What it's used for
This cream is used as a topical anesthetic on normal intact skin for local pain relief, and on genital mucous membranes for superficial minor surgery or before infiltration anesthesia.
Source: U.S. FDA-approved prescribing information (openFDA).
Typical dosing
For minor procedures, apply 2.5 grams of cream over a designated skin area and cover with an occlusive dressing for at least 1 hour.
Dosing shown here is the general FDA-labeled range. Your prescribing clinician determines the exact dose, form, and schedule for you — this is not a substitute for medical advice.
Boxed warning / key safety info
Applying the cream to larger areas or for longer than recommended can lead to serious adverse effects from excessive absorption.
Common side effects
Application site reactions can include redness, swelling, or abnormal skin sensations.
Covered strengths on the Tab $0 list
Covered at $0 with an active Tab membership when filled at a participating pharmacy nationwide or through mail order. A licensed clinician must prescribe the medication.
Related medications
Other everything else medications covered at $0 with an active Tab membership.
Lidocaine/Prilocaine cost without insurance
Cash prices for Lidocaine/Prilocaine without insurance vary widely by pharmacy, strength and quantity — the same prescription can cost very different amounts at two pharmacies in the same town. That is the problem a membership solves.
Lidocaine/Prilocaine is on Tab's covered $0 generic list. With an active Tab membership, every covered strength is $0 — not a percentage off, not a coupon that changes month to month — at participating pharmacies nationwide or through mail order. You do not need insurance, and Tab works whether or not you have a health plan.
Tab is a membership, not insurance. Covered medications require a prescription from a licensed clinician.
Lidocaine/Prilocaine dosage and administration
Adult Patients-Intact Skin: A thick layer of lidocaine and prilocaine cream is applied to intact skin and covered with an occlusive dressing (see INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATION). Minor Dermal Procedures: For minor procedures such as intravenous cannulation and venipuncture, apply 2.5 grams of lidocaine and prilocaine cream (1/2 the 5 g tube) over 20 to 25 cm 2 of skin surface for at least 1 hour. In controlled clinical trials using lidocaine and prilocaine cream, two sites were usually prepared in case there was a technical problem with cannulation or venipuncture at the first site.
Excerpt from the FDA-approved prescribing information (openFDA), retrieved 2026-09-15. Your prescribing clinician decides the exact dose, form and schedule for you — this is not medical advice.
Lidocaine/Prilocaine side effects
Localized Reactions: During or immediately after treatment with lidocaine and prilocaine cream on intact skin, the skin at the site of treatment may develop erythema or edema or may be the locus of abnormal sensation. Rare cases of discrete purpuric or petechial reactions at the application site have been reported. Rare cases of hyperpigmentation following the use of lidocaine and prilocaine cream have been reported. The relationship to lidocaine and prilocaine cream or the underlying procedure has not been established. In clinical studies on intact skin involving over 1,300 lidocaine and prilocaine cream-treated subjects, one or more such local reactions were noted in 56% of patients, and were generally mild and transient, resolving spontaneously within 1 or 2 hours.
Excerpt from the FDA-approved prescribing information (openFDA), retrieved 2026-09-15. This is not a complete list. Report side effects to your clinician, and seek care for anything severe or unexpected.
Lidocaine/Prilocaine drug interactions
Lidocaine and prilocaine cream should be used with caution in patients receiving Class I antiarrhythmic drugs (such as tocainide and mexiletine) since the toxic effects are additive and potentially synergistic. Prilocaine may contribute to the formation of methemoglobin in patients treated with other drugs known to cause this condition (see Methemoglobinemia subsection of WARNINGS). Specific interaction studies with lidocaine/prilocaine and class III anti-arrhythmic drugs (e.g., amiodarone, bretylium, sotalol, dofetilide) have not been performed, but caution is advised (see WARNINGS). Should lidocaine and prilocaine cream be used concomitantly with other products containing lidocaine and/or prilocaine, cumulative doses from all formulations must be considered.
Excerpt from the FDA-approved prescribing information (openFDA), retrieved 2026-09-15. Tell your clinician and pharmacist about every medication, supplement and over-the-counter product you take.
Who should not take lidocaine/prilocaine
Lidocaine and prilocaine cream is contraindicated in patients with a known history of sensitivity to local anesthetics of the amide type or to any other component of the product.
Excerpt from the FDA-approved prescribing information (openFDA), retrieved 2026-09-15. Whether this medication is appropriate for you is a clinical decision made by your prescribing clinician.
Common questions
Is lidocaine/Prilocaine covered at $0 with Tab?
Yes. Lidocaine/Prilocaine is on Tab's covered $0 generic list — every covered strength is $0 with an active membership, at participating pharmacies nationwide or by mail order.
Do I need insurance to get lidocaine/Prilocaine through Tab?
No. Tab is a membership, not insurance. Covered medications are $0 with an active membership whether or not you have a health plan.
How do I get a lidocaine/Prilocaine prescription with Tab?
Book a video visit with a licensed Tab clinician (unlimited visits are included with membership). If it's clinically appropriate, they send the prescription to your chosen participating pharmacy or by mail order.
How much does lidocaine/prilocaine cost without insurance?
Without insurance, retail cash prices for lidocaine/prilocaine vary by pharmacy, strength and quantity. Lidocaine/Prilocaine is on Tab's covered $0 generic list, so every covered strength is $0 with an active Tab membership at participating pharmacies nationwide or by mail order.
What is the cheapest way to get lidocaine/prilocaine?
For medications on Tab's covered list, a Tab membership is the cheapest route: covered strengths of lidocaine/prilocaine are $0 with an active membership, and unlimited video visits with a licensed clinician are included, so the visit that produces the prescription is covered too.
What is the usual dose of lidocaine/prilocaine?
Adult Patients-Intact Skin: A thick layer of lidocaine and prilocaine cream is applied to intact skin and covered with an occlusive dressing (see INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATION). Minor Dermal Procedures: For minor procedures such as intravenous cannulation and venipuncture, apply 2.5 grams of lidocaine and prilocaine cream (1/2 the 5 g tube) over 20 to 25 cm 2 of skin surface for at least 1 hour. (FDA-approved label, retrieved 2026-09-15. Your clinician sets your dose.)
What are the side effects of lidocaine/prilocaine?
Localized Reactions: During or immediately after treatment with lidocaine and prilocaine cream on intact skin, the skin at the site of treatment may develop erythema or edema or may be the locus of abnormal sensation. Rare cases of discrete purpuric or petechial reactions at the application site have been reported. Rare cases of hyperpigmentation following the use of lidocaine and prilocaine cream have been reported. (FDA-approved label, retrieved 2026-09-15.)
What interacts with lidocaine/prilocaine?
Lidocaine and prilocaine cream should be used with caution in patients receiving Class I antiarrhythmic drugs (such as tocainide and mexiletine) since the toxic effects are additive and potentially synergistic. Prilocaine may contribute to the formation of methemoglobin in patients treated with other drugs known to cause this condition (see Methemoglobinemia subsection of WARNINGS). (FDA-approved label, retrieved 2026-09-15. Tell your clinician about every medication and supplement you take.)
Lidocaine/Prilocaine is $0 on the covered list
Members pay $0 for covered generics at participating pharmacies nationwide or by mail order — plus unlimited virtual primary care, urgent care and dermatology visits. No insurance needed.
Solo $49/mo · Family $119/mo for up to 4 people · Family+ $149/mo for up to 8
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