How to prepare for your COVID-19 vaccine appointment

How to prepare for your COVID-19 vaccine appointment

It might seem farfetched, but making a face while you receive a vaccine might make it hurt less. A small University of California, Irvine study suggested that making certain facial expressions can actually blunt the pain of a needle’s injection compared to keeping a neutral face while receiving the shot. Participants who made a Duchenne smile — a big, tooth-baring grin that creates crinkles by your eyes — and those who made a grimace reported that the experience hurt about half as much as a group that kept a neutral expression.