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Laser Hair Removal (and its cousin IPL hair removal) is a fantastic way to get rid of unwanted body hair. However, many of us feel pain and discomfort when the procedure is done.
For those who don’t like pain, laser hair removal numbing creams are here to save the day. They make the procedure more comfortable and painless. These creams contain a numbing agent, usually lidocaine, that prevents the nerves from registering the pain.
If you’re doing at-home laser hair removal, you’ll need to get some cream. We’ve put together this article to get you oriented. Let’s start with the best numbing cream for laser hair removal is the Ebanel Liposomal Numb 520.
Best Numbing Cream For Laser Hair Removal
At the top of our list is the Ebanel Liposomal Numb 520. It contains 5% lidocaine, which provides maximum strength when it comes to topical numbing creams. If you are in pain, you can feel it start working after 3-5 minutes upon application.
The effect peaks at about 20-25 minutes. When you use this cream, you want to wait for about 20 minutes before starting your laser session.
The effects will last for about an hour more so there is no need to rush.
Apart from being effective at numbing the site, it also has other hydrating ingredients like aloe vera, lecithin, vitamin E and allantoin. These will also help soothe the skin.
Additionally, it doesn’t have any scent so it won’t bother your nose or your skin if you’re sensitive to fragrances. It is also a non-greasy product so you won’t have to worry about using your IPL machine over it.
The Ebanel 520 cream is water-based, which means that it’s easy to remove, should you want to.
It is also a cruelty-free product that’s hypoallergenic and suitable for all skin types.
Ebanel’s Numb 520 is the Best Laser Hair Removal Numbing Cream available.
Key Features at a Glance
- Contains 5% lidocaine
- Fast-acting and long-lasting
- Hydrating formula
- Unscented
- Non-greasy
Next on the list is the LMX Topical Anesthetic Cream. Compared to our top pick, this only contains 4% lidocaine.
However, it is still an effective product that numbs nerve endings. It will help you get through your laser hair removal session without pain.
The temporary relief it provides is great for many treatments. It works for laser removal as well as tattoos, tattoo removals, waxing, microblading, piercings, injectables, and many other procedures and treatments.
Aside from that, this is also a good cream that can be used to aid in pain or itch due to burns, insect bites, sunburn, scrapes, abrasions and minor cuts.
It is a doctor-recommended product and has been used to aid in various medical procedures like drawing blood or IV insertions.
This cream is easy to dispense and apply due to the tube packaging. The cream is quickly absorbed by the skin and acts fast. The numbing effects last a while, similar to the Ebanel cream.
It should be noted that this is intended for external use only.
The LMX4 has a lower lidocaine concentration, which makes it a little less powerful than the Ebanel cream. But the tube packaging is easier to deal with than the jar, so many may find this cream to be a better choice.
Key Features at a Glance
- Contains 4% lidocaine
- Doctors recommended
- Easy to absorb formula
- Easy to dispense tube
- Multi-purpose
For our budget-conscious readers, we have a numbing cream for you! That is the Dr. Numb Topical Anesthetic. Like the other numbing creams in our list, this also uses lidocaine as an active ingredient, in this case a 4% proportion. It provides temporary relief from pain and nerve numbness.
This product can be used to help with pain or itch relief from various causes like skin burns, skin irritations, insect bites, minor cuts, sunburns and abrasion.
Additionally, it can also be used to aid in various minor medical or skin procedures like warts removal, laceration repair, IV insertion, blood sampling, and other dermal procedures.
It is also perfect for waxing, epilation, and laser hair removal procedures.
Apart from lidocaine, this cream also contains hydrating ingredients like lecithin and vitamin E to help keep the skin moisturized. It is hypoallergenic and can be used by all skin types, even those who have sensitive skin.
The effects are felt in just a few minutes. However, some users find that it doesn’t last as long as they had expected. You may need to reapply it more frequently than other creams.
Key Features at a Glance
- Contains 4% lidocaine
- Fast-acting formula
- Water-based
- Hypoallergenic
- Long-lasting effect
Important Features to Consider
Lidocaine Concentration
Lidocainetopical numbing creams
You don’t necessarily have to select the cream with the highest concentration of lidocaine. Either the 5% or 4% lidocaine creams work effectively to numb the area.
