Delay sprays, creams and gels for men explained

A delay spray for men is a medicine you spray on the penis shortly before sex, to make it less sensitive and lengthen the time before ejaculation. In the UK, two are licensed medicines that a pharmacist can sell without a prescription. This guide covers what's in them, what the trials found, the side effects for you and a partner, and the creams and gels that have been tested for the same purpose.

They're used for premature ejaculation, which the NHS describes as ejaculating sooner than you or your partner would like. For the wider picture, see our guides to premature ejaculation and how to last longer in bed.

What is a delay spray, and how does it work?

A delay spray is a local anaesthetic medicine that you spray onto the penis before sex. The official product information for the licensed lidocaine and prilocaine spray says the two anaesthetics block nerve signals in the head of the penis. That makes it less sensitive and lengthens the time before ejaculation, without adversely affecting the sensation of ejaculation.

The lidocaine-only spray works the same way. Its leaflet says lidocaine reduces the sensitivity of the penis to touch just before sex, which helps delay ejaculation in men who ejaculate too quickly. European urology guidelines call them desensitising agents, and the lidocaine spray is sold as a desensitizing spray for men.

Which delay sprays are licensed in the UK?

The British National Formulary (BNF) lists two delay sprays as licensed pharmacy medicines. One is a lidocaine 9.6% spray sold as Stud 100; the other, a lidocaine and prilocaine spray sold as Fortacin, is licensed for lifelong (primary) premature ejaculation in men aged 18 and over. Neither needs a prescription.

The licensed delay sprays in the UK

	What's in it.	What it's licensed for.	How you get it.	Things to know.
Lidocaine spray (Stud 100)	Lidocaine 9.6%, a local anaesthetic	Reducing the sensitivity of the penis before sex, to delay ejaculation in men who ejaculate too quickly	Pharmacy medicine: from a pharmacist, no prescription needed	Contains fragrance ingredients that may cause allergic reactions; not recommended for elderly men; wash it off after sex
Lidocaine and prilocaine spray (Fortacin)	Lidocaine and prilocaine, two local anaesthetics	Lifelong premature ejaculation, in men aged 18 and over	Pharmacy medicine: from a pharmacist, no prescription needed	Can pass to a partner; not for use with polyurethane condoms; if you're trying for a baby, avoid it or, if it's essential, wash it off

Both are licensed medicines listed in the BNF. This table summarises their official leaflets: read the leaflet that comes with the medicine, and ask a pharmacist if you're unsure.

Do delay sprays work?

Trials suggest they can. In two placebo-controlled trials of the lidocaine and prilocaine spray in 539 men with premature ejaculation, the average time to ejaculation rose from 0.58 to 3.17 minutes over three months. On a dummy spray, it rose from 0.56 to 0.94 minutes. The 2026 EAU guidelines say lidocaine-only sprays are effective too.

The men in those trials had ejaculated within a minute in at least two of their first three encounters during screening, and the averages are geometric means. Over the three months, 85.2% of the men using the spray averaged more than a minute, against 46.4% on the dummy spray.

The EAU guidelines, from the European Association of Urology, give the lidocaine and prilocaine spray a strong recommendation, alongside dapoxetine tablets, as a first-line treatment for lifelong premature ejaculation. They cite longer studies in which the time to ejaculation rose up to 6.3-fold over three months.

Reviews of the wider research add some limits. A 2013 review of seven published trials (566 men on local anaesthetics, 388 on placebo) found they lengthened the time to ejaculation and improved control and satisfaction, with more side effects than placebo, all of them local. A 2016 review of nine trials found that topical anaesthetics appear more effective than placebo, but said the quality of seven of the trials was unclear. The EAU adds that the long-term results of medicines for premature ejaculation are unknown.

What about delay creams and gels?

The delay creams and gels that have been studied are local anaesthetics too. A 2016 UK review describes lidocaine and prilocaine cream as recommended for off-label use in premature ejaculation, which means outside the uses its licence covers; the BNF lists that cream as a pharmacy medicine licensed for uses such as minor skin procedures.

The EAU guidelines say lidocaine and prilocaine creams can increase the stopwatch-measured time to ejaculation from 1 to 2 minutes to 6 to 9 minutes. They also warn that creams and gels may pass to a partner and reduce feeling in the vagina, so men are advised to use a condom after applying the cream, or to wash the penis before sex. Couples trying for a baby shouldn't use lidocaine and prilocaine products, the EAU says, because they may damage sperm.

For a delay gel, the 2016 review found single trials in which a lidocaine gel worked better than placebo, and better than sildenafil or paroxetine, but judged the quality of the evidence uncertain. Compared with creams, the EAU says, the licensed spray delivers a measured dose in a concentrated film over the head of the penis, without being absorbed through the skin of the shaft.

How do you use a delay spray?

Follow the leaflet, because the number of sprays, the timing and the daily limit differ between the two licensed sprays. Both go on the penis before sex: the lidocaine and prilocaine spray on the head of the penis, the lidocaine spray on the head and shaft. The lidocaine spray's leaflet says not to use it on broken or inflamed skin.

The leaflets also say:

• Keep the spray away from your eyes, nose, mouth and ears, and point the can away from faces when you prime it.
• If it gets in your eyes or your partner's eyes, rinse them straight away with cold water.
• With the lidocaine and prilocaine spray, wipe off any excess before sex. With the lidocaine spray, wash it off after sex.
• The lidocaine spray's leaflet sets a limit on how long you can use it without talking to a doctor.
• Stop if you or your partner get a rash or irritation, and see a doctor if it doesn't settle.

