The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a warning to companies marketing over-the-counter topical pain-relief products containing lidocaine, as the FDA has found these products to have potentially dangerous side effects. Six companies have been issued warning letters for marketing unapproved, misbranded products with higher-than-allowed concentrations of lidocaine. These products pose unacceptable risks to consumers and should not be on the market.
The problem with these products, which are used to alleviate some of the pain associated with cosmetic procedures, is that they contain too much lidocaine, which can cause serious side effects like an irregular heartbeat, seizures, and breathing issues. Furthermore, if used on a large portion of skin or irritated skin, it can cause serious injury. The FDA recommends not using anything containing more than 4% lidocaine, not using it on large areas of skin, and not wrapping the product onto the skin with dressings or plastic wraps.
The FDA has identified several products that are in question, including TKTX Numb Maximum Strength Pain Reliever, TKTX During Procedure Numbing Gel and J-CAIN cream, NumbSkin Lidocaine Numbing Creams, Signature Tattoo Numbing Cream and Miracle Numb Spray, Painless Tattoo Numbing Cream and Painless Tattoo Numbing Spray
