Pain Management during Aesthetic Procedures
In a recent article, we spoke about the latest cosmetic evolutions over the past few years (Read the article here- Top Cosmetic Evolutions Of The Last Decade).
In today’s article, we will help to educate you further about the various pain management techniques that can be used during an Aesthetic procedure.
Pain management in aesthetic medicine takes a different leap when compared to general medicine or surgery. Pain in an aesthetic medical procedure depends on various factors- it depends on the type of procedure (botulinum toxin, fillers, threads, lasers, radiofrequency, infrared, or chemical peel), area of treatment (face, body, bony area, and hairy area), type of pain– nociceptive, neuropathic or inflammatory and patient’s threshold to pain. At times the psychological pain of what could go wrong during the Aesthetic procedure can be more than the physical pain caused by the procedure as anxiety and fear also play an important role in aesthetic procedures.
Any aesthetic procedure in which the skin is penetrated or modified is potentially painful, but individual patients vary enormously in how they perceive the sensation and how much it bothers them. A trained Aesthetic practitioner in these situations, strives for a less painful experience when administering cosmetic treatments. Its important to remember that managing pain is all about managing expectations and it essentially starts with proper consultation.
Good clinic setup
Creating a welcoming, comfortable, and relaxing atmosphere in the Aesthetic clinic is important so patients look forward to visiting their clinic for their cosmetic treatments. Additional props such as soft soothing music and scented candles appeal to their auditory and olfactory senses and set the tone for a relaxing experience.
Proper consultation
Initial consultation tends to offer an important opportunity for Aesthetic practitioners to have a proper understanding of their patient's overall concerns and expectations, including how much pain they anticipate for various aesthetic procedures. Making sure that the consultation and treatment procedure are not rushed is also important to keep patients relaxed.
Explaining the Aesthetic procedures properly and the deliberate steps that will be taken to reduce pain will in turn decrease the patient’s anxiety. When patients are calm and relaxed any physical pain experienced during the actual Aesthetic procedure itself will also be reduced.
Various methods of pain relief
There are various methods of pain relief that can be used physically in different combinations to reduce the overall discomfort that patients may feel during Aesthetic procedures.
Following talk therapy
By talking in a calm composed and confident manner, experienced Aesthetic practitioners help patients overcome their anxiety. Patients who are less anxious feel less pain during the cosmetic procedure.
Using vibrators
In some cosmetic procedures, local anesthesia is not sufficient for relieving pain; often patients are averse to injections. Then vibration anesthesia is advised, the use of vibration delivered by these handheld devices provides good pain relief and reduces discomfort by blocking nociceptors from picking up painful stimuli.
Applying numbing cream and ice pack
One of the most basic pain relief methods, numbing cream, and ice packs are routinely applied to the areas of treatment prior to any lasers and injectable cosmetic treatments. These help to reduce the pain from laser beams hitting the skin and needles puncturing the skin during injectable treatments. In addition, an ice pack also helps to reduce the risk of bruising, swelling, and redness after the treatment procedure.
Having oral painkillers
Oral painkillers such as paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories are also prescribed especially to those patients who are more sensitive to pain and are anxious mainly before injectable treatments. An important thing to keep in mind is to follow through with the patient's medical history and check if the patients have any drug allergies prior to prescribing these analgesics.
At times, oral painkillers also help to reduce pain and discomfort after the treatment procedures.
Proper injection techniques
Proper injection techniques can help to significantly reduce pain, especially during botulinum toxin and fillers administration.
Slow injection of fillers and Botox with needles or blunt cannula reduces the pressure and swelling sensations when the fillers and Botox are injected to fill up the volume in soft tissue spaces. Generally, the smaller the volume of fillers and Botox products injected, the lesser the displacement of soft tissue and the lesser the pain level perceived.
Last but not least, fillers that have lidocaine pre-mixed or added to them will help to reduce the overall discomfort during injection.
Managing patients’ pain in today’s aesthetic practice requires a sound understanding of patients' overall’ concerns and managing their expectations as much as using various methods of pain relief as mentioned above in order to reduce pain. With so many pain relief methods and treatment techniques available today due to advancements in medical science, Aesthetic practitioners must constantly re-evaluate and update the protocols to strive for an overall better patient experience.
It is prudent that all Aesthetic practitioners must undergo proper training in Aesthetic Medicine. The practitioner must balance between benefits & risks of the Aesthetic procedure, and steps to mitigate complications if it occurs. At IIWAM, we call it, understanding the procedure, the product, and the patient, and our trainers pay utmost attention to teaching when it comes to overall pain management during Aesthetic procedures.
Apply for the best online botox and filler training course from IIWAM today.
About IIWAM Aesthetic Education
At IIWAM, we provide an International Aesthetic Certification program and also Advanced Online Aesthetic Courses for Doctors, Dentists, Nurses, Aestheticians, and Spa Owners in the field of Aesthetic Medicine.
Our Institute is based in Malaysia and has international students from the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, and other parts of Asia. With our insignia of “Be Certified, Be Recognized”, we develop knowledgeable, skilled, and confident Aesthetic practitioners of international repute. Our Aesthetic training focuses on teaching the principles of Aesthetic procedures before venturing into Aesthetic clinical skills. IIWAM training Programs are a combination of Onsite Training, LIVE Online Webinars, and Online Learning. IIWAM is the first Institute in the World to have its Programs assured by City & Guilds of London and certified by European International University. IIWAM is also a registered CPD Training provider with CPD Standards Office in the UK and by CPD Malaysian Medical Association.
Onboard is our Assoc. Prof Dr. Morthy, the lead trainer, medical director of the International Institute of Wellness & Aesthetic Medicine (IIWAM), formerly known as Aesthetic Academy Asia (http://www.iiwam.ac/).
In the Aesthetic part of our Institute, we provide Advanced Aesthetic Medical Procedures that are Safe, Effective, and Affordable, offering a wide range of specialized treatments for All Your Aesthetic Needs.