TERRIFIED of needles? Help is on the horizon

A futuristic device that painlessly injects medications through microscopic pores in the skin.

The hand-held, ultrasonic device applies sound waves to the skin for 15 seconds, disrupting a protective membrane to allow fluids to flow in or out. The openings allow larger molecules, including those of many drugs, to pass through quickly. After 24 hours, the skin returns to normal.

The SonoPrep device consists of a battery operated power and control unit, a hand piece containing the ultrasonic horn and the disposable coupling medium cartridge, and a return electrode. (see picture above) A clinician performs a skin permeation treatment by applying the ultrasonic hand piece to the patient’s skin. The clinician pushes the hand piece down on the patient’s skin to activate the ultrasonic horn. The patient holds the return electrode so that the device automatically shuts itself off, based on a drop in skin impedance (as measured by current moving through the return electrode) once the proper level of skin permeation is achieved.