Topical Numbing before Skin Boosters: Yes or No?

In recent years, aesthetic practitioners across Asia have made a notable shift in their injection protocols—moving away from the routine use of topical numbing creams before skin booster and hydration treatments. While once considered standard practice, growing clinical evidence and experience have revealed several concerns associated with their long-term use.

For healthcare professionals in Australia and New Zealand adopting the latest evidence-based approaches, understanding the reasons behind this shift—and the advanced technologies replacing numbing creams—is key to ensuring both patient safety and treatment efficiency.

1. The Hidden Risks of Topical Numbing Creams

a. Risk of Allergic Reactions

Many topical anesthetics, such as lidocaine, prilocaine, and tetracaine, contain ingredients that can trigger allergic reactions in certain patients. These responses may include redness, itching, swelling, or even urticaria at the application site.

As noted in the Journal of Clinical Medicine (Chamoun et al., 2024), ester-based anesthetics like tetracaine and benzocaine metabolize into para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)—a known allergen that may provoke hypersensitivity reactions. While mild in some cases, repeated exposure increases the risk of sensitization, especially in patients with compromised skin barriers or inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

b. Potential Skin Damage with Long-Term Use

Topical numbing creams achieve their effect by temporarily disrupting the skin barrier to facilitate anesthetic penetration. While effective for short procedures, this process weakens the stratum corneum—the skin’s protective outer layer.

Over time, especially with quarterly or monthly skin booster sessions, this disruption can lead to:

• Chronic redness and irritation

• Increased trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL)

• Long-term barrier dysfunction

In other words, frequent numbing cream use can gradually impair the very skin integrity that aesthetic procedures aim to improve.

c. Risk of Contamination and Toxicity

One often-overlooked issue is residual numbing cream left on the skin before injection. If not completely removed, anesthetic residues may be carried into deeper dermal layers during skin booster injections.

This can lead to localized inflammation or even systemic toxicity, particularly when using lidocaine-based formulations. Research shows that in patients with compromised barriers—such as those undergoing laser or micro-needling treatments—the risk of lidocaine absorption and toxicity rises significantly, potentially leading to neurological or cardiovascular side effects.

d. Inefficiency and Time Consumption

The practical downside of topical anesthetic creams is time. Most require 20–40 minutes of application under occlusion before taking effect—delaying both practitioner workflow and patient turnover.

With modern devices now designed to minimize pain at the injection site, this waiting time has become unnecessary in many clinics.

2. Your No Numbing Solution: Dermashine Pro Auto Injector

Asia has long been at the forefront of skin booster innovation, pioneering approaches that prioritize both patient comfort and treatment safety. One standout example is the Dermashine Pro, the world’s first patented digital injection system with negative pressure technology—a breakthrough that minimise the need for numbing cream.

Key Advantages of Dermashine Pro

1. Patented Negative Pressure Technology

Dermashine Pro is the first system in the world to employ negative pressure-assisted injection, ensuring consistent suction of the skin before delivery. This not only enhances comfort but also ensures even distribution of injectables with minimal trauma.

2. Superior Absorption Rate

Its precision delivery system achieves an absorption rate of 98.3%, which is 68.3% higher than conventional manual injection methods—optimizing product efficacy and patient outcomes.

3. Unmatched Precision

With 0.2mm depth accuracy and 0.01cc dosage precision, practitioners gain full control over the injection process—critical for minimizing discomfort and maximizing uniformity in skin booster delivery.

4. Swift and Effective Treatments

A full-face procedure can be completed in 10–15 minutes, allowing for efficient scheduling and immediate patient recovery—no waiting for numbing cream, no downtime.

5. Effortless Recovery

Using ultra-fine 9-pin needles and automated delivery, Dermashine Pro minimizes discomfort during treatment. Patients can resume daily activities right after their session, making it ideal for busy professionals.

6. Wide Range of Applications

Beyond HA-based skin boosters, the device is compatible with PRP/PRF, bio-stimulators, and customized rejuvenation cocktails, providing flexibility for various treatment protocols.

3. Why the Shift Matters

The transition away from numbing creams represents more than a procedural update—it reflects a broader movement toward safer, faster, and barrier-preserving treatments.

By adopting precision injection technologies like Dermashine Pro, clinics can:

• Reduce allergic and toxic risks

• Preserve long-term skin health

• Enhance treatment accuracy and results

• Improve patient satisfaction through comfort and speed

  
  

For clinics in Australia and New Zealand looking to align with global best practices, this is the direction Asia’s leading aesthetic centers have already embraced.

Conclusion

While topical numbing creams have played an important historical role in aesthetic practice, the evolving understanding of skin physiology and anesthetic pharmacology now warrants a more advanced approach.

With increasing recognition of allergic potential, cumulative skin barrier damage, and contamination risks, Asian practitioners are shifting toward technology-driven comfort solutions—foremost among them, Dermashine Pro.

By integrating this next-generation injector, practitioners can deliver precise, comfortable, and efficient skin booster treatments—without compromising safety or the patient experience.

For more information about Dermashine Pro or to arrange a demo in your clinic, please feel free to reach out:

▪️ANZ (Calls Only): +61 489 085 716

▪️Email: orders@athenabiomed.com

▪️Website: www.dermashineanz.com

References:

1. Chamoun G, Forsyth A, Kazemeini S, Ma J, Lam K, Kasiri N, Frasier KM. Systemic Risks of Topical Anesthetics in Barrier-Compromised Dermatologic Patients. Cureus. 2025 May 15;17(5):e84157. doi: 10.7759/cureus.84157. PMID: 40519459; PMCID: PMC12166667.