Our Pick: Doctor Butler's
Check price on Amazon →Doctor Butler's Review: The Lidocaine and Phenylephrine Ointment, and the Rest of the Line
Buy the Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment at $19.99. The listing title states lidocaine and phenylephrine HCl, which puts it on the shelf with Preparation H's lidocaine cream at $26.58 and Curist's 6 oz tube at $24.00. The Advanced ointment, the witch hazel spray, and the 12 to-go packets round out a line that is external-only and carries the full phenylephrine ask-a-doctor list. Tube sizes and percentages are not published on the listings. Prices verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026.
By The Pharmacy Desk2026-09-05~11 min read Ranked on verified label facts, never box claimsHow we research
Buy Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment at $19.99 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026). The listing title states the two actives, lidocaine and phenylephrine HCl, which is the anesthetic-plus-vasoconstrictor pairing that the pharmacy names sell as their lidocaine creams. It is the product the brand is known for and the one to start with; the Advanced ointment at $29.99 and the Maximum Strength 12 to-go packets at $25.95 are the same idea at a higher price or in a travel format. Tube sizes and active percentages are not published on any of the listing titles, which is the first honest caveat on this page.
Doctor Butler's is a direct-to-consumer brand rather than a pharmacy-counter name, and its line is entirely external: ointments, a cream, two sprays, wipes and packets. There is no suppository. That matters on a suppository site because it tells you what the line is for: symptoms around the opening and the anal fissure the product name calls out, not internal relief. The two benchmarks below are the external lidocaine products the pharmacy shelf sells against it, Preparation H Cream with Lidocaine at $26.58 for a stated 1 oz and Curist Fissure Hemorrhoid Cream at $24.00 for a stated 6 oz with 5 percent lidocaine on the title. Against those, Doctor Butler's has to win on something other than published numbers.
Every product on this page with lidocaine or phenylephrine is an over-the-counter drug with a Drug Facts panel, and we quote panels rather than improvise around them. Lidocaine products are for external use only and the label says not to use in large quantities, particularly over raw surfaces or blistered areas. Phenylephrine carries an ask-a-doctor list: heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, difficulty urinating due to an enlarged prostate, and an ask-a-doctor-or-pharmacist line for anyone taking a prescription drug for high blood pressure or depression. The stop line is the shelf's: stop use and ask a doctor if bleeding occurs, or if the condition worsens or does not improve within 7 days. Pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use. Children under 12, ask a doctor. We read labels and verify listings; we are not clinicians, nothing here is medical advice, and no brand has paid for a placement. If you buy through a link we may earn an Amazon commission at no cost to you.
The short version
- Our Pick: Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment, $19.99 at our September 5, 2026 check. Lidocaine and phenylephrine HCl stated on the listing title; percentages and tube size not published.
- The whole line is external. There is no Doctor Butler's suppository; for internal symptoms the suppository shelf is a different page.
- Phenylephrine brings the ask-a-doctor list (heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, enlarged prostate) and lidocaine brings external-use-only and no large quantities over raw skin. Read the tube.
- Benchmarks with published numbers: Preparation H Cream with Lidocaine at $26.58 for 1 oz, and Curist at $24.00 for 6 oz with 5 percent lidocaine stated on the title.
- The 12 to-go packets at $25.95 are about $2.16 each; the witch hazel spray at $16.95 and the postpartum spray at $15.95 are the no-anesthetic members of the line.
