Use the smallest amount of this medication needed to numb the skin or relieve pain. Do not use large amounts of benzocaine topical, or cover treated skin areas with a bandage or plastic wrap without medical advice. Be aware that many cosmetic procedures are performed without a medical doctor present.

Before using benzocaine topical, tell your doctor if you have any type of inherited enzyme deficiency, a breathing disorder such as asthma or emphysema, or if you smoke.

Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse within the first 7 days of using benzocaine topical. Also call your doctor if your symptoms had cleared up but then came back.

If you are treating a sore throat, call your doctor if the pain is severe or lasts longer than 2 days, especially if you also develop a fever, headache, skin rash, swelling, nausea, vomiting, cough, or breathing problems.

What is benzocaine topical?

Benzocaine is a local anesthetic (numbing medication). It works by blocking nerve signals in your body.

Benzocaine topical is used to reduce pain or discomfort caused by minor skin irritations, sore throat, sunburn, teething pain, vaginal or rectal irritation, ingrown toenails, hemorrhoids, and many other sources of minor pain on a surface of the body. Benzocaine is also used to numb the skin or surfaces inside the mouth, nose, throat, vagina, or rectum to lessen the pain of inserting a medical instrument such as a tube or speculum.

Benzocaine topical may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before using benzocaine topical?

An overdose of numbing medications can cause fatal side effects if too much of the medicine is absorbed through your skin and into your blood. This is more likely to occur when using a numbing medicine without the advice of a medical doctor (such as during a cosmetic procedure like laser hair removal). Overdose symptoms may include uneven heartbeats, seizure (convulsions), coma, slowed breathing, or respiratory failure (breathing stops). Do not use benzocaine topical if you have a blood cell disorder called methemoglobinemia.

Before using benzocaine topical, tell your doctor if you have:

• asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, or other breathing disorder;

• heart disease;

• a personal or family history of methemoglobinemia, or any genetic enzyme deficiency; or

• if you smoke.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether benzocaine topical passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not use this medicine on a child younger than 1 year old.

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