FDA warns popular pain-relief creams may pose dangerous health risks

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Scripps News

Posted: 8:07 p.m. EDT Mar 26, 2024


If you get microdermabrasion treatments, laser hair removal, tattoos and piercings, you may want to keep reading this. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is sounding the alarm on popular over-the-counter topical pain-relief products over potentially dangerous side effects.

According to the FDA, it has issued warning letters to six companies for violating federal laws by “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,” Jill Furman, director of the Office of Compliance in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a press release. “We are committed to using all available tools to stop the sale of these illegal high-risk products.”

The FDA notes that the problem with these products, which are used to alleviate some of the pain associated with cosmetic procedures, is that they have 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.

Read more: https://scrippsnews.com/stories/fda-warns-popular-pain-relief-creams-may-pose-dangerous-health-risks/

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Link to FDA PRESS RELEASE - FDA Warns Consumers to Avoid Certain Topical Pain Relief Products Due to Potential for Dangerous Health Effects

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Better to take opiods. They'll have you feeling no pain.

[Marthe48]

2. I use pain relieving cream pretty often

I'll take my chances.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. The ones being warned about

have excessive amounts of lidocaine and are most likely not sold in supermarkets or pharmacies.

(and yes I have a couple formulations of Aspercreme, including one with lidocaine, in a drawer right next to me. )

[Oopsie Daisy]

10. Same here. I like the roll-on.

[Warpy]

6. Lidocaine/xylocaine is about the only thing that will touch nerve pain

but it can also block down the conduction system in the heart, so I use it sparingly and never exceed the recommended dose.

So: read the instructions and use it very sparingly.

[LeftInTX]

3. Never heard of those brands

I noticed that 10.56% Numbskin is gone from their website.

[NBachers]

5. I wonder if this includes lidocaine patches. I have found them effective when needed.

[riversedge]

7. FDA: "not use OTC pain relief products with more than 4% lidocaine on their skin"

My mom uses them -patches--occasionally also. for shoulder pain. I will have to see what the dosage is tomorrow, but like I said she only uses them once in awhile--

The article also lists the brands that are NOT to be used.


The FDA recommends consumers:

not use OTC pain relief products with more than 4% lidocaine on their skin
not apply OTC pain relief products heavily over large areas of skin or to irritated or broken skin.
not wrap skin treated with OTC pain relief products with plastic wrap or other dressings. Wrapping or covering treated skin with any type of material can increase the chance of serious side effects.

[LeftInTX]

12. This won't effect the ones you find in the drug store or supermarket. It won't effect prescription patches.

[ShepKat]

8. so, I can't take prescriptions

I have a genetic painful issue... can't take an anti inflammatory- ALL I have is my 11% lidocaine. It's for face tattoos. I better buy a tub or 5 before I can't - assholes. Nothing I take 'reacts' with it. My Dragon Blood Balm and Evil Bone Water comes second but doesn't do what 11% lidocaine can. Shit.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. "so, I can't take prescriptions"

The FDA warning is about certain unregulated / untested OTC products. A compounding pharmacy can whip up a batch of up to 10% lidocaine with a prescription (and FDA has only recently been given more authority over compounding pharmacies).

The problem with some of the stuff apparently sold on the web, is that a lot of it is "home made" and there may be little or no "quality control" (including use of aseptic batch processing, so bacteria can become a problem - especially when you are talking "balms" ), nor are batches reliably consistent with the active ingredient concentration.

[LeftInTX]

11. I noticed one of the products has already been pulled. I didn't check the others on the list.

It shows up in the search, but when you go to the site, whether Amazon or the manufacturer, you get a 404 error.


I assume the other products on the list have also been pulled.

I hear you!!! About 20 years ago, I had prescription lidocaine patches. Internet says Lidoderm is 5% lidocaine. Patches only helped my feet. The rest of my nerves are too deep. (Back, neck etc)

[Karma13612]

13. Part of the problem is

Also because you shouldn’t use the products on abraded skin or open wounds. The medication will get in to the body and blood stream where the lidocaine will have the undesired cardiac effects.

And when you complicate the issue with incorrect concentrations of the lidocaine, it makes things even worse.

[LiberalFighter]

14. They are safe for usage by 6 of the SC justices.