At a glance
| Product | Actives (per title or label) | Size or count | Cost per use | Use | Price (9/5/26) | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment | Lidocaine, phenylephrine HCl | Not published | Not computable | External | $19.99 | Check price on Amazon |
| Doctor Butler's Advanced Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment | Lidocaine (per title) | Not published | Not computable | External | $29.99 | Check price on Amazon |
| Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid Spray | Witch hazel (per title) | Not published | Not computable | External, cleansing | $16.95 | Check price on Amazon |
| Doctor Butler's Maximum Strength Ointment, 12 to-go packets | Per the packet's Drug Facts panel | 12 packets | $2.16 per packet | External | $25.95 | Check price on Amazon |
| Preparation H Cream with Lidocaine, 1 oz | Lidocaine (per title); see panel | 1 oz | Not computable | External | $26.58 | Check price on Amazon |
| Curist Fissure Hemorrhoid Cream, 6 oz | 5% lidocaine, phenylephrine (per title) | 6 oz | Not computable | External | $24.00 | Check price on Amazon |
The four Doctor Butler's SKUs we card and the two benchmark lidocaine creams. Actives are as stated on the listing title or the Drug Facts panel; where the title states no size or percentage we say not published. Prices verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026. Cost per use computed only where the listing states a count.
Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment
Doctor Butler's
The brand's original: lidocaine and phenylephrine HCl stated on the title, external use, $19.99.
Our verdict: The product the brand is built on, and the one to buy if you buy Doctor Butler's at all. Lidocaine and phenylephrine on the title put it in the same class as the pharmacy lidocaine creams at a lower price than Preparation H's. What the listing does not give you is a tube size or a percentage, which is why the benchmarks below matter.
Verified: Listing title states lidocaine and phenylephrine HCl as the actives. Tube size and percentages are not published on the listing; the Drug Facts panel on the tube states them. External use only. Live at $19.99 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
What it is. Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment is an external ointment whose listing title states two actives: lidocaine, an external analgesic, and phenylephrine HCl, a vasoconstrictor. That pairing is what the pharmacy brands sell as a lidocaine hemorrhoid cream, and it is why the ointment is the brand's flagship. The title also names anal fissures alongside hemorrhoids, which is a description of the product's positioning, not a claim we make; the Drug Facts panel's uses govern, and on lidocaine-phenylephrine products those are temporary relief of pain, itching and burning and temporary shrinking of hemorrhoidal tissue. At $19.99 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026) it is the cheapest lidocaine-plus-phenylephrine product on this page.
What the label directs and warns. External use only. Adults: when practical, cleanse the affected area, pat dry, and apply to the affected area up to 4 times daily, especially at night, in the morning, and after each bowel movement; children under 12, ask a doctor. Do not use in large quantities, particularly over raw surfaces or blistered areas. Do not put the product into the rectum by using fingers or any mechanical device or applicator. Because of the phenylephrine, ask a doctor before use if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, or difficulty urinating due to an enlarged prostate, and ask a doctor or pharmacist if you take a prescription drug for high blood pressure or depression. Stop use and ask a doctor if bleeding occurs, or if the condition worsens or does not improve within 7 days. Pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use. For the lidocaine cream field, see the best lidocaine hemorrhoid creams; for fissure products specifically, the best anal fissure treatments.
Who should buy it
Buy the original ointment if you want a lidocaine-plus-phenylephrine external product, none of the phenylephrine ask-a-doctor conditions apply to you, and you would rather pay $19.99 than $26.58 for Preparation H's version.
What we don't like
Tube size and percentages are not published on the listing, so you cannot compare value or strength before ordering. The phenylephrine ask-a-doctor list is long. It is external only, so it does nothing for internal symptoms.
- Active ingredients
- Lidocaine, phenylephrine HCl, as stated on the listing title
- Strength
- Not published on the listing; see the Drug Facts panel
- Size or count
- Not published on the listing
- Form
- Ointment, external use only
- Label directions
- Up to 4 times daily; under 12 ask a doctor
- Cost per use
- Not computable
- Packaging
- Tube
What we like
- Lidocaine and phenylephrine stated on the title
- Cheapest lidocaine-plus-phenylephrine product on the page
- The brand's original and best-known product
Worth noting
- Tube size not published
- Percentages not published
- Phenylephrine ask-a-doctor list
Doctor Butler's Advanced Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment
Doctor Butler's
The Advanced version at $29.99; lidocaine on the title, and nothing on the listing to justify the extra $10.
