In general , active non-invasive anaesthetic methods seemed to provide favourable results compared to placebo or no anaesthesia , and topical anaesthetic drugs and PSF seemed to result in a better pain reduction than skin cooling .
However , the current evidence is insufficient to provide recommendations for daily clinical practice .
Future studies should also evaluate sex differences in pain perception , have uniformity with regard to vali date d pain measurement scales and address clinical ly significant differences in pain reduction besides statistically significant differences
Pain is a common side-effect of dermatological laser procedures .
Non-invasive anaesthetic drugs and anaesthetic procedures can be used to provide pain relief and increase patient satisfaction and treatment efficacy .
However , it remains unclear which method provides the best pain relief .
The objective of this systematic review was therefore to assess the efficacy and safety of non-invasive anaesthetic methods during dermatological laser procedures .
Topical Anesthesia for Laser Hair Removal: Comparison of Spot Sizes and 755 nm versus 800 nm Wavelengths
Background . The C and ela alex and rite and the Coherent diode laser systems come equipped with built‐in skin cooling systems that are design ed to both protect the epidermis , allowing higher fluences , and to alleviate discomfort . Nevertheless , pain can be a significant problem especially with treatment of larger areas . Scatter of the laser beam is reportedly affected by the spot size . It is cl aim ed that larger spot sizes are more effective at identical fluences . Objective . This study evaluated the effectiveness of a topical 5 % lidocaine cream ( ELA‐Max ) to control pain and compared pain levels at identical fluences between the 8 mm and 12 mm spot size of the alex and rite laser and between the alex and rite and diode laser with its 9 mm spot size . Methods . The study was conducted in the axillae of 12 patients . Each axilla was divided in half for side‐by‐side comparison . Half of the right axilla was treated with the alex and rite 8 mm and the other half with the 12 mm spot size at identical fluences . The left axilla was treated at the maximum tolerated fluences with the alex and rite 12 mm spot size and the diode 9 mm spot size . Results . At identical fluences and other parameters , there was significantly more pain with the alex and rite 12 mm spot size than with the alex and rite 8 mm spot size , both with or without topical anesthesia . The alex and rite laser was significantly less painful than the diode laser both with and without topical anesthetic . The difference was most noticeable between the alex and rite 8 mm spot size and the diode 9 mm spot size . Topical 5 % lidocaine anesthesia was effective in reducing pain , though not completely , for both the alex and rite and the diode lasers . Conclusion . Topical 5 % lidocaine cream is a simple and effective method for reducing patient discomfort during laser hair removal procedures , even when a skin cooling device is being used . A larger spot size causes more pain than a smaller spot size at identical fluences . The 800 nm diode laser causes greater discomfort than the 755 nm alex and rite laser
In general , active non-invasive anaesthetic methods seemed to provide favourable results compared to placebo or no anaesthesia , and topical anaesthetic drugs and PSF seemed to result in a better pain reduction than skin cooling .
However , the current evidence is insufficient to provide recommendations for daily clinical practice .
Future studies should also evaluate sex differences in pain perception , have uniformity with regard to vali date d pain measurement scales and address clinical ly significant differences in pain reduction besides statistically significant differences
Pain is a common side-effect of dermatological laser procedures .
Non-invasive anaesthetic drugs and anaesthetic procedures can be used to provide pain relief and increase patient satisfaction and treatment efficacy .
However , it remains unclear which method provides the best pain relief .
The objective of this systematic review was therefore to assess the efficacy and safety of non-invasive anaesthetic methods during dermatological laser procedures .