Virtually all patients love their cosmetic treatments with Botox and cosmetic fillers. Who wouldn’t love a quick procedure that can make wrinkles disappear? Unfortunately, many patients don’t love the pain they associate with Botox, Juvederm or Voluma treatments. They hate the feeling of a needle entering their facial skin and this makes them dread their appointments for facial injections. Fear not! There are things your plastic surgeon can do to lessen the pain associated with injections of Botox, Juvederm, Restylane, Voluma or any other filler.
Most of these adjunctive treatments rely on the gate control theory of pain to diminish the pain associated with needle sticks. The gate control theory of pain, which was first proposed in 1965 by Ronald Melzack and Patrick Wall, states that non-painful input close the “gates” to painful input, which prevents the sensation of pain from traveling to the central nervous system. When the “gate” to the central nervous system is closed, patients cease to experience pain. In such a manner, stimulation by non-painful input is able to suppress pain.
One such treatment utilized is the Vibration Anesthesia Device. This device uses 
vibration to produce a local anesthetic effect, effectively reducing pain associate with needle sticks. During Botox or filler injections, either your injector or an assistant will hold the device directly over the site that will be stuck with a needle. The vibration will stimulate nerve fibers, effectively blocking the painful signal associated with the subsequent injection. Because the signal doesn’t travel to the central nervous system, the patient will experience the vibration sensation but doesn’t experience pain.
Another such treatment is ice. The injector will apply an ice pack to the area of injection immediately before the needle stick. Much like the Vibration Anesthesia Device, the ice pack will stimulate nerve fibers that transmit the sensation of cold. This will block the nerve signal transmitted by Botox or filler injection, thereby limiting the sensation of pain.
Furthermore, most cosmetic fillers, including Juvederm, Restylane and Voluma have formulations that are pre-mixed with lidocaine. Lidocaine is the most commonly utilized local anesthetic agent used clinically. Because these fillers are pre-mixed with a local anesthetic, as your plastic surgeon injects, your face will gradually numb. This allows subsequent injections to be performed in regions of skin that no longer have sensation. By blocking the sensation experienced by the initial needle stick by using the Vibration Anesthesia Device or an ice pack, and then by utilizing a filler that is pre-mixed with local anesthetic, your treatments can become virtually pain free.
To learn more about the Vibration Anesthesia Device, visit the following website. To learn more about ice packs, place some water in your freezer or visit a Northern state in the winter!