How To Use Delay Sprays – Your Questions Answered

photo of me holding a delay spray

Have you recently bought a delay spray or are thinking of trying one? If so, you might have a few questions about using it correctly.

This is probably one of the most common topics readers ask me about, so in this article I’ll hopefully cover all the questions I’m regularly asked.

Not all sprays are the same

I think it’s important to start off by saying that not all delay sprays and creams work the same way. Many are quite similar, but there are often very important differences.

That’s why it’s important to check the instructions they come with, and the manufacturer’s website. There is, of course, a small problem with that in some cases: not all sprays have a dedicated website with instructions.

There are many generic lidocaine sprays for sale online that have limited instructions. That’s why in my opinion it’s better to stick with the brands which have a dedicated team behind them, rather than a generic product with a cool name, but no support.

A standard way to apply a delay spray

If the spray you’ve bought doesn’t have clear instructions, you have three choices: either try and find instructions, leave it and find a different product, or experiment by following the standard instructions other products give.

You’ll see below that I’ve tied to answer the key questions based on both my personal experience, combined with the information provided by some of the most well-known delay spray companies – Promescent, Super Dragon 6000, Stud 100, Dynamo Delay, Adam & Eve, and Fortacin.

Most lidocaine and benzocaine sprays will work in a similar way to the ones I’ll refer to in this article. However, it’s important to stress that if you follow these instructions for a different product, or one with different ingredients altogether, you do so at your own risk.

photo of three delay sprays

1. Start slow

My preference is to start with just one spray, so you can check if your skin will tolerate the ingredients. Most people tolerate them fine, but in my opinion if you’re going to spray your penis, it’s worth being cautious.

And if you find that just one or two sprays works for you, the product will last longer and you’ll save money.

This is the advice the companies give about the number of sprays:

  • Promescent: apply 3 sprays or more, but no more than 10.
  • Stud 100: apply 3 to 5 sprays.
  • Super dragon: apply 2 sprays.
  • Adam & Eve: apply 2 to 5 sprays.
  • Dynamo: 1-3 sprays, and no more than 10.
  • Fortacin: 3 sprays. No more than 9 in 24 hours. Leave 4 hours between each set of 3.

Ideally, you should be able to find the minimum number of sprays that works best for you, and then repeat that number when you next need to. Some men may need one, others five – you just won’t know until you try the product.

2. Target the right area

You can get conflicting advice on where exactly to spray. I think the best thing is to experiment and spray on the most sensitive parts of your penis, not to just cover it all. If you do, there’s a higher chance you’ll numb yourself too much. That can result in erection loss, or just not enjoying the sex as much.

Here’s what the companies say:

  • Promescent: the underside of the penis head, and some on the underside of the shaft.
  • Stud 100: head and shaft of the penis.
  • Super dragon: the head.
  • Adam & Eve: head and shaft of the penis.
  • Dynamo: head and shaft of the penis.
  • Fortacin: the head after retracting the foreskin.

Once you’ve sprayed it, gently rub it in until it appears to be absorbed. This shouldn’t take more than 10-20 seconds to achieve, though maybe longer if you rub it into the shaft as well as the head.

And again, with some experimentation, you should be able to find which part of your penis needs targeting, and which you can leave alone.

3. Flaccid or erect?

It doesn’t matter if you apply it when flaccid or erect. It will work equally well, so it’s up to you to decide what works best for you and your partner.

4. How long before sex to spray?

Different sprays have different timings. None of them allow you to have sex immediately after spraying though. There’s always a waiting time to make sure it’s absorbed and is working, and also so it doesn’t transfer to your partner.

  • Promescent: 5-10 minutes.
  • Stud 100: 5-10 minutes.
  • Super dragon: 5 minutes.
  • Adam & Eve: 5 minutes.
  • Fortacin: 5 minutes.
  • Dynamo: 5-10 minutes.

So you can see that 5-10 minutes is a pretty safe bet if you’re using a lidocaine or benzocaine spray.

