FUE -- How bad are the numbing injections?

[williamsburgh]

Hey everyone,

I am wanting to do FUE, but I have pretty bad needle phobia. What's been keeping me from going forward is fear of how bad the numbing injections themselves will hurt.

I don't think I can wait any longer, and will do the procedure with whatever pain comes along with it, but I am honestly pretty nervous.

If you have a minute, would you mind sharing how much the actual injections (especially the nerve block in the front) hurt? Was there anything your doctor did or suggested you do to minimize the pain?

Thanks everyone, I appreciate you sharing your experience

[TorontoMan]

It’s not bad, but you could ask your clinic if they do air freeze. I’ve heard guys here have them spray on the numbing. 

[rohair]

@williamsburgh 

in my case i didn't ask the doctor for any special treatment because i don't have a problem with needles or anything like that.

 

for the donor area I would not worry if i were you... i felt something i can describe more as discomfort ... not a real pain... just for few seconds... the anesthetic kicks in pretty quick.. after 5 seconds you have no idea if the doctor does anything to your scalp or not... 

and goes the same for the frontal area, maybe slightly more discomfort but you will totally manage.

I am trying to be honest with you that was in my experience.... 

Because my procedure was early in the morning i had to wake up early to drive for 3 hours before the procedure... and 20 minutes after the procedure started i took a nap while the doctor was collecting the grafts in my donor area... so after those 5 seconds when they are injecting the anesthetic you can't feel anything.

Hopefully you will have same experience as me.

[DrTBarghouthi]

We've had some seriously needle phobic clients in the past and things went very well with them. We never had to abort a procedure because of anesthesia, so that must be reassuring to you. We personally use a freeze spray and then we use our own approach of numbing the area using blunt cannulas. We have recently published it in this months hair transplant journal. Pain scores dropped by nearly 4 points (out of 10) based on this technique in comparison with our previous standard approach. 

[JohnCasper]

I usually compare it to getting a novacaine shot at the dentist.  The doctor will most likely start with a few and wait for it to start working.  You typically feel these but the following shots are masked by the existing anesthesia and you really never feel them.  You will be fine....don't worry. 

[DenverBuff1989]

Keep in mind you probably will be relaxed AF during surgery. I was given an injection of Versed in addition to Xanax. I actually fell asleep for part of my last surgery. So hopefully the anti-anxiety drugs keep your phobia at bay. 

[Gatsby]

I would inform the surgery that you have a 'needle phobia' prior to surgery. Including repair work, I have lost count of how many injections of anesthesia I have had into my scalp. Probably somewhere up around the 30 range. None of them were with nerve blocking agents and nearly all without a benzodiazepam. I have a pretty high pain threshold and have a belief that what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger! Lol. But seriously even back when I had these the pain was intense but VERY short lived. I would just focus on someone mentally. After the brief anaesthetic I always felt 'literaly' nothing, whether it was harvesting, implanting or later with corrective surgery taking strips out of my hairline or the donor area. Today is much different to thirty years ago. You will be fine and be telling yourself 'is that all it is?'

[DrTBarghouthi]

Yes benzodiazepines help a lot with anxiety. Usually given in the morning or on the way to clinic so as to calm the patient down. 

[pkipling]

To be perfectly honest, I found it to be pretty painful in the moment... HOWEVER, it was also extremely fleeting and was almost over before I even knew it started. In a way, that balanced the experience out for me and almost overrides the pain that I did feel. See if they can give you something for anxiety beforehand, as the others suggested... And regardless, know that while painful, it's not as bad as it would seem. 

[GE90]

The pain from the injections is less than the pain of hair loss!

[MachoVato]

You never see the needles. But mine hurt pretty bad. It only lasts a few seconds. You'll be sleeping a few minutes later, so no biggie.

[TrixGlendevon]

Ask for pain meds before the injections. This will be a common issue, I am sure.

[Melvin- Admin]

Its not that bad, it depends on the person. 

[JohnCasper]

I few initial needle stings and the rest is painless.  A comforting medication prior (such as Valium) and the entire day will seem like a couple hours.