Expect the numbing cream to go on about 30 to 45 minutes before your microneedling procedure. That wait is part of the visit, so arrive with it in mind.
The instruction as Cleveland Clinic words it
Cleveland Clinic describes the first step: Your healthcare provider cleans your skin and applies a numbing cream or ointment, such as lidocaine gel. It then gives the timing: They do this about 30 minutes to 45 minutes before your procedure, so the ointment has time to work.
What it asks of you
The timing is the useful part. The cream is applied first so it has time to work, and the procedure follows after the 30 to 45 minute window. Cleveland Clinic names lidocaine gel as one example, which means your provider may use a different product. Ask which one.
Before you go in
Ask your St. Augustine provider when the cream will be applied and how long you will be waiting before the procedure begins. Related reading on microneedling and resurfacing: a PMC comparison of PRP with PRP microneedling in androgenetic alopecia, a PMC study of radiofrequency microneedling with and without a 1927 nm thulium laser, an ASPS article on skin resurfacing techniques for facial rejuvenation and a PMC comparison of chemical peels and microneedling for melasma.