Quote from: Autumn on June 07, 2009, 03:54:45 AM
Do lidocaine topicals help significantly, like with laser?
There's a noticeable difference, but it depends how deep the hairs are. I use an over the counter store-brand neosporin that is basically 4% lidocaine + an antibacterial. If I put it on and keep it covered so it can't evaporate for about an hour on my neck I will feel almost nothing. But that's generally a low-pain area for me. Anywhere that the hairs have relatively deeper roots, which for me means the chin, higher up on the cheek, and all the way around the mouth, a topical is less effective. I take 3 500mg tylenol and use the lidocaine stuff when I get those areas worked on. Honestly it doesn't help that much, but there is a difference and I'm a complete wimp when it comes to pain. It isn't that it hurts
that badly, but it is uncomfortable and after a while I get twitchy...and that's not good when someone has a needle stuck in your face zapping you. Also, the left side of my face hurts more in general, I'm still not sure why.