Premature ejaculation · Numbing cream

EMLA cream for premature ejaculation

EMLA is a cream containing two local anaesthetics, lidocaine and prilocaine. It's licensed for numbing the skin before procedures, and some clinicians prescribe it off-label for premature ejaculation.¹

From £14.30 a month

Check your eligibility →

CQC registered
UK-registered clinicians
Plain, discreet delivery

Topicala cream applied before sex, not a tablet

Off-labelnot licensed for PE; prescribed with a clinician's guidance

All content on this page has been medically reviewed by Naeem Teni, Clinical Lead. GPhC 2215591.

Pricing

Pick a strength, pick a pack.

Your clinician sets the strength. The bigger the pack, the less each one costs.

Strength

5%

1 cream£14.30

2 creams£20.98

How it works

What it does in the body.

It reduces sensitivity

The anaesthetics dull the nerve endings where the cream is applied, which can help delay ejaculation.¹

Only where it's applied

It works locally on the skin, so it doesn't affect the rest of your body in the same way a tablet does.

Off-label, explained

EMLA isn't licensed for PE. Clinicians can still prescribe it when they judge it right, and will explain how to use it.

Protect your partner

Wash it off or use a condom before sex, so the cream doesn't numb your partner too.

Easy to use, with a little care.

Step 1

Your clinician sets the amount

They'll tell you how much to use, and when.

Step 2

Apply before sex

Follow your clinician's timing, so it has time to work.

Step 3

Wash off or use a condom

So it doesn't transfer to your partner.

Step 4

Only on unbroken skin

Don't use it on broken or irritated skin.¹

Why off-label? EMLA is licensed for numbing skin before procedures, not for PE. Your clinician will explain what that means for you.

Is it right for me?

Who it suits, and what to expect.

May be considered if

All of these usually apply

You're an adult (18 or over) living in the UK.
You have premature ejaculation that's bothering you, and you'd rather use a cream than take a tablet.
You're happy for a doctor to check whether anything else is behind it.
A doctor judges it suitable alongside your health history and anything else you use.

Not suitable if

Any one of these rules it out

You or your partner has an allergy to local anaesthetics, or to any of the ingredients (lidocaine or prilocaine).
You have broken, irritated or sensitive skin where it would be applied.
Certain skin conditions or other medicines mean a doctor advises against it.
A doctor decides it isn't the right option for you.

Not sure where you fit? You don't need to work it out yourself. The assessment asks the right questions, and a clinician checks your answers.

Side effects are usually mild and limited to where the cream is applied.¹

More common

Usually mild, and often short-lived.

RednessPalenessItchingWarmth or mild burningToo much numbness

Get help straight away if

These are rare, but need a doctor quickly.

Blue-grey lips or skin, breathlessness or feeling very tired.¹
Swelling of your face, lips or throat, or trouble breathing.
Severe burning or blistering where it was applied.

Using too much? More isn't better. Too much can numb you enough to lose your erection.

Priligy or EMLA?

EMLA or Priligy?

This page

EMLA

Numbing creamYour clinician will talk this through

Applied before sex, as your clinician advises
Reduces sensitivity where it's applied

From £14.30

Priligy

Tablet0.9 → 3.3 minuteson average²

1–3 hours before sex
Acts on serotonin in the ejaculation reflex

From £27.98 View →

Common questions

EMLA, answered.

Is Manova a proper clinic, or a website?

Both. We’re a CQC-registered clinic that happens to live online. Every prescription is signed off by a registered clinician, never an algorithm.

Will it turn up in a branded box at my office?

No. Plain brown packaging, no Manova branding, no clue what’s inside. Sent to a home or pickup address, your call.

What if the doctor says no?

Then they say no, and you don’t get charged. They might suggest a safer alternative, more tests, or refer you back to your GP. We’d rather lose a customer than push the wrong treatment.

Am I locked into a contract?

Nope. It’s month-to-month, cancel from your account anytime. No retention agent calling you back.

How is this different from going to my GP?

It isn’t, really. Same medicine, same regulator, same standards. We’re just faster to get hold of, and a lot less awkward to talk to about the things on this page.

Guides

Read up on EMLA.

All EMLA guides →

References (2)

EMLA (lidocaine/prilocaine) Cream Summary of Product Characteristics. Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC).
Pryor JL, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of dapoxetine in treatment of premature ejaculation: an integrated analysis of two double-blind, randomised controlled trials. Lancet. 2006;368:929–937.