What are the side effects of delay sprays?

With the lidocaine and prilocaine spray, the most common side effects affect the penis. Its leaflet lists reduced feeling in and around the penis, a burning feeling and difficulty getting or keeping an erection as common, affecting up to 1 in 10 men. The EAU guidelines report reduced feeling in 4.5% of men and erection problems in 4.4%.

Less common effects, affecting up to 1 in 100 men, include headache, throat irritation if the spray is breathed in, skin irritation, redness, itching, pain or discomfort around the penis, failure to ejaculate, abnormal orgasm and a high temperature. Allergic reactions to lidocaine are very rare, the lidocaine spray's leaflet says, but that spray also contains fragrance ingredients that may cause allergic reactions.

Used as directed, only extremely low levels of lidocaine reach the blood, according to the lidocaine spray's leaflet; levels about 25 times higher than the maximum daily dose gives have been linked to dizziness, fits and effects on the heart and lungs. The BNF lists methaemoglobinaemia, a blood disorder that reduces the oxygen the blood carries, as a rare or very rare side effect of lidocaine with prilocaine. That spray's leaflet lists it among the risks of using too much. It says it is more likely with certain other medicines, and that the skin becomes bluish grey.

Can a delay spray affect your partner?

Yes. A small amount can pass to your partner during sex, to the vagina or anus for example, and both of you may have reduced feeling for a short while, says the leaflet for the lidocaine and prilocaine spray. To avoid passing it on, BAUS (the British Association of Urological Surgeons) advises washing the area or using a condom.

Partners can get side effects of their own. With the lidocaine and prilocaine spray, a burning feeling or reduced feeling in and around the vagina is common. Less common effects include thrush, discomfort in the anus and rectum, loss of feeling in the mouth and pain when peeing. The leaflet asks you both to take care not to injure yourselves while feeling is reduced.

Some situations need extra care:

• If your partner is pregnant, don't use the lidocaine spray, its leaflet says. The lidocaine and prilocaine spray shouldn't be used while your partner is pregnant unless you use an effective condom.
• If you're trying for a baby, both leaflets say to avoid the spray or wash it off before sex; the lidocaine and prilocaine spray's leaflet limits the washing option to men who need the spray to achieve penetration. That spray may reduce the chance of pregnancy, but it isn't a contraceptive.
• If you use condoms, don't use the lidocaine and prilocaine spray with polyurethane condoms, which it can damage; it can be used with latex, polyisoprene, nitrile and silicone. Using it with condoms may make erection problems and reduced feeling more likely, the leaflet says.
• If your partner is allergic to any of the ingredients, both leaflets say not to use the spray.

Who shouldn't use a delay spray?

Don't use a delay spray if you or your partner are allergic to its ingredients or, for the lidocaine and prilocaine spray, to similar (amide-type) local anaesthetics. The lidocaine spray's leaflet says to ask a doctor first if you have, or have had, liver or kidney problems. The lidocaine and prilocaine spray's leaflet says to talk to a doctor or pharmacist first about a blood condition such as anaemia or methaemoglobinaemia (yours or your partner's), a history of medicine sensitivities, or severe liver problems.

The lidocaine and prilocaine spray is for men aged 18 and over, and the lidocaine spray isn't recommended for elderly men. Tell a doctor or pharmacist about any other medicines you take: the leaflet for the lidocaine and prilocaine spray lists some heart medicines, and other local anaesthetics such as benzocaine, among the medicines that may interact with it. Our guide to lidocaine and benzocaine covers both anaesthetics in more depth.

What's the best delay spray in the UK?

None of the guidelines we checked, from the NHS, BNF, BAUS or EAU, ranks delay sprays by brand. The 2026 EAU guidelines give the lidocaine and prilocaine spray a strong recommendation as a first-line treatment for lifelong premature ejaculation, and say lidocaine-only sprays are effective too.

Which suits you depends on your health and any other medicines you take; both leaflets ask you to check those with a doctor or pharmacist. Whether you search for a delay spray, a desensitising spray or a last longer spray, the licensed options the BNF lists are the same two sprays. In 2024 the MHRA, which regulates medicines in the UK, published a company-led recall of a lidocaine delay spray: the company told the MHRA it had been selling the product without authorisation from the MHRA. The notice says the product hadn't undergone the appropriate assessments of safety, quality and efficacy, and that there was limited information on how much lidocaine it contained.

The MHRA's advice is to avoid buying medicines from social media, messaging apps or unknown websites, and to use only UK-registered pharmacies, including online pharmacies showing the official green cross logo. You can check an online pharmacy based in Great Britain on the General Pharmaceutical Council's website.

Other options, from techniques to tablets, are compared in how to stop premature ejaculation, and condoms made for the same job are covered in delay condoms and wipes explained.

When should you see a GP?

See a GP if premature ejaculation keeps happening and it's a problem for you. The NHS says they'll discuss it and may examine you or refer you to a specialist. The leaflet for the lidocaine and prilocaine spray adds that premature ejaculation may be due to a condition needing medical supervision, so see a doctor if the spray doesn't help.

For contraception advice or an STI test, a sexual health clinic is free and confidential, the NHS says. Call 999 if you or your partner have signs of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), which the NHS lists as:

• lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly becoming swollen
• breathing very fast or struggling to breathe
• a tight throat or struggling to swallow
• skin, tongue or lips turning blue, grey or pale
• suddenly becoming very confused, drowsy or dizzy, or fainting and not waking up