5. Do I need to wash it off before sex?

This is probably one of the main areas of confusion, since the companies rarely tell you exactly what they mean by wipe/wash off the excess. Do you use a cloth, water, soapy water, straight away, just before sex?

Here’s what I think is a good idea to do:

  • Spray and gently rub it in. Note that Fortacin don’t say to rub it in, just to spray and wait. Some sprays don’t drip so you don’t need to rub them in. Others do advise rubbing it into the skin once you’ve sprayed.
  • Wait for the recommended time, usually 5-10 minutes.
  • Wipe off any excess with a damp cloth or tissue. Even if you can’t see any excess, you might want to give it a wipe anyway.
  • Wash your hands.

The washing bit is confusing as no company is totally clear about what to do. Personally, I think it’s good to experiment. I find a quick wipe after rubbing in helps remove most excess.

Then a wash or even a shower once the time for absorption has elapsed can help ensure there’s no transference to your partner. The good sprays definitely still work even after a lengthy hot shower in my experience, so there’s no need to worry about the effect not being there.

6. Wash your hands

Very few companies mention this, but those that do say it’s important. You should wash your hands after applying it to make sure you don’t transfer it to your partner, or get it in other sensitive areas such as the eyes.

7. How long will the delay spray last?

This very much depends on the person and the spray. In my experience, most of them keep you numb for at least an hour.

8. Can you choose to have unprotected sex or use a condom?

This again depends on the spray, so it’s important to check with the manufacturer.

  • Promescent: both are ok.
  • Stud 100: both are ok, but you should use latex condoms.
  • Super dragon: both are ok.
  • Adam & Eve: both are ok – use latex condoms.
  • Dynamo: they don’t specify.
  • Fortacin: both are ok. But for condoms, you can’t use a latex-free female or male condom made of polyurethane.

9. Can you have oral sex?

Once again, some say yes and others that it’s best to avoid it. The reasons usually being a bad taste or the risk of transference to your partner.

  • Promescent: yes, as long as you wash it off before.
  • Stud 100: yes, but wait up to 15 minutes first.
  • Super dragon: no because the taste might be unpleasant.
  • Adam & Eve: can’t find information about this.
  • Dynamo: yes as long as you wash it off first.
  • Fortacin: they don’t say. But they do say to take care if you accidentally numb their mouth.

10. Can you use it if you’re trying to get pregnant, or already are pregnant?

Most sprays advise against using them if you’re trying to get pregnant, or if your partner already is pregnant. Here’s a helpful quote from the Promescent website:

lidocaine has not been proven to be safe to use in pregnancy. We recommend to err on the side of caution

The Stud 100 website also says not to use it if your partner is pregnant.

Fortacin has a clear instruction about this:

Fortacin should not be used whilst your partner is pregnant unless you use an effective male condom…Fortacin may reduce the possibility of pregnancy. Therefore, patients hoping to achieve conception should either avoid using Fortacin, or, if this medicine is essential to achieve penetration, should wash the penis as thoroughly as possible five minutes after Fortacin has been applied, but prior to intercourse.

11. How often can you use a spray?

There’s no clear answer to this question, as it will depend on the exact type and quantity of numbing ingredient. Some sprays have instructions about this, but many don’t.

Here are two examples:

  • Promescent: no more than 20 sprays in 24 hours.
  • Fortacin: no more than 9 sprays in 24 hours, with 4 hours between each use.

12. Can you use a delay spray and viagra type drugs together?

As far as I’m aware, there are no safety concerns directly related to mixing desensitizing sprays and medication like viagra. So as long as it’s safe for you to use each one individually, it should be okay to combine them too.

Personally, I would err on the side of caution though and ask your doctor for their advice about combining medications especially if you take any other medication currently.

13. Preventing wastage of the spray

A clever trick I got from a reader is to first spray into a small glass. Then you can dip your finger into the liquid formed and rub it into the area you want to on your penis. This can help prevent wastage by the spray missing some of the penis.

