What is it?
The hylauron pen is marketed as a “needless” way to inject hyaluronic acid into your lips 1. The hylauron pen can be purchased directly by the consumer on Amazon. You do not have to be medically trained to operate a hylauron pen. The needle-free devices use pneumatic pressure to push hyaluronic acid into the skin 1. Hyaluron pens are modeled after handheld jet injectors designed to get liquid medications, like insulin and anesthesia, into the skin without needles 2
Does “needleless” mean less pain?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Using high pressure air to damage the layers of tissue to haphazardly shove in hyaluronic acid has got to be painful. Using a very sharp needle actually reduces the discomfort of an injection because it causes less trauma to the surrounding tissue. If you are seeing a skilled medical provider, they can also perform a nerve block causing the lips to be completely numb and the treatment extremely comfortable
Is it safe?
The FDA released the following statement: “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning the public and health care professionals not to use needle-free devices such as hyaluron pens for injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) or other. The FDA is aware of serious injuries and in some cases, permanent harm to the skin, lips, or eyes with the use of needle-free devices for injection of lip and facial fillers.”1
Risk include bleeding, bruising; infection with bacteria, fungus, or virus; transmission of disease between people who use the same needle-free device; blockage of a blood vessel, leading to tissue death, blindness, or stroke; scarring; damage to eyes from the pressure of the needle-free device; formation of lumps in the skin; discoloration of the skin; and allergic reactions 1
Sage Thoughts
Please don’t try this at home. If you go to a spa for this treatment, be prepared for complications, uneven results, bruising or infection. You will likely still require a visit to a trained medical provider who may or may not be able to reverse the damage that has been done.
Word to the wise, cheaping out on injectables is NOT the way to go. Invest in yourself, and if you can’t afford filler by a trained professional, work on saving up. It’s not worth risking your health
References
1. Center for Devices and Radiological Health. (n.d.). Do not use needle free devices for injection of fillers. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/do-not-use-needle-free-devices-injection-dermal-fillers-fda-safety-communication
2. Edgar, J. (2021, October 13). The FDA is warning against the use of these at-home lip-plumping devices. Allure. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://www.allure.com/story/hyaluron-pens-risks-side-effects