Dr. Amy Baxter is the founder of Buzzy, which is a company that sells a pain-blocking device designed to relieve inflammation from injuries and swelling.
Dr. Baxter started selling her device in 2009, and she had received funding from the National Institute of Health and two other individuals.
The device basically uses cold therapy and vibration to alleviate pain or soreness from injections and has been installed in more than 1200 hospitals throughout the United States.
Dr. Baxter’s device is very beneficial to patients, and she was coined as one of the top women in tech.
Buzzy products can be used for other purposes, such as relieving the effects of allergies and for dermatology and diabetes.
The product uses vibrations to trigger blood flow to the sore body part to accelerate healing and also employs cold air treatment.
You can even store reusable ice wings in your refrigerator to get them nice and cold before application.
Buzzy is primarily used in pediatrics because it is somewhat appealing to children, making it ‘friendlier’ to use.
It is supported by science and works to relieve painful sensations by stimulating the nerves, mimicking the same response as if you had put a burnt hand under cold water.
The Buzzy4Shot is a device created specifically for children who are afraid of needles and numbs their skin before getting injected with a syringe.
Dr. Baxter has a strong medical history in terms of qualifications and has researched gate control mechanisms that reside in the brain and nerves, which gave her the idea of creating her unique device.
As a doctor, she was aware that physicians do not care as much about their patients’ pain as the patients themselves and wanted to rectify the problem.
Buzzy is a great device for children and also for many other patients, making her business idea somewhat promising.
You can expect to find the device in various sizes and for specific applications, making it an excellent option for homecare and hospitals.
She eventually entered Shark Tank seeking a whopping 500,000 USD for a 5% stake in her company, which is pretty unheard of.
Clinical results have shown that pain can be relieved by up to 80% if people use Buzzy, and Dr. Baxter has many patents for the device.
By the time she appeared on Shark Tank, she had made 1 million USD in sales, and the company was predicted to reach 2.5 million USD the following year.
Kevin isn’t too pleased about the large investment Dr. Baxter is asking for and points out that she hasn’t made that much profit thus far.
Barbara is also quick to express her hesitation due to her previous issues with Ava the Elephant, which turned out to be a failure.
Kevin wasn’t impressed by the lack of sales approach taken by Amy and opted out.
Lori thought that Amy would be better off approaching physicians directly and shouldn’t be focusing on selling her product to consumers, and also backed out.
Mark, O’Leary and Robert offered Amy 500,000 USD for a 20% stake in the company, which Amy did not agree to, resulting in no deal.
Our Review of Buzzy
You can expect to buy Buzzy products from various sources, but little development has occurred since Amy’s appearance on Shark Tank.
Each device costs about 40 USD to purchase and is available in multiple versions and sizes.
Its mini-version has a 1-star rating on Amazon, which is pretty disappointing.
However, its standard-sized model has a 4-star rating, which isn’t bad at all.
The website has made some improvements and gives a lot of free information about medical ailments, describing various scenarios and possible routes to take for treatment.
After failing to receive investment on Shark Tank, Dr. Amy now markets her products directly to families, hospitals, and clinics.
The company generates revenue but hasn’t successfully managed to advertise its products, which is what the sharks warned Amy about.
She decided to go through the process by herself, and her pride got in the way of successfully marketing her product.
The company has expanded to include other products like the Vibracool compression wraps, and Amy changed the company name to Pain Care Labs.
By January 2022, the company had generated 5 million USD from sales.
Pros of Buzzy
Buzzy products serve a purpose and fill a need in the medical profession, making them quite handy for pain relief.
The company faced some setbacks due to a lack of effective marketing, which was a challenge that Dr. Baxter decided to face herself.
However, she made some changes in her strategy and made significant progress on her own.
Let’s look at some of the pros of Buzzy.
- Buzzy products cater to the needs of children and adults and can be used to relieve pain for several illnesses.
- The products use a patented technology to deliver cold and vibration therapy, which is useful for pain relief.
- New products like the Vibracool wraps and Distraction devices have made it possible to treat many conditions like tendinitis, knee pain, and more.
- Amy’s vision of selling her products directly to consumers has turned out to be pretty rewarding for the company since she is making more sales.
Cons of Buzzy
Every company has its limitations, and this is certainly the case with Buzzy, which struggled to market its products effectively, facing considerable struggle along the way.
Dr. Amy made bold moves and trusted in herself to grow and expand her business, which may not have been the best move to make.
Let’s explore some of the cons of Buzzy.
- The products are nothing special and involve the use of ice-cold therapy, which has been done in many forms.
- Amy might have let her ego get in the way of growing her company and chose not to take offers from three of the sharks because she wanted exclusive possession of her business.
- You can simply use ice cubes to have the same effects as her products.
Who is Buzzy For?
Buzzy products are for children and adults who do not want to deal with painful sensations and discomfort, making the device and wraps ideal for use at home and in hospital conditions.
People with knee pain, tendinitis, and other chronic pain illnesses are likely to benefit from Buzzy the most, making the products quite helpful for their recovery process.
The products are especially friendly to children who make a big deal about injections and are afraid of the idea of pain more than the pain itself, making it very useful for calming them down and changing their emotions.
Adults can use the products, but they can realistically just opt for ice pack therapy instead of using a 40 USD device that serves the same purpose.
The vibration technology seems to be exaggerated and doesn’t have much of an effect, but as long as people buy into the health benefits, then they are likely to purchase the product.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Many people do not have a problem with soreness from injections and can leave it alone without needing to use any form of treatment or therapy.
However, some injections can be painful, and people may opt to use cold gels, which serve the same purpose as Buzzy products.
The vibration elements make Buzzy unique and stand out compared to conventional therapies, which is why some people might consider buying it for long-term use, such as for treating chronic pain conditions.
You can even use ice packs or take cold showers or baths to achieve the same cold therapy effects, but people might want to opt for an easier and more convenient solution.
People may also prefer to use medication if their pain is short-term and can simply get a prescription from their doctor.
Although strong painkillers can be addictive and should be avoided unless you’re in serious pain, you can get short-term pain relief from milder painkillers to get by.
Our Final Thoughts
Dr. Baxter clearly knew what she was doing when she launched Buzzy and made the products available to hospitals and consumers.
The sharks thought her pride would lead to her demise, and it’s true that she struggled for a while before finding her rhythm and managing to make many sales.
It’s unclear whether she would have been more successful more quickly if she had received funding from the sharks, but ultimately it’s her own choice what she wants to do with her company and how much of it she’s willing to give up as equity.
The company generated 5 million USD in revenue by the start of 2022 and continues to see an upward growth trajectory due to the introduction of new products and the company’s relaunch as Pain Care Labs.
Being a doctor and researcher, Amy ensured that her products were based on proper medical science before making them available to the general public, and the results speak for themselves.
