Conquering Needle Phobia

Fear sends signals to the body – the fight or flight syndrome kicks in. You know the feeling. For “needle phobes” other things can happen like blood pressure drop, queasy stomach, light headedness and some people react so strongly, they faint.

For some, the fear comes from long standing memories of childhood inoculations or dental work. If you’re needle phobic, you know it, so what do you do to ease that fear?

Tips for Easing the Fear

1. Mentally prepare. Having control over your own time line helps so schedule ahead
2. Ask for pre-numbing creams – or if you’re over the top, consider a Valium
3. Stay warm. If you tend to feel the cold, ask for a blanket. Being warm helps you feel assured and safe
4. Another reason for staying warm is that you won’t tense up from feeling chilly
5. Admit to the fear – just voicing your fears helps ease them
6. Hum a song, aloud or in your head or count backwards from 100 – it’s a great distraction
7. Ask for cold prep – any icy water-filled balloon will desensitize the area
8. Close your eyes
9. Ask for a hand to hold
10. Don’t forget to breathe! Holding your breath sends negative signals to your brain
11. Whimpering or making hurt sounds actually increases sensitivity levels – expletives are allowed if you need to use them – honest!
12. Think positive – imagine how great you’re going to look when it’s all done

Needles Vs Cannula

Most filler injections are completed with a cannula – which has a smooth rounded tip. It requires a “port” which is done with a needle, but the area is numbed first. So getting fillers usually only takes a couple of quick sticks – even for a fairly large area

All fillers come with lidocaine already mixed in, so the numbing inside the tissue happens quickly. Today’s needles are ultra sharp – which is good thing! The sharper the needle, the less you feel it.

Botox needles are the same size as an insulin needle – they are super tiny and injections are super fast!

Injector Experience Matters

Knowing that your doctor is experienced and qualified makes a difference in your comfort levels, too. Dr. Pilest is an Expert Injector – Only 3% of the country’s physicians allowed to inject qualify for this status!