Comparing the pain ratings of two topical lidocaine preparations

Introdução: The increase in the demand for cosmetic procedures has in turn stimulated the search for effective and safe analgesia.Topical anesthetics are an alternative to infiltrative anesthesia, and promote an appropriate analgesia without inducing adverse effects. Objective: To compare the pain ratings of two topical lidocaine formulations in patients undergoing fractional CO2 laser therapy. Methods: Eight patients underwent a single fractional CO2 laser session after applying a commercial formulation of 4% lidocaine on the right side of the face and a dispensed 30% lidocaine formulation combined with 7% tetracaine on the left side of the face. The intensity of the pain was assessed using the visual analogue pain intensity scale at the end of the procedure. Results: No significant statistical differences were detected between the formulations. Conclusions: Formulations with high concentrations of anesthetics are not more effective than commercial products in producing analgesia.