Our verdict: Ten dollars more than the original, with a title that states lidocaine and does not state what makes it Advanced. Without a published size or percentage there is no way to tell from the listing whether the premium buys strength, volume, or a word. Buy the original first; buy this only after reading both tubes' panels side by side.
Verified: Listing title states lidocaine; describes lidocaine hemorrhoid treatment and fissure treatment. Size and percentages not published on the listing. External use only. Live at $29.99 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
What the listing states. Doctor Butler's Advanced Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment is titled as a lidocaine hemorrhoid treatment and fissure treatment. The title states lidocaine and does not restate phenylephrine, does not state a size, and does not state a percentage. At $29.99 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026) it is $10 more than the original ointment.
Who should buy it
Buy the Advanced ointment only if you have already used the original, read both panels, and found a stated difference that matters to you.
What we don't like
A $10 premium the listing does not explain, no published size or percentage, and a title that drops phenylephrine without saying whether the formula did.
- Active ingredients
- Lidocaine, as stated on the listing title
- Strength
- Not published on the listing; see the Drug Facts panel
- Size or count
- Not published on the listing
- Form
- Ointment, external use only
- Label directions
- Per the Drug Facts panel; under 12 ask a doctor
- Cost per use
- Not computable
- Packaging
- Tube
What we like
- Same brand, same external-use format
- Lidocaine stated on the title
Worth noting
- $10 more with no published reason
- Size and strength not published
Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid Spray
Doctor Butler's
A witch hazel cleansing spray for people who want the brand without lidocaine or phenylephrine.
Our verdict: The spray is the line's witch hazel product: a medicated cleansing solution rather than an anesthetic, which means no lidocaine warnings and no phenylephrine list. At $16.95 it costs more than a jar of a hundred Tucks pads, so buy it for the no-touch spray format, not for value.
Verified: Listing title: Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid Spray, hemorrhoid treatment and medicated cleansing solution with witch hazel. Size not published on the listing. External use. Live at $16.95 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
What it is. Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid Spray is titled as a hemorrhoid treatment and medicated cleansing solution with witch hazel. Witch hazel is the astringent on this class of product, the same active as a Tucks pad or a Preparation H wipe, delivered as a spray instead of a pad. The listing title states no size. At $16.95 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026) it is the cheapest Doctor Butler's product except the two $15.95 items, the flushable wipes with organic witch hazel and the Pregnancy and Postpartum Spray with aloe and chamomile.
The shelf-wide stop line applies: stop use and ask a doctor if bleeding occurs, or if the condition worsens or does not improve within 7 days. Owners consistently report the nozzle is the weak point, and that the bottle should be stored upright.
Who should buy it
Buy the spray if you want witch hazel in a no-touch format, or you want a Doctor Butler's product without lidocaine or phenylephrine.
What we don't like
No published size, a nozzle owners report clogging, and a per-use cost that cannot be computed but is certainly higher than a witch hazel pad.
- Active ingredients
- Witch hazel, as stated on the listing title
- Strength
- Not published on the listing
- Size or count
- Not published on the listing
- Form
- Spray, external use
- Label directions
- Per the Drug Facts panel
- Cost per use
- Not computable
- Packaging
- Spray bottle
What we like
- No lidocaine, no phenylephrine
- No-touch application
- Witch hazel stated on the title
Worth noting
- Size not published
- Far more per use than a witch hazel pad
- Nozzle reports
Doctor Butler's Maximum Strength Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment, 12 to-go packets
Doctor Butler's
Twelve single-use packets of the Maximum Strength ointment, about $2.16 each, for a bag.
Our verdict: The only Doctor Butler's listing with a stated count, so the only one we can price per use: about $2.16 a packet ($25.95 divided by 12). That is a travel price, not a cabinet price. Buy it for a bag or a first trial; buy the tube for home.
