FDA Warns Companies Selling Unsafe Topical Pain-Relief Products with High Lidocaine Content

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a warning to six companies for selling unapproved and misbranded topical pain-relief products with higher-than-allowed concentrations of lidocaine, a local anesthetic. Jill Furman, director of the Office of Compliance in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, emphasized the risks associated with these products, stating that they should not be on the market due to the potential harm they pose to consumers.

The problem with these products lies in their excessive lidocaine content, which can lead to serious side effects such as irregular heartbeat, seizures, and breathing difficulties, especially when used on a large area of skin or irritated skin. To prevent adverse effects, the FDA recommends avoiding products containing more than 4% lidocaine, refraining from usage on large areas of skin, and avoiding wrapping the product with dressings or plastic wraps.

Some of the products cited by the FDA in their warning include TKTX Numb Maximum Strength Pain Reliever, NumbSkin Lidocaine Numbing Creams, and Signature Tattoo Numbing Cream. It is essential to heed these warnings to protect your health and well-being while undergoing cosmetic procedures.

If you regularly undergo microdermabrasion treatments or laser hair removal, tattoos or piercings, you should take note of this recent warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding certain over-the-counter topical pain-relief products. The FDA has issued warning letters to six companies for selling unapproved and misbranded products with higher-than-allowed concentrations of lidocaine