Ice or cream? study tests cheaper pain relief for laser hair removal
NCT ID NCT02318654
First seen Jul 01, 2026 · Last updated Jul 02, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two ways to reduce pain during laser hair removal of the armpits: a simple ice pack or a numbing cream called EMLA. Thirty women will have one armpit treated with ice and the other with EMLA before laser treatment. The goal is to see which method works better for pain control.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Ice pack and EMLA cream (lidocaine/prilocaine)
- What this could lead to
- If ice works as well as EMLA, it could offer a cheaper, faster, and needle-free way to ease pain during laser hair removal.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study with only 30 women, so results may not apply to everyone. EMLA can cause skin reactions, and ice may not numb deeply enough.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2014
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria 1. Subjects are Caucasian or Asian females. 2. Subjects are 18-65 years old. 3. Subjects have Fitzpatrick skin type I-III and coarse dark axillary hair. 4. Subjects are in good health. 5. Subjects can provide informed consent. 6. Subjects have the willingness and the ability to understand and communicate with the investigators. Exclusion Criteria 1. Subjects who are allergic to lidocaine or prilocaine. 2. History of methemoglobinemia. 3. History of recurrent petechial or purpuric lesions. 4. Bleeding tendency or coagulopathy. 5. History of laser treatment in axilla. 6. History of keloid or hypertrophic scarring. 7. Pregnant or lactating or intends to become pregnant in the next 3 months. 8. Active skin disease or skin infection in the treatment area. 9. Subjects with known mental illness or other psychological conditions, such as psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and cognitive disorders. 10. History of cold urticaria. 11. History of current injury or abnormal skin sensation. 12. Unable to understand the protocol or to give informed consent. 13. Any other condition that would, in the professional opinion of the investigator, potentially affect response or participation in the clinical clinical study, or would pose as an unacceptable risk to subject.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States