn't
require a prescription
Con: Must be applied very generously
Con: Some find it gets runny/sticky after application
Con: Can cause redness that lasts a few hours
Con: Only available through manufacturer
Stud Spray
Pro:
Good prior to waxing
Pro: Inexpensive
Pro: Rapid
onset of anesthesia
Con: Doesn't penetrate as deeply or as well
as creams/gels
Con: Small bottle
Mento-kaine
Pro:
Good prior to waxing
Pro: Inexpensive
Pro: Rapid
onset of anesthesia
Con: Doesn't penetrate as deeply or as well
as creams/gels
Con: Irritates sensitive skin
|
hair removal
facts
for consumers
