In short, numbing creams, also known as topical anaesthetics, temporarily desensitise the skin, reducing the perception of pain.

Here’s the science behind it: These creams usually contain active ingredients such as lidocaine, benzocaine, or prilocaine. These chemicals work by blocking the transmission of pain signals from your body’s nerve endings to the brain. When applied to the skin, numbing creams create a temporary numbing effect by interfering with the function of the nerve fibres responsible for transmitting pain sensations (Now that was a mouthful). The active ingredients penetrate the outer layers of the skin and inhibit the activity of sodium channels in the nerve cells, preventing the generation and propagation of pain signals.

But, what about the effectiveness when we hear you scream at your phone? Well, the effectiveness of numbing creams can vary depending on factors such as the concentration of the active ingredients, the depth of penetration into the skin, and your pain tolerance level.