Delay sprays and creams: how they work and what to watch for

Delay sprays and creams are among the first things many men try when they finish sooner than they would like. They can help, but they are easy to use badly, and the problems they cause are often the reason men give up on them. Knowing how they work makes the difference.

How they work

Most delay sprays and creams contain a local anaesthetic, the same kind of ingredient a dentist uses to numb a tooth. The most common are lidocaine, prilocaine and benzocaine. Applied to the head of the penis, they reduce its sensitivity, which can increase the time before ejaculation.

Some are medicines with a patient leaflet; others are sold as general products with only short directions on the pack. Strength, dose and timing differ from one product to another, so the directions for one product do not apply to another.

Common problems

Most problems come from using too much, leaving it on too long, or the product reaching your partner.

• Too much numbness. Losing so much feeling that sex is less enjoyable, or that orgasm is delayed or does not happen.
• Losing the erection. The Urology Care Foundation warns that leaving the product on longer than suggested can cause loss of erection, and difficulty getting or keeping an erection is one of the most common side effects listed for lidocaine-prilocaine spray.
• Burning or irritation of the skin where it was applied.
• Effects on your partner. Some of the product can pass to your partner's body during sex and cause numbness or burning there.

Using them more safely

• Follow the leaflet for that product, including how much to apply, how long before sex, and how many times a day it can be used.
• Start with the smallest amount the directions allow.
• Wipe off or wash off any excess before sex if the directions say so. This also reduces the amount that can reach your partner.
• Consider a condom. A condom reduces sensation and stops the product reaching your partner, and it also protects against infection and pregnancy. Check the leaflet first: some sprays can damage some types of condom.
• Keep it away from the eyes, and from the mouth, nose and ears.
• Do not use it on broken, sore or irritated skin, and stop if a rash or irritation develops.
• Do not combine products that contain local anaesthetics.
• Check with a doctor first if you have had a reaction to a local anaesthetic before, take other medicines, or your partner is pregnant or you are trying for a baby.

What they do not do

A delay spray or cream reduces sensitivity for one occasion. It does not change the anxiety, relationship tension or physical causes that often lie behind finishing too soon. Many men find the best results come from combining it with the techniques and conversations described in our guides to premature ejaculation and talking to your partner.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor or pharmacist if:

• a spray or cream has not helped, or you need it every time;
• it causes burning, a rash or swelling, for you or your partner;
• you lose your erection or have trouble getting one;
• you have used too much and feel dizzy, have ringing in the ears or blurred vision;
• finishing too soon happens most of the time and troubles you or your partner.