Quantification of Dermal Microcirculatory Changes after Topical Administration of Capsaicin: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study in 46 Subjects.

Background: Dermal blood flow is crucial for wound healing and survival of flaps in dermatologic surgery. To improve flap viability in cases of compromised perfusion topical agents can easily be applied. The aim of this placebo-controlled study was to characterize changes of DBF in healthy subjects by quantitatively assessing perfusion dynamics after application of capsaicin to establish a reference for measurements at injured sites.

Influence of Topical Anesthesia on Superficial Sensitivity: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study on 48 Healthy Subjects.

Background: Topical anesthetics are used in noninvasive transdermal anesthesia to decrease the superficial pain sensation threshold during dermatologic surgery. Combined pain relief and sensitivity loss can avoid discomfort during the surgery.

Objective: The aim of this placebo-controlled study was to compare the efficacy of 3 commonly used topical agents by collating loss of sensitivity over time.