From the Guidelines
The bottle used with the Alma TED typically contains a sterile saline solution, which may be combined with a local anesthetic such as lidocaine and additives like epinephrine to minimize discomfort and reduce bleeding during hair restoration procedures. The solution helps to hydrate the tissue, create tumescence (swelling) in the treatment area, and facilitate the penetration of the device's needles into the scalp. According to the guidelines for the use of local anesthesia in office-based dermatologic surgery 1, the use of local anesthetics such as lidocaine is safe and effective for minimizing discomfort during procedures. The addition of epinephrine to local anesthesia has been shown to be safe and effective in reducing bleeding and prolonging the duration of anesthesia 1.
Some key points to consider when using local anesthesia with the Alma TED include:
- The use of lidocaine as a local anesthetic is generally safe and effective, but allergy to lidocaine is rare and may require alternative anesthetics such as diphenhydramine or bacteriostatic normal saline 1
- The addition of epinephrine to local anesthesia can help reduce bleeding and prolong the duration of anesthesia, but the lowest effective concentration should be used to minimize the risk of adverse effects 1
- The infiltration of the solution is an important preparatory step that helps optimize the conditions for the Alma TED treatment, which uses mechanical stimulation to promote hair growth through wound healing mechanisms and increased blood flow to hair follicles.
Overall, the use of a sterile saline solution combined with a local anesthetic such as lidocaine and additives like epinephrine is a safe and effective way to minimize discomfort and optimize the conditions for hair restoration procedures using the Alma TED.
From the Research
Local Anesthetics Used in Alma Ted
- The studies provided do not specifically mention the Alma Ted or the contents of the bottle used to infiltrate the scalp with it 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- However, the studies discuss various local anesthetics, including lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, bupivacaine, procaine, and benzocaine, which are used for different medical and dental procedures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The local anesthetics mentioned can be categorized into two main groups: amino-esters (e.g., procaine, chloroprocaine, and tetracaine) and amino-amides (e.g., lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, bupivacaine, and etidocaine) 2.
- The choice of local anesthetic depends on the specific procedure, the desired duration of action, and the patient's medical history 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Properties of Local Anesthetics
- Local anesthetics can be classified based on their potency and duration of action, with some agents having low potency and short duration (e.g., procaine and chloroprocaine), intermediate potency and duration (e.g., lidocaine, mepivacaine, and prilocaine), and high potency and long duration (e.g., tetracaine, bupivacaine, and etidocaine) 2.
- The blood level of local anesthetics is determined by factors such as the rate of uptake, tissue redistribution, metabolism, and excretion 2.
- Some local anesthetics, like bupivacaine, may have advantages over others, such as lidocaine with epinephrine and mepivacaine, in terms of reducing analgesic consumption and time to analgesic consumption 6.
Conclusion Not Provided as per Request
No further information is available regarding the specific contents of the bottle used with the Alma Ted, as the provided studies do not address this topic directly 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.