Evaluating Vibrational Anesthesia in Scalp Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

A Pilot, Randomized, Non-blinded, Single-center Study of the Efficacy of a Vibrational Anesthesia (VA) Device on Reducing Pain During Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Scalp Treatment for Alopecia

This study is prospective, single-site, randomized split-scalp pilot and survey study of patients at the NYU Skin and Cancer Clinic or the Faculty Group Practice. The investigators will randomize half of the scalp of each patient: one half will receive vibrational anesthesia (VA) via a device and the other half will not. Approximately 100 unique patients will be recruited (there will only be one study group). During the standard of care platelet rich plasma (PRP) procedure, a REDCap survey questionnaire will be provided asking the patients to rate their pain with the visual analogue scale (VAS). A simple paired t-test will be used to test significant improvement in pain scores between the two halves of the scalp.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Alopecia
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Vibrational Anesthesia (VA) Device; Procedure: PRP Treatment

• Study Type: Interventional
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • New York, New York, United States, 10016
      • NYU Langone Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients must have received at least one treatment of PRP to the scalp, which may include the PRP procedure performed day of.
• Able to participate in study procedures.
• Able to provide consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients missing the following data will be excluded from the final analysis: Patient age, gender, type of alopecia, PRP documentation.
• Patients unable to consent.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Control (PRP Alone), then Intervention (PRP with VA); Participants in this study arm will receive treatment with PRP alone first, then PRP+VA second. The first half of the scalp of each patient will be randomized to receive standard-of-care PRP alone. The second half of the scalp of each patient will receive VA via a device during the standard-of-care PRP treatment.	Device: Vibrational Anesthesia (VA) Device; The half of the patient's scalp randomized to receive VA during PRP treatment will receive VA via the Buzzy bee-striped personal. The device is powered by two AAA batteries and is indicated for use for pain reduction. It uses the Melzack and Wall's Gait Control theory, which states that activation of non-nociceptive fibers can interfere with signals from pain fibers to inhibit overall sensation of pain.; Other Names: Buzzy bee-striped personal; Procedure: PRP Treatment; PRP (a needle-related procedure) will be delivered per routine standard of care.
Experimental: Intervention (PRP with VA), then Control (PRP Alone); Participants in this study arm will receive treatment with PRP+VA first, then PRP alone second. The first half of the scalp of each patient will be randomized to receive VA via a device during the standard-of-care PRP treatment.. The second half of the scalp of each patient will receive standard-of-care PRP treatment alone.	Device: Vibrational Anesthesia (VA) Device; The half of the patient's scalp randomized to receive VA during PRP treatment will receive VA via the Buzzy bee-striped personal. The device is powered by two AAA batteries and is indicated for use for pain reduction. It uses the Melzack and Wall's Gait Control theory, which states that activation of non-nociceptive fibers can interfere with signals from pain fibers to inhibit overall sensation of pain.; Other Names: Buzzy bee-striped personal; Procedure: PRP Treatment; PRP (a needle-related procedure) will be delivered per routine standard of care.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Rating of Pain Perception at End of Procedure	At the end of the 10-minute PRP procedure, participants will rate their pain on: 1) The side of the scalp with no VA, and 2) the side of the scalp with VA. Participants will rate pain using a VAS, where pain is rated on a 0-10 scale; larger values indicate greater pain levels.	End of procedure (About 10 minutes, Day 1)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Percentage of Participants who Opt to use VA among Participants in the "Control, then Intervention" Arm	Day 1

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: NYU Langone Health
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Kristen Lo Sicco, NYU Langone Health

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): April 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 5, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 5, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): July 12, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 29, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 27, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Skin Diseases; Hypotrichosis; Hair Diseases; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Alopecia; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Central Nervous System Depressants; Anesthetics
• Other Study ID Numbers: 24-00472

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: The de-identified participant data from the final research dataset used in the published manuscript will be shared upon reasonable request beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following article publication or as required by a condition of awards and agreements supporting the research provided the investigator who proposes to use the data executes a data use agreement with NYU Langone Health. Requests may be directed to Dr. Kristen Lo Sicco. The protocol and statistical analysis plan will be made available on Clinicaltrials.gov only as required by federal regulation or as a condition of awards and agreements supporting the research.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following article publication or as required by a condition of awards and agreements supporting the research.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: The investigator who proposed to use the data will be granted access upon reasonable request. Requests should be directed to Kristen.losicco@nyulangone.org. To gain access, data requestors will need to sign a data access agreement.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No