Managing patients with needle phobia in aesthetic practice

Needle phobia is typically a childhood affliction that decreases with age (Orenius et al, 2018). However, it can affect 1 in 10 adults (Szmuk et al, 2014), causing patients to avoid routine check-ups and appointments, often to the detriment of their health (McMurtry et al, 2015). Some 75% of needle-phobic patients experience a vasovagal reflex provoked by the stimulus of a needle (Jenkins, 2014), characterised by a slow heart rate and sudden drop in blood pressure, triggering fainting or loss of consciousness (Alboni and Alboni, 2014).

According to Hamilton (1995), 80% of patients with needle phobia described the same strong needle fear in a first-degree relative, indicating that it is learned from a role model during childhood (Du et al, 2008). The fear of needles tends to start between 5 and 10 years of age, and can be made worse by a negative or anxious reaction from a parent during a routine vaccination (McMurtry et al, 2015).