anesthesia
"I use 2.5/2.5% EMLA cream for electrolysis of my facial hair.  It does not work as well for me as others.  It reaches maximum effectiveness 8-15 minutes after application, and the numbing effect begins to wear off after about 30 minutes, so it works quickly for me, but not very long.  When I applied it 1-2 hours before procedure, as recommended, it had completely worn off by then.
Although it does help, there are areas of my face (around the mouth) where the pain is still quite intense, even with the EMLA cream, and I often have to quit the procedure early due to the pain.  I wish it worked better for me--good luck to others."