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Use of Skin Products Containing Numbing Ingredients (Topical Anesthetic Drugs) for Cosmetic Procedures and Potential Life-Threatening Side Effects

BETHESDA, MD -- February 7, 2007 -- FDA informed consumers and healthcare professionals of the potential hazards of using skin numbing products containing topical anesthetic drugs such as lidocaine, tetracaine, benzocaine, and prilocaine in a cream, ointment, or gel.

Numbing products are widely used to numb the skin for medical and cosmetic procedures, and to relieve pain, burning and itching due to a variety of medical conditions. FDA has approved many of these products for these uses. Some of these products must be prescribed by a doctor, others may be purchased without a prescription.

FDA is aware that use of these products before a cosmetic procedure may not be supervised by trained health professionals. Without this supervision, a patient may apply large amounts of the numbing product to their skin, which can cause life-threatening side effects and death. If a skin numbing product is prescribed or recommended for a procedure, consumers should do the following:

- use a topical anesthetic approved by the FDA.
- use a topical anesthetic that contains the lowest amount of anesthetic drugs possible that will relieve pain.
- ask for instructions from your doctor on how to safely use the topical anesthetic.


SOURCE: Food and Drug Administration

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