***Article about topical skin treatments on CBC.ca***

[Guest guest]

Hi girls. Knowing that many women with pain use topical skin numbing

creams, I think this is a very important thing to consider before we

make any choices in treatment! I personally have not used anything but

I know many women do...and this is kinda scary.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/02/06/skin-numb.html

Skin-numbing creams may show deadly side-effects: U.S. regulator

Last Updated: Tuesday, February 6, 2007 | 7:56 PM ET

CBC News

Applying large amounts of skin-numbing creams and lotions that are

often used for cosmetic procedures can lead to life-threatening

side-effects such as an irregular heartbeat and seizures, U.S.

regulators said Tuesday.

Topical anesthetics are available with a prescription and over the

counter for burning or itching skin, and for pain before, during or

after medical and cosmetic procedures.

The drugs include lidocaine, tetracaine, benzocaine and prilocaine.

Two deaths have been linked to applying large amounts of the drugs,

which can lead to lethal levels in the bloodstream, the U.S. Food and

Drug Administration said in its advisory.

A 22-year-old woman and a 25-year-old woman died after putting

skin-numbing creams on their legs after laser hair removal.

Following the hair removal, " these women then wrapped their legs in

plastic wrap, as they were instructed, to increase the creams' numbing

effect. Both women had seizures, fell into comas, and subsequently

died from the toxic effects of the anesthetic drugs, " the FDA said.

Use of the products before a cosmetic procedure may not be supervised

by trained health professionals. Without supervision, people may apply

too much to their skin, the advisory said.

The agency has also received reports of side-effects such as irregular

heartbeats, seizures and comas, and slowing or stopping of breathing

after use of the products.

Both children and adults have shown the effects from using approved

and unapproved products, either for long periods of time or on large

parts of the body.

People considering cosmetic or medical procedures should ask their

doctors about using lower doses of approved creams or look for

alternatives to reduce pain, the agency advised.

Last year, Health Canada warned that the local anesthetic benzocaine

has been linked to a potentially serious blood condition called

methemoglobinemia.