For something like Lemon Bottle or other fat dissolving injections, injectable lidocaine is way stronger than topical lidocaine when it comes to pain relief. Topical lidocaine mostly numbs the surface of the skin, so it can help a little with the needle going in, but it usually will not stop the deeper burning or stinging from the actual product being injected. Injectable lidocaine works underneath the skin, which is why clinics use it for procedures that involve multiple injections or stronger pain. That being said, injectable lidocaine is also much riskier if you do not know exactly what you are doing. Wrong dosing or injecting improperly can cause serious problems like nerve damage, toxicity, heart issues, or accidentally hitting a blood vessel. Fat dissolving injections themselves already carry risks too, especially if done incorrectly. So realistically, if someone just wants to reduce some of the needle discomfort, topical lidocaine is the safer option. But if the goal is to actually numb the deeper pain from the injections themselves, injectable lidocaine is much more effective, which is why professionals use it instead of just cream.