Lidocaine Numbing Tattoo Wipes Recalled Over Child Poisoning Risk
On August 27, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a lidocaine numbing wipes recall that should get the attention of any household with young children and a tattoo, piercing, or waxing routine. Diamond Wipes International, Inc., of Chino, California, is recalling about 55,250 MD Wipe Outz Numbing Tattoo Wipes because the foil packets are not child-resistant, a violation of the federal Poison Prevention Packaging Act. If a small child gets into one of these packets and the lidocaine inside is swallowed, the CPSC warns it can cause serious injury or death from poisoning.
What happened
The recall (CPSC Recall Number 26-718) covers MD Wipe Outz Numbing Tattoo Wipes, sold as individually wrapped foil packets measuring roughly three by four inches. The wipes were packaged in boxes of 5, 10, 25, and 250 and marketed to numb skin before and during tattooing. Each packet is soaked with lidocaine, a common topical anesthetic that is safe when used as directed on adult skin but dangerous if a young child swallows it.
According to the CPSC, the packets do not have the child-resistant features required by law for products containing lidocaine. The wipes were sold online through Amazon.com from September 2025 through June 2026 and through Shopify.com from September 2025 through May 2026, priced from about $7.50 for a five-pack up to roughly $225 for a 250-pack. The retailer listed in the notice is MD Wipe Outz of Thousand Oaks, California. Notably, the CPSC says no injuries or poisoning incidents have been reported so far. This is a preventive recall, issued because the packaging fails a mandatory safety standard, not because a child has already been hurt.
Why the lidocaine numbing wipes recall matters for safety
Lidocaine is easy to underestimate. It sits in a lot of ordinary products, from tattoo and waxing prep to over-the-counter pain patches and anti-itch creams, and it works quietly by dulling nerve signals. That same mechanism is exactly what makes it hazardous to a curious toddler. When too much lidocaine is absorbed or ingested, it does not just numb the skin; it can disrupt the nervous system and the heart. Poison-control experts and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have long cautioned that high or improper exposure to topical lidocaine can lead to symptoms such as drowsiness, confusion, seizures, irregular heartbeat, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases cardiac arrest. Small children are especially vulnerable because a dose that an adult body shrugs off can overwhelm a much smaller one.
A single-use foil packet looks harmless, even inviting. It is shiny, small, and easy to tear, which is the whole point for an adult but a real problem in a home with young kids. Child-resistant packaging exists precisely to buy time and add friction, making it harder for a toddler to reach and swallow the contents before an adult notices. When that layer of protection is missing, the margin for error disappears. That is why the CPSC treats a packaging failure as a genuine hazard worth a nationwide recall, even with zero reported incidents.
What you should do
If you have bought MD Wipe Outz Numbing Tattoo Wipes, or you are not sure whether the numbing wipes in your kit are this brand, treat them as a poison-risk item and act now. The CPSC and Diamond Wipes lay out a clear path to a full refund.
- Secure them immediately: Move the wipes out of sight and out of reach of children and pets right away, ideally into a locked or high cabinet, until you can dispose of them.
- Stop using them: Do not continue using the recalled wipes, and do not sell or give them away to someone else.
- Request the refund: Contact Diamond Wipes International to arrange a full refund. As part of the process, you will be asked to write “RECALLED” on the packets, take a photo, and email the photo before disposing of the product.
- Use the official channels: Reach the company at 800-454-1077, by email at recall@diamondwipes.com, or through the recall page at diamondwipes.com/pages/re-call.
What to do if a child is exposed. If you suspect a child has swallowed lidocaine or is showing symptoms such as unusual drowsiness, twitching, seizures, or trouble breathing, call 911 for a medical emergency or reach Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Do not wait to see if symptoms pass.
A pattern the CPSC keeps flagging
This recall is not happening in a vacuum. Over the past several years, the CPSC has repeatedly pulled lidocaine-based numbing creams and wipes from the market for the same reason: packaging that fails the child-resistant standard. Similar actions have targeted popular tattoo and pain-relief numbing products sold largely through online marketplaces, where smaller sellers and imported goods can slip onto shelves without meeting U.S. packaging law. In 2024, the FDA separately warned consumers about high-strength over-the-counter topical lidocaine products, citing the risk of serious harm when too much is absorbed through the skin. The agency has also advised against using lidocaine to treat teething pain in infants.
The through-line is simple: numbing products are medicine, even when they are sold next to cosmetics and tattoo supplies. For anyone who buys these items online, the recall is a useful prompt to check the packaging on everything in the bathroom cabinet that contains an active drug ingredient. Lidocaine, benzocaine, and similar anesthetics should be stored the way you would store any medication, secured, labeled, and well out of a child’s reach. Expect the CPSC to keep scrutinizing this category, particularly products fulfilled through third-party online sellers, as it presses importers and brands to meet the same child-safety packaging rules that apply to any other household poison risk.
Disclaimer: This article is for general safety information only and is not medical or legal advice. Product details, recall numbers, and remedies reflect the official CPSC notice as published and may be updated by the agency or the company. Always follow the instructions on the official CPSC recall page and contact the manufacturer or a medical professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Sources: CPSC recall notice (Recall 26-718); FDA on lidocaine and teething pain; Poison Control on the effects of lidocaine.