Verified: Listing: Doctor Butler's Maximum Strength Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment, 12 to-go packets. Count stated on the listing; actives and percentages per the packet's Drug Facts panel, not printed on the listing title. Live at $25.95 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
What it is. The Maximum Strength Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment, 12 to-go packets is the brand's ointment in single-use sachets. The title states the count and the words Maximum Strength; it does not state the actives or the percentage, so those come from the packet's Drug Facts panel. At $25.95 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026) each packet is about $2.16 ($25.95 divided by 12).
Owners consistently report the packets are the tidiest way to carry the ointment and the most expensive way to use it. For a travel-sized alternative with a stated size, the pharmacy shelf's Preparation H Totables wipes are witch hazel rather than lidocaine, ten for $4.83.
Who should buy it
Buy the packets for travel, a gym bag, or a first trial before committing to a tube.
What we don't like
About $2.16 per application, actives and percentage not on the listing, and a Maximum Strength label that makes the lidocaine warnings more important, not less.
- Active ingredients
- Per the packet's Drug Facts panel; not printed on the listing title
- Strength
- Maximum Strength per the title; percentage not published on the listing
- Size or count
- 12 packets
- Form
- Single-use ointment packets, external use only
- Label directions
- Per the Drug Facts panel; under 12 ask a doctor
- Cost per use
- $2.16 ($25.95 divided by 12)
- Packaging
- 12 sealed sachets
What we like
- Stated count, so a real per-use price
- Travel and trial format
- Sealed single-use sachets
Worth noting
- About $2.16 per application
- Actives and percentage not on the listing
Preparation H Hemorrhoid Symptom Treatment Cream with Lidocaine, 1 oz
Preparation H
The pharmacy lidocaine cream with a stated 1 oz tube, $26.58, the size Doctor Butler's does not publish.
Our verdict: The benchmark for what a lidocaine hemorrhoid cream from a pharmacy name costs: $26.58 for a stated 1 oz. It is more than the Doctor Butler's ointment, and it publishes its size, which Doctor Butler's does not. If the Doctor Butler's tube turns out to be an ounce or less, this is the same value from a Tier A brand.
Verified: Listing: Preparation H Hemorrhoid Symptom Treatment Cream with Lidocaine, 1 oz tube. Lidocaine stated on the title; full actives per the Drug Facts panel. External use only. Live at $26.58 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
Why it is here. Preparation H Cream with Lidocaine, 1 oz is what most people would buy at a pharmacy counter instead of ordering Doctor Butler's. The title states lidocaine and a 1 oz tube; the Drug Facts panel states the full actives and percentages. At $26.58 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026) it is $6.59 more than the Doctor Butler's original, for a size you know before you order. The lidocaine warnings are identical: external use only, no large quantities over raw or blistered skin, under 12 ask a doctor, 7 day stop line, and if phenylephrine is on the panel, its ask-a-doctor list.
Who should buy it
Buy Preparation H's lidocaine cream instead of Doctor Butler's if you want a pharmacy name with a stated tube size and do not mind paying more for it.
What we don't like
The most expensive product on the page for a 1 oz tube, and the lidocaine and phenylephrine warnings apply in full.
- Active ingredients
- Lidocaine stated on the title; full actives per the Drug Facts panel
- Strength
- Not printed on the listing title; see the Drug Facts panel
- Size or count
- 1 oz
- Form
- Cream, external use only
- Label directions
- Per the Drug Facts panel; under 12 ask a doctor
- Cost per use
- Not computable
- Packaging
- Tube
What we like
- Stated 1 oz tube
- Tier A pharmacy brand
- Lidocaine stated on the title
Worth noting
- $26.58 for 1 oz
- Full warnings apply
Curist Fissure Hemorrhoid Cream, 5% lidocaine and phenylephrine, 6 oz
Curist
Five percent lidocaine, phenylephrine, and a 6 oz tube all stated on the title, $24.00.