The alternative is to spray from close up – 2 to 3 cm away should be fine.

14. What about delay creams?

Although sprays are the most common form of desensitizing product, there are some in cream form. Personally, I’m not a fan of creams, as you can never be sure if you’re using the same amount each time. However, with creams you can follow the same standard guidelines above.

Your thoughts & questions

Do you have any experience with using delay sprays or creams, and have any advice to offer other readers about the best way to use them? Or do you have any questions I haven’t answered here?

And if you found the article helpful, I’d really appreciate a quick comment to let me know.

You might also like

If you’d like to try a delay spray, take a look at my recommended delay sprays. There are some which either don’t work well or have ingredients which can cause unpleasant side effects. So I recommend seeing what I have to say about them.

424 Comments

  1. I regret using Viga and lost erection completely. My partner filled my heart with insults. please is there any one that desensitizse and increases erection? Any one like this that’s really really the best?

    • Hi Chris
      To be honest, if one spray didn’t work for you, there is a chance others will also affect your erection negatively. Have a look at my main delay sprays page for my current recommendations, and try applying a very small amount next time if you decide to try again.
      Ethan

    • Promescent is the best one out. You honestly might have used too much that resulted in that. If you spray it all over and cant feel anything then it’s not uncommon

    • I tried the delay spray Promescent and I have been able to last a lot longer than usual. My lady has been pretty happy with my performance! I also tried edging and kegels, but edging doesn’t always work. Kegels help somewhat but it takes time to pace yourself that way. I want sometimes to just feel free to enjoy the moment and not worry too much about when I will come but rather enjoy the intimacy with my lady, so that’s where the delay spray is useful, you just need to apply and follow instructions!

    • Hi Kobby
      Not that I am aware of, but you might want to check online for any medical research looking at the effect on sperm count.
      Ethan

      • Hi Ethan, i couldn’t find where the post a comment link is to leave a comment of my own, sorry for posting here.

        Im looking to try the edge delay gel, my question is do you have to apply it to the head on the inside of an uncircumcised penis or the outside, my foreskin is very tight and wont go over the head of my penis, the doctor says its nothing to worry about and is common for men but when i masturbate the foreskin gets tiny splits in the skin so im getting surgery to fix that problem, if i have to apply it to the inside the i guess i could use an ear bud.

        • Hi Hugh
          Normally it goes on the penis head, but it can also help to apply it to the rest of the skin on the outside if needed. I would ask your doctor before using it though considering what you say. These products can cause adverse reactions on the skin, so you don’t want to have more problems on top of the split skin issue.
          Ethan

    • Hi
      I think most men will need to keep using a spray when they have sex. However, I imagine it’s possible that an increase in confidence could help some men to gain better control. But really, they are not known to be lasting solutions.
      Ethan

      • And what is the harm that can be mistaken for a woman? In addition, the one spray we use only once, is it useful for one night?

        • Well, the only possible harm usually is if it transfers to her and numbs her too, or she has a reaction to the ingredient. But most of the time, they are fine I think. And yes, you can use it just one night.

    • Hi Richard
      You can, but it might not be so effective still after an hour. I would experiment on your own and see what timing works best.
      Ethan

  10. Sir, i want to know in which condition to use this spray – i mean in hard position of penis or in normal position?

    • Hi Yawar
      It doesn’t matter really. But normally when soft, because you have to wait 5-10 mins or longer for it to work. But if you can keep an erection that long, then it’s fine to use it when hard too.
      Ethan

    • Hi Blay
      Not that I know of. Anyone who invents that is likely to become very rich though!
      Regards
      Ethan

  12. Hi, are there any long term side effects in using these delay sprays, such as tissue damage, no more erection or anything else?
    Thanks

