What is lidocaine
Lidocaine is a common local anesthetic with a wide range of applications. A distinction is made between topical, i.e. local application of the active substance, and systemic administration in the form of infusions, for example. Lidocaine as a local anaesthetic for the skin is mainly used in the form of creams, pastes and gels under the trade name xylocaine, and is mainly used to relieve pain, sensations or itching, or to completely anaesthetize an area of skin, for example before a minor surgical procedure.
Indication for the Lidocaine Cream
Lidocaine cream can be used in many different areas, usually it is always used to relieve pain, itching, burning or discomfort, or to numb whole areas of the skin. Lidocaine cream is particularly effective in numbing mucous membranes in cases of pain and mild inflammation, such as inflammation of the mouth and throat, as well as in painful hemorrhoidal disorders. Lidocaine cream is also frequently used to numb skin areas before minor surgery, or in children before blood samples are taken or an indwelling cannula is inserted.
Lidocaine is also being used more and more frequently in cosmetic and aesthetic medicine, for example permanent make-up, tattoos and piercings to numb the area of skin to be treated. In the form of gel, lidocaine is used as a standard in medical treatments and examinations where tubes are inserted into body cavities, e.g. endoscopies (gastrointestinal endoscopies) or insertion of catheters (urinary catheterization). Some men also use lidocaine cream or ointment to treat the glans to prevent premature ejaculation.
Lidocaine creams are increasingly used in aesthetic medicine, as well as in cosmetic treatments to numb the skin areas to be treated in advance. Lidocaine is also often used in the form of creams or sprays before tattoos to reduce or completely prevent pain during pricking. Usually this is also possible without any problems as long as there are no allergies or intolerances against the active substance.
With some products, however, it can be by the application in advance to swelling and slight water deposits in the skin, which make the stinging of the tattoo difficult, or even the final result blurred. Here should always be sought a personal conversation with the tattoo artist to make an individual decision. After stinging a tattoo, lidocaine cream can be used to reduce the wound pain.
However, it is also urgent to pay attention to allergies and intolerances before applying the cream to the already irritated and damaged skin. Therefore, it would be advisable to test the cream first on undamaged skin and with good tolerance then only on a small piece of freshly tattooed skin to wait for the effect. Because of the very good effectiveness on the mucous membrane, Lidocaine cream or spray is a particularly good therapy option for inflammation and pain in the mouth and throat area. The active ingredient is absorbed quickly and in large quantities through the mucous membrane, resulting in rapid anaesthesia and thus pain relief of the affected areas. However, if the pain in the mouth and throat area lasts longer, a doctor should always be consulted to rule out a more serious infection.
