EMLA is a mixture of two local anaesthetics, lignocaine and prilocaine. These local anaesthetics are combined with special agents which allow the products to pass through the skin. Once through the skin the numbing effect they produce allows minor surgical procedures to be performed with a complete or significant reduction in pain.
These procedures can include taking blood samples, vaccination, skin grafting, cleaning leg ulcers, inserting an intravenous catheter, minor superficial cosmetic procedures and procedures on genital skin.Emla should be used on intact skin. The most important thing to do is to be sure that you apply EMLA at least one hour before you are due to have the procedure except for skin grafting where a two hour application time is required or for procedures on male genital skin where only fifteen minutes is required. Leg ulcers - If you are using EMLA on leg ulcers you only need to apply the cream 30 minutes before your ulcer is going to be cleaned. EMLA can be left on for several hours and still work.