    • Hi James
      Good question, and unfortunately I don’t know if there’s a definitive answer. I don’t know of any studies that have been done on men using sprays like this over a long period of time. My personal feeling is that it’s probably better to work towards not using them, ideally through learning control naturally, if that’s possible for you. At least then you know you’re reducing any unknown as yet risks by not just planning to use the sprays forever. I do know that if you use them multiple times every day for a couple of weeks, some men will have issues like the tingling sensation or erection difficulties. But it seems to return to normal after stopping usage.
      My personal approach is to use as little as possible each time, and only when really needed. And to use a reputable brand rather than one of the random ones sold online with no real info. behind the manufacturer or ingredients.
      Ethan

        • Hi Michael
          My personal view is that by practicing the start and stop method, learning some kegels, and by doing all the clever little tricks like masturbating before sex, using a condom etc can all add up to helping enormously with PE. And in many cases, by being patient and dedicated in your efforts to solve it.
          Ethan

  13. Hello Ethan…

    My partner since last two years have been experiencing rushes that cause abdominal pains even making her bleed sometimes.

    I didn’t know I have to wash off and even sometimes penetrate her without properly absorbed.

    Does it have anything to do with this take discomforts. Very painful rushes according to her causing abdominal pains.

    What could he the cause please??

    • Hi Kay
      You do need to wash it off before using, yes. But I think your partner should see a doctor to talk about this abdominal pain, as it could be totally unrelated and a medical condition that needs treatment.
      Ethan

    • Hi Maxwell
      Sorry to hear that. Has it returned again now, or still a problem? See a doctor if it’s still a problem weeks later. I don’t know why it might have caused erection problems for weeks. It shouldn’t do!
      Ethan

  15. hi please I bought tiger delay spray and the instruction says WASH PRODUCT OFF after intercourse. Please does this means that when I apply, I wouldn’t wash until after sex ?

  16. After spraying, during the 5-10 mins waiting period, if the head touches the balls does it have any effects on it, or is it advised to tie the head with a material to prevent it touching the balls?

    • Hi
      I don’t think it will be a problem, especially if you give it a quick wipe after applying if there is any obvious excess. I wouldn’t tie it with anything, unless you enjoy that!
      Ethan

    • Hi Mikey
      Yes you can. It’s sometimes better that way if the spray takes a while to take effect. However, if you find it difficult to get an erection once the numbing is working, it might be better to use the spray after you get an erection – as long as it’s one that works quickly.

  20. I use spray and it’s not standing with spray. If it stands, i put on spray and it loses hardness ..otherwise if I don’t use spray it stands very fast, but not stand with spray. why plz answer??

    • Hi
      Some men have problems getting or keeping an erection with desensitizing sprays, unfortunately. You could try puttting less on, and washing it off quicker to see if only having a small amount helps.
      Basically, I think it reduces the sensitivity too much for some men, and with certain sprays. So if you need physically stimulation to get an erection, rather than more mental, then it can be an issue.
      Ethan

  22. I want to use ozomen spray first time. Please tell me whether to spray on the skin of the penis or the inner side of the penis apart from skin like the stay long gels?

  23. Hello Ethan,

    Can you please advise regarding knight rider delay cream or if my partner wants to suck can I wash first or not?? Or we start sex without wipe off

    • It’s a cheap local delay spray and cream! If you want to have oral sex than your best bet is too clean it thoroughly and wipe it off at least twice. For sex, have it there and wash it properly after sex but do use condom and safe sex!

  24. Plz describe the difference between sprays.. like viga 200000 vs viga 500000..can more number incease more time or this is just a numbers.

    • Hi Ammad
      To be honest, I think there is just some weird thing in the delay spray world where the people who make them believe they need to make the number higher than their competitors! As far as I know, the number means nothing usually – it’s just an attempt to make the spray sound better.
      Ethan

    • Hi Joe
      Unfortunately, erection loss is one of the more common side effects of using these sprays. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but when it does, it’s obviously very annoying.
      It’s because the numbing makes it less pleasurable when touched, and some men need more physical stimulation to get an erection, rather than mental stimulation.
      I think the trick is to use less spray, or only apply it when you are already very excited.
      Ethan

    • Am using eros spray can you tell me its a safe a product coz am not regular its my first time and how i can use this tell me the method thanks

  26. Hello Ethan,
    Can you tell me that when we are applying spray on the penis head, do we need to make hard (stand) penis then apply or if the penis is loose we can also apply??? And after applying that we will wait for 5 to 10 minutes, Can we wash penis with soap that my partner could lick and suck it????