Our verdict: The benchmark that publishes everything Doctor Butler's does not: 5 percent lidocaine, phenylephrine, and a 6 oz tube, on the title, for $24.00. That is six times the volume of the Preparation H tube for less money. It is a Tier B brand like Doctor Butler's, so the choice between them comes down to stated numbers, and Curist states them.
Verified: Listing title states 5% lidocaine and phenylephrine, 6 oz (170 g) tube. External use only. Live at $24.00 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
Why it is here. Curist Fissure Hemorrhoid Cream is the one lidocaine-plus-phenylephrine product in our catalog whose listing title states the strength (5 percent lidocaine), the second active (phenylephrine), and the size (6 oz, 170 g). At $24.00 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026) it is $4 more than the Doctor Butler's original for a volume the Doctor Butler's listing does not disclose. Cost per ounce is $4.00 ($24.00 divided by 6), which we can compute only because the title states the size.
Who should buy it
Buy Curist instead of Doctor Butler's if you want the strength and the size printed on the listing before you pay, and you are comfortable with the full lidocaine and phenylephrine warnings.
What we don't like
A Tier B direct-to-consumer brand like Doctor Butler's, a 6 oz tube that is more than an occasional user needs before the printed date, and the strongest warnings on the page.
- Active ingredients
- Lidocaine 5%, phenylephrine, as stated on the listing title
- Strength
- Lidocaine 5% per the title; phenylephrine percentage per the Drug Facts panel
- Size or count
- 6 oz (170 g)
- Form
- Cream, external use only
- Label directions
- Per the Drug Facts panel; under 12 ask a doctor
- Cost per use
- Not computable; $4.00 per ounce ($24.00 divided by 6)
- Packaging
- Tube
What we like
- Strength, second active and size all on the title
- Six times the Preparation H volume for less
- $4.00 per ounce, computable
Worth noting
- Strongest warnings on the page
- More than an occasional user needs
What you'll need
The six things that go in the same cart as a suppository: the pharmacy-standard glycerin, a daily stool softener, an enema for the nights nothing else works, witch hazel wipes, sitz salts, and a barrier ointment. Prices are approximate at time of writing.
More picks worth comparing
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Quick shop: every pick
Skip the scroll: the whole lineup, with a live price check on each.
- Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid and Fissure OintmentBest OverallDoctor Butler's · $19.99Check price on Amazon
- Doctor Butler's Advanced Hemorrhoid and Fissure OintmentThe Higher-Priced OintmentDoctor Butler's · $29.99Check price on Amazon
- Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid SprayBest No-Anesthetic Member of the LineDoctor Butler's · $16.95Check price on Amazon
- Doctor Butler's Maximum Strength Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment, 12 to-go packetsBest for TravelDoctor Butler's · $25.95Check price on Amazon
- Preparation H Hemorrhoid Symptom Treatment Cream with Lidocaine, 1 ozBenchmark: The Pharmacy NamePreparation H · $26.58Check price on Amazon
- Curist Fissure Hemorrhoid Cream, 5% lidocaine and phenylephrine, 6 ozBenchmark: Published Strength and VolumeCurist · $24.00Check price on Amazon
How we chose
This review is built on the listing titles and the Drug Facts panels. For every SKU we recorded the actives the listing title states, the size or count where the title states it, the form, the use (all external on this page), the label's directions and age line, and the Amazon price on September 5, 2026 via the Creators API. Where a listing title does not state a size or a percentage we write not published rather than guessing, and that applies to every Doctor Butler's ointment and spray. Cost per use is shown only for the 12 packet listing, where the count is stated. Owner reports were weighed for consistency on what a label cannot tell you: whether the tube lasts, whether the spray nozzle clogs, and whether the packets seal.
