Can I use Buzzy instead of EMLA, LMX - 4 or other topical anesthetics for needle pain?
Yes - Buzzy has been found equivalent to LMX in two studies - one by Bahorski et al, found it equivalent without using the ice wings. They did find that in Caucasian children Buzzy + LMX was better than either alone, but this wasn’t true for other races in the study. Potts et al studied Buzzy with ice wings, and found it equivalent to LMX. Multiple studies find Buzzy twice as effective as cold spray; that said, a review by Hogan et al concluded “Vapo coolants were ineffective in children and adults when compared to placebo, and effective in adults only when compared to no treatment.”