Hyaluronic acid fillers with mepivacaine or lidocaine are equally effective for pain reduction during treatment, according to a study published in the October issue of Dermatologic Surgery .

Noting that hyaluronic acid fillers incorporating lidocaine are usually used to maximize patient comfort during hyaluronic acid gel injection, Joely Kaufman-Janette, M.D., from the Skin Research Institute LLC in Coral Gables, Florida, and colleagues conducted two randomized, split-face trials to demonstrate the noninferiority of specific hyaluronic acid fillers incorporating mepivacaine (RHA-M) versus their lidocaine controls for pain relief. In each trial, 30 patients received injections of RHA _R -M versus RHA _R and RHA4-M versus RHA4 in the perioral rhytids (PR) and nasolabial folds (NLF).

The researchers found that for reducing pain, RHA-M fillers were as effective as their lidocaine counterparts. In both the PR and NLF trials, bilateral wrinkle improvement was measured at one month; responder rates were virtually identical (≥96.7 percent). Between treated sides, the common treatment responses and adverse events were similar; none was clinically significant.

"Regardless of the anesthetic agent, RHA _R and RHA4 showed an excellent effectiveness and safety profile for the treatment of dynamic wrinkles and folds as per their respective indications while ensuring patient comfort and minimal injection pain," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to TEOXANE, which provided materials and funding for the study.

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