Compliance for this shelf: we quote the label's Uses and Directions and nothing beyond them. Lidocaine products are for external use only; the label says not to use in large quantities, particularly over raw surfaces or blistered areas, and not to put the product into the rectum with fingers or any mechanical device or applicator. Phenylephrine carries its ask-a-doctor list (heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, difficulty urinating due to an enlarged prostate) and its ask-a-doctor-or-pharmacist line for prescription drugs for high blood pressure or depression. Stop use and ask a doctor if bleeding occurs, if the condition worsens, or if it does not improve within 7 days. Children under 12, ask a doctor. Pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use. We are a research and verification desk, not a pharmacy or a clinic, and nothing on this page is medical advice. No brand paid for a placement and none saw this review before publication.
Questions, answered
What is in Doctor Butler's Hemorrhoid and Fissure Ointment?
The listing title states lidocaine and phenylephrine HCl. The percentages and the tube size are not published on the listing; the Drug Facts panel on the tube states them. Lidocaine is an external analgesic and phenylephrine is a vasoconstrictor, the same pairing the pharmacy brands sell as lidocaine hemorrhoid creams.
Does Doctor Butler's make a suppository?
No. Every product in the line in our catalog is external: ointments, a cream, two sprays, wipes and packets. For internal symptoms the labeled form is a suppository; see our guide to the best hemorrhoid suppositories.
What is the difference between the original and the Advanced ointment?
The listing titles do not say. Both state lidocaine; the original also states phenylephrine HCl; neither states a size or a percentage. The Advanced is $10 more at our September 5, 2026 check. Only the two Drug Facts panels, read side by side, can tell you what the premium buys.
Can I use Doctor Butler's if I have high blood pressure?
The original ointment's title states phenylephrine HCl, and phenylephrine labels say ask a doctor before use if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, or difficulty urinating due to an enlarged prostate, and ask a doctor or pharmacist if you take a prescription drug for high blood pressure or depression. The witch hazel spray is the line's product without phenylephrine. We are not clinicians; the pharmacist is the right person to ask.
How often can you apply a lidocaine hemorrhoid ointment?
Lidocaine-phenylephrine hemorrhoidal labels direct adults to apply externally up to 4 times daily, especially at night, in the morning, and after each bowel movement, and say not to use in large quantities, particularly over raw surfaces or blistered areas. Children under 12: ask a doctor. Follow the panel on your tube.
Is Doctor Butler's better than Preparation H?
On sticker price the Doctor Butler's original at $19.99 beats Preparation H's lidocaine cream at $26.58. On published information Preparation H states a 1 oz tube and Doctor Butler's states no size. Curist at $24.00 states 5 percent lidocaine and 6 oz. We would buy the product that publishes its numbers; the three are ranked at our lidocaine cream guide.
Are the to-go packets worth it?
For travel, yes; for home, no. At $25.95 for 12 at our September 5, 2026 check they are about $2.16 per application. Buy the tube for the cabinet and the packets for a bag.
Can Doctor Butler's be used for an anal fissure?
The product names say hemorrhoid and fissure, which is the maker's positioning. The Drug Facts panel's uses govern, and on lidocaine-phenylephrine products those are temporary relief of pain, itching and burning and temporary shrinking of hemorrhoidal tissue. Bleeding, worsening, or no improvement within 7 days means stop and ask a doctor. Our anal fissure guide covers what the labels on this shelf do and do not say.
Filed under Review
Keep reading
Best Lidocaine Hemorrhoid Creams (2026)
Doctor Butler's, Preparation H and Curist ranked on what each listing publishes and what the label warns.
Best Anal Fissure Treatments (2026)
What the labels on the fissure-positioned products actually state, and the stop lines.
Suppository vs Cream for Hemorrhoids
Internal versus external, and why an external-only line like Doctor Butler's needs a suppository beside it.
Best Hemorrhoid Treatments for Pregnancy and Postpartum
The postpartum spray, witch hazel pads and sitz salts, with the ask-a-health-professional line on every label.