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Alleviating Cosmetic Injectable Pain: A Novel Vibrational Anaesthesia Device For The Lip
Logan Grant Galbraith, BA1, Mohammad Fahad Butt, BS1, Daniel Moy, BS1, Arya Andre Akhavan, MD2.
1Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Medicine, Rootstown, OH, USA, 2Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
Northeast Ohio Medical University
2023-01-15
Presenter: Mohammad Fahad Butt
Affidavit:
Logan Grant Galbraith, Mohammad Fahad Butt, Daniel Moy
Director Name: Arya Andre Akhavan
Author Category: Medical Student
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: Aesthetics
PURPOSE:
Recent literature explores the use of high-frequency vibration as a pain reduction tool. In the "gate control theory" of pain signaling, it is thought that vibration near the site of injection activates larger nerve fibers which inhibit pain signals in smaller nerve fibers; and that ultimately, mechanical vibration signals outcompete pain signals in the dorsal horns of the spinal cord, decreasing pain sensation. Some surgeons use vibrational tools at the site of injection to decrease perceived pain.
METHODS:
Patent databases and prior scientific literature pertaining to vibrational anaesthesia were reviewed. Input and opinions were gathered from patients who regularly received cosmetic injections and physicians who regularly performed them.
RESULTS:
Patent and literature reviews did not reveal any devices specifically designed for vibrational anaesthesia at the lips, and in fact suggested that most vibratory devices used by surgeons are everyday consumer facial massagers. The vibrational intensity of these devices fails to meet the strength recommended in the literature for maximal pain relief. Analysis of the current literature suggested that an optimal device for vibrational anaesthesia of the lip would A) nearly circumferentially encompass the lip, and B) create a targeted intense vibrational frequency.
CONCLUSION:
We present a novel device that applies targeted vibrations for pain relief specific to lip injections. Future work includes a clinical trial to compare effectiveness against current "facial massagers", and will use the "split-lip" method in Guney et al's 2017 article "The Efficacy of Vibration Anesthesia on Reducing Pain Levels During Lip Augmentation: Worth the Buzz?"
