Apparatus and method for inhibiting pain signals transmitted during a skin related medical treatment

An apparatus which is adapted to inhibit pain signals generated by pain receptors in the skin during a skin related medical treatment from being transmitted to the brain by inducing a controlled compression of a skin region, comprising:

• a) an evacuation chamber comprising an essentially rigid interface element through which a medical treatment can be administered to a selected skin region, one or more walls which are placeable on, or in the vicinity of, said skin region, an interior defined by at least said one or more walls and by said interface element, and an opening at the bottom of said interior which is sealable by said skin region;
• b) means for generating a vacuum within said evacuation chamber interior, the level of the generated vacuum being suitable for drawing said skin region through said opening towards, and in a compressing relation against, said interface element, whereby to inhibit the transmission of a pain signal generated by pain receptors located within said skin region;
• and
• c) means for administering a skin related medical treatment, said administering means adapted to pass through said interface element and to be directed to said compressed and pain inhibiting skin region,
• wherein the vacuum generating means is a vacuum source in fluid communication with the evacuation chamber and means for isolating said vacuum source from the evacuation chamber interior,
• wherein the vacuum source is a pre-evacuated container,
• wherein the isolation means is openable by control means, and
• wherein the control means comprises a pin placeable on the skin region, the pointed end of said pin adapted to pierce a membrane stretched across the interior of a conduit extending between the pre-evacuated container and the evacuation chamber once the evacuation chamber is placed on the skin region.