RICHARDSON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about medications commonly used to numb the skin in plastic surgery or laser hair removal.

The use of topical anesthetics could be dangerous and even fatal; two women in their 20s have already died.

Creams, ointments and gels are widely used to numb the skin for medical and cosmetic procedures. Some are prescribed by a doctor; others are available over-the-counter.

"There's a therapeutic dose that gets you numb, and then there's some doses at which it becomes toxic and can kill you," explained Dr. Robert Schwartz, a plastic surgeon in Richardson.

The skin-numbing medications include:

• lidocaine
• tetracaine
• benzocaine
• prilocaine

Joy Burns, safety officer at Renaissance Laser Centers, says her company has a policy about topical anesthetics: their use is permitted only in the office.

"We're very strict about how we apply it," Burns said. "We never send it home with a patient, so misuse is not a concern. We never let it see their hands."

Dr. Schwartz said he is concerned about people who use the products at home. Misuse can result in seizures or convulsions. Patients can also become comatose or die.

"A lot of these medications are being given without adequate supervision," Dr. Schwartz said. "The safest thing patients and consumers can do is put on these medications at the facility—not at home."

E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com