Efficacy of cold vs vibratory analgesia for pain relief in Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy: a randomized split scalp study

This randomized, split-scalp clinical trial aims to compare the analgesic efficacy of cold versus vibratory analgesia during platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections over the scalp for conditions including androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium. Fifty-two adult patients undergoing PRP as a standard of care, will receive 2 different analgesia methods - cold analgesia (ice pack) on one half of the scalp and vibratory analgesia using a kinetic anesthetic device (KAD) on the other. Side allocation will be randomized using a computer-generated list, with allocation concealed and the statistician blinded to the intervention.

Pain will be measured immediately after each side using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and ease of administration will be assessed by the performing dermatology residents using a structured Ease of Administration questionnaire. Statistical analysis will include paired t-tests for continuous variables and McNemar’s test for categorical outcomes.

The study is designed to evaluate both patient-reported pain relief and clinician-reported feasibility of each analgesic method. Risk mitigation includes immediate discontinuation of the analgesic method if adverse reactions occur, with symptomatic management provided. Results will inform evidence-based, non-pharmacological pain management during PRP therapy.