Usually, creams have a 4% concentration while those that are more oily could contain up to 5%.
Either way, proper use and following the correct waiting period will numb the area and make it useful in laser hair removal treatments.
Additional Ingredients
Although lidocaine is the active ingredient, you can’t buy a cream purely made of lidocaine. There are other ingredients that make up the mixture. Some numbing cream manufacturers include moisturizing ingredients.
These are not essential for its purpose but they are a great addition. If your skin is quite dry, these can help moisturize and soothe your skin. Remember that laser light is converted to heat in order to prevent hair growth so the added moisturizing effect does good for your skin as well.
Fast-Acting And Long-Lasting Effect
In selecting the numbing cream to use, make sure you get the fast-acting and long-lasting formula. Although the others might still work, you may not want to wait for a very long while after application to start with your laser hair removal session.
Usually, fast-acting ones will start to take effect in minutes and peak at about 30 minutes. Apart from being fast-acting numbing creams, you’d also want to make sure that they last long and not just for several minutes. This will give you enough time to properly do the laser hair removal procedure without rushing.
Water Based Product
Before applying the numbing cream on your skin, you should make sure it is clean first. After application, some creams could easily be absorbed by the skin. However, there are some that could leave a residue on the skin.
Laser hair removal will work on the darker pigments so the color of the cream on top of the skin could impact the procedure.
The best thing to do is to remove the product. Water-based products are easier to remove. Sometimes, you can just wipe them off with wet wipes.
However, before you wipe off or remove the residual cream, you should make sure that it has already stayed on the skin for an adequate amount of time.
Remember that it takes time for the lidocaine to work and for it to be absorbed. Wait for about 30 minutes to an hour before removing the residual cream and before starting your laser hair removal session.
Packaging
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Other Products We Reviewed
Another product that we’ve included in our list is the Greenacine Blast Numbing Cream. This is really designed for use before going through different cosmetic treatments like laser hair removal, tattooing, microblading, microneedling or tattoo removal.
This cream contains 4% lidocaine as the active ingredient to numb the area. Apart from this, it also has aloe vera juice for moisturization.
This cream is also effective and has been used by other customers for a variety of cosmetic treatments.
The only drawback is that it takes time for the lidocaine to work. As per instructions, you’d have to wait for one hour after application before getting your procedure. You’d have to wait for an hour for it to take effect.
Also, the effect will only last for about an hour.
Although that gives you plenty of time to do the laser hair removal, some customers who used it for their longer tattoo sessions were not impressed.
Key Features at a Glance
- 4% lidocaine concentration
- Last for about an hour
- Easy to wash off
We’ve also reviewed the Restoriden Lidocaine Numbing Cream, which also contains 4% lidocaine. This cream numbs the skin and acts as a remedy for pain and discomfort due to a variety of skin conditions like insect bites, scratches, burns, or cuts.
It contains other ingredients like arnica, jojoba oil and sea berry that all help soothe and repair the skin. The formula is pretty fast acting – you only have to wait for about 30-45 minutes for the product to work.
The effect lasts for about an hour as well.
This powerful anesthetic cream also comes with a child-resistant cap. It is produced by a company based in the USA.
Key Features at a Glance
- Fasting-acting product
- 4% lidocaine concentration
- Soothes the skin
Conclusion
When you can’t handle the pain of laser hair removal, you can use numbing creams in those sensitive areas. There are a few available in the market, mostly using lidocaine to take the pain away.
The best one is the Ebanel Liposomal Numb 520 cream. It has a concentration of 5% lidocaine and is fast-acting and long-lasting. It’s also reasonably priced! Another great alternative would be the LMX4 Topical Anesthetic Cream. This one has a lower lidocaine concentration at 4% but is still very effective. It comes in a convenient tube.
Lastly, you could also select the Dr. Numb Topical Anesthetic for a budget pick. This is also a water-based product so you can easily wash it off before your treatment.
With any numbing cream you select, it is important to give it time to work first before removing the residue. Numbing creams could take time before their peak effect so you just have to be patient.
