Skin numbing medications fall under a group of products known as topical local anesthetics. These products are designed to deaden or block signals from the nerve endings of your skin, disabling the skin's ability to feel pain. Topical local anesthetics can be found in both prescription and over-the-counter strengths, and can be found in varying strengths. Skin numbing agents are used for a variety of purposes including cosmetic procedures, medical procedures, and for the treatment of irritation and pain due to insect bites, burns, cuts or exposure to skin irritants, such as poison oak or poison ivy. Three main types of skin numbing agents are sold under many different brand names.
Lidocaine
Lidocaine is sold under many brand names, including Senatec and Burnamycin, and is available by prescription only. Although popularly used as an topical-oral or injectable anesthetic in dental procedures, lidocaine is also commonly used as a skin numbing agent for relief from herpes zoster virus infections of the skin, states the Mayo Clinic. The Food and Drug Administration warns that the use of lidocaine is not recommended on large areas of the skin due to the drug's ability to be absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. This can cause side effects ranging from irregular heartbeat to seizures and even death. These side effects can increase in severity if you wrap the application site with a bandage or other material.
Tetracaine
Tetracain is a topical local anesthetic that is commonly used to numb the skin before medical procedures or tests including common procedures such as laser hair removal. Tetracaine is sold primarily under the brand names Cepacol Viractin and Pontocaine. As with lidocaine, the FDA recommends applying the product sparingly and only on small areas of skin to prevent potentially serious side effects.
Benzocaine
Benzocaine is also a topical local anesthetic medication that can be used to numb the skin. Benzocaine is primarily found in over-the-counter remedies for the relief of itching, pain, bites or mild burns. Benzocaine is sold under multiple brand names in the United States, including Solarcaine, Anacaine, and Chiggerex, and comes in a variety of forms including gels, sprays, creams, waxes and liquids. Although benzocaine is found in non-prescription strengths, the FDA still recommends using caution when applying the medication to your skin to avoid potential side effects.
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