    • Hi Danial
      You can apply it when hard or soft it’s your choice. The process of washing is never really clear! But yes, you can wash it after a minute or two, and then have oral sex while you wait for the rest of the time if you like.
      I think the best thing is to experiment. How long does it need to absorb fully? How long to wait before washing? Wash with a cloth or hot water and soap? These are points that change according to different sprays, so you might need to try different timings and techniques until you find what works best for you.
      Ethan

    • Hi Ammar
      Very well thanks! Yes, sprays can cause some side effects – most commonly a tingling sensation and issues getting an erection. That’s why it’s good to be careful how you use them.
      Ethan

    • Hi Fred

      Unfortunately, not every man will have amazing results with the sprays. It also depends which spray you use, how much you used, and what else is going on for you when you use it.
      You could try a different spray, but if they just don’t help, you might have to consider the possibility your PE isn’t caused just by physical sensitivity.

    • Hi Kofi
      That’s very unusual. I guess it could be from irritation from the spray if some transferred to her during sex. I’d use a different spray, or make sure you wipe it very well before using.
      Ethan

    • Hi Peter
      Well, you can make any of them undetectable by having a more thorough wash or shower before you have sex. You could spray it, have a good wash after 5 to 10 mins, and the spray will still work an hour later, with no smell at all.
      Ethan

    • Hi
      Either will probably be fine. But if it’s a cheaper, less well-known spray, I’d perhaps be a bit more careful as they sometimes leave more residue.
      Ethan

  36. Hi Ethan, please can I get demonstrate video about how these are used? I hope it will make me understand more. Thanks

  37. Hello Ethan
    I used viga delay spray and what i assume is that while apply some drops might have entered inside my penis and it hurts a lot now. Does this happen when using delay sprays?

    • Hi
      Not usually, no. Hopefully, the sensation went away by the time you read this reply. I would avoid using this spray again if it doesn’t work well for you.
      Ethan

  38. Hi Ethan, hard to find delay sprays where I live and not a fan of buying online. Someone told me that sunburn treatments (solarcane, lanacane, etc) are the exact same thing. My guess though is that they’d have other ingredients that could be harmful to my gf if I use it. Have you heard anything about sunburn sprays being used as delay sprays?

    • Hi Blake
      I have never heard of those being used for sex. I wouldn’t either because they usually have other chemicals, and the penis head is more sensitive than the rest of the body. If you really can’t get a spray, try using a thick condom instead.
      Ethan

      • Hi Ethan, I used the dragon delay spray 340000 or 360000. When I sprayed it on the tip of my penis, the penis head that is, it started to burn and well I guess I didn’t spray my penis properly because I ejaculated early as well with being excited and all. but I washed it off later and it hurt, but the pains gradually going away. What could be the reason as I’m a first time user?

        • I don’t know to be honest. Probably you had a reaction to the ingredients – some men do find it burns more than others unfortunately. I’d stay away from that one, or any spray with the same ingredient.
          Ethan

  39. Hi, Ethan , Can I use dynamodelay spray ? Is it safe to use. long time ago. I used climax spray, it works for me. I had a sex for more than hour but my partner’s vagina got burning like if somebody put chilli in her vagina. I stop after using for 2-3 times. Can you please let me know if dynamodelay spray will be good.
    Thanks.

    • Hi Jonathan
      I haven’t tried it myself yet, but am planning to in the near future.
      As for the previous bad experience, you probably didn’t wash/wipe properly which is why she felt that.
      Ethan

    • Hi Joe
      After washing it off, you should be fine again within a few hours. If you continue to have a problem after a couple of days, it might be something else causing it.
      Ethan

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