Ametop Gel

What is Ametop Gel?

Ametop Gel is a topical treatment that you apply to your skin to reduce the pain of small medical procedures like blood tests. It can also be prescribed off-label for you if you’re planning on getting a tattoo or piercing and want to reduce the pain.

‘Off-label’ might sound a bit secretive, but it’s really not. All it means is that it’s outside of the treatment’s medicinal licence for it to be used for that purpose, but clinicians can (and do) still prescribe it if they think it’s safe and suitable. Using Ametop Gel before minor skin procedures has been shown to be both safe and effective - you’ll just need to let a clinician know what you plan on using it for so that they can advise you on how to use it.

How does Ametop Gel work?

Ametop Gel contains the active ingredient tetracaine, which is a numbing agent. You apply a small amount of it to your skin and it gets to work quickly in order to lessen any pain you’ll feel in that local area for a few hours.

It works by blocking pain signals from being sent from your nerve endings to your brain. How? Well, here’s the science-y bit: when a nerve ending is stimulated, sodium enters it — triggering an electrical signal to build up in the nerve. When this signal is big enough it gets sent to the brain where it’s interpreted as pain. Tetracaine, the active ingredient in Ametop, works by stopping sodium from entering the nerves where it’s applied, preventing any pain signals from being sent to your brain as a result.

What doses of Ametop Gel are there?

Ametop Gel is only available in one dose: 4%w/w. So each gram of Ametop Gel has 40mg of the active ingredient tetracaine. It’s only available in 1g tubes, so the amount of Ametop Gel you’ll get depends on the area you need to numb.

Because it only comes in one strength, you might be better off trying a different treatment if you find that Ametop doesn’t quite do the trick for you. Don’t apply more of the cream than you’ve been told to.

How to use Ametop Gel

You should always follow the advice of our clinician when you use Ametop Gel.

When using it for the first time, invert the cap and use it to break the seal.

• apply the contents of the tube to the area that you want to numb. Don’t rub it into the skin.
• the gel should then be covered with a plastic film dressing.
• each tube of gel is indicated for one single use only.
• if you aren’t supplied with a plastic film dressing to use with Ametop, you can use clean, clear plastic kitchen wrap instead.
• the gel must be covered for it to work, it won’t work properly if you rub it in.
• leave the gel on for around 30-45 minutes (or however long you’ve been told to by our clinician) before taking off the dressing.
• wipe away and dispose of any excess gel with a clean tissue.

How long does it take Ametop Gel to work?

Ametop should work within around 30-45 minutes of applying it, and it lasts for around 4-6 hours.

If you don’t notice any difference after this time, don’t apply more gel to the site. Talk to your clinician about alternative options.

What should I do if I make a mistake when using Ametop Gel?

If you accidentally get any Ametop gel on your eyes, ears, mouth, tongue or nose, rinse it off with cold water straight away and contact a clinician for advice.

If you use too much Ametop (or accidentally swallow any) and feel any unpleasant effects you should seek medical help straight away.

Medically reviewed by

Mr Craig Marsh

Pharmacist Prescriber

on December 20, 2022.

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