Increasing topical anesthetic efficacy with microneedle application

Introduction: Since topical anesthetics alone seldom provide adequate analgesia for laser resurfacing procedures, injectable forms of anesthesia are often required. However, their application is uncomfortable for the patient. In this study, it is investigated whether microneedle application would enhance the efficacy of topical anesthetics. Methods: Forty-seven patients participated in the study. Topical anesthetic agent EMLA was applied to the whole face of the patients. Microneedle treatment was applied to one side of the face with a roller-type device. Whole-face carbon dioxide laser resurfacing therapy was carried out then. The pain that patients experienced was assessed by using visual analog scale (VAS) method. VAS scores of two sides of the face were compared by using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: The mean of VAS score of the microneedle treated side was 2.1 +/- 1.1 while that of the untreated side was 5.9 +/- 0.9 and this difference was statistically significant (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the Z-value is +/- 5.9683 and the p-value is < 0.001). Summary: This study revealed that microneedle application, with a roller-type device, is a safe and easy procedure in providing sufficient anesthesia for facial laser resurfacing without the need for supplementary nerve blocks or injections.