Do you use numbing solutions to reduce pain?
With regards to cosmetic injectables, the most sensitive areas of the face are (in order of sensitivity):
Anti-wrinkle treatment (most sensitive area first)
- Base of the nose (to stop the nose tilting down when smiling)
- Upper lip
- Frown. Also known as the ‘glabella’, when we treat the very outermost part of the frown it is quite sensitive as we must inject very superficially.
- Lower crow’s feet. Again, we must inject superficially but this time to avoid bruising
- Forehead – not a particularly sensitive area to treat except for the outermost part of the forehead in some cases.
- Facial slimming / tooth grinding – injection into the masseter (bite muscle) is the least painful area on the face to treat.
We use ice to numb the frown, crow’s feet, and bite muscles. Forehead is not particularly painful to treat so we usually avoid numbing with ice. When we treat the upper lip, we use anaesthetic for approx. 10 mins, in addition to ice on the area to help reduce sensitivity.
Dermal filler (most to least sensitive)
We use lignocaine numbing gel before treating most areas of the face with dermal filler.
- Upper lip – the most sensitive area on the face to treat with dermal filler. We use strong numbing gel for at least 20 mins to reduce sensation.
- Upper lip lines – close to the lip and, again, a sensitive area. Numbing gel is used.
- Base of the nose – this injection can help lift the nose.
- Top of the nasolabial fold, deep injection. The nasolabial fold is the line that goes from the corner of the nose to the mouth. Experienced injectors can treat the top part of the nasolabial fold using a deep injection into the piriform fossa. This can be quite sensitive.
- Tear trough – treating the bags under the eyes.
- Marionette lines
- Nasolabial fold
- Bridge of the nose – this area can feel like a slight ache but is not particularly painful.
- Cheeks – the least sensitive area to treat with dermal filler.