TL;DR: Dermal filler complications are rare and usually mild, like swelling, bruising or pain, but rarer risks such as infection, nodules or intravascular injection need an experienced, well-trained injector to prevent and treat. Choosing skill and safety over price is essential when considering filler treatments.
For the past decade, use of dermal fillers has been one of the most popular procedures for facial rejuvenation. In 2014 over 1.6 million procedures were performed with hyaluronic acid fillers according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. There are about 160 different fillers on the aesthetic market and they are growing rapidly! This product is popular because of its ability to restore facial youthfulness quickly but naturally making it a very cost-effective treatment. There is minimal downtime due to the non-invasive manner in which the fillers are applied and it is low risk, together this makes the product widely acceptable in modern society.
Furthermore, aesthetic expertise has evolved significantly from simply injecting fillers into wrinkles to 3D facial volume restoration. Often new beautification and volume restoration techniques require the use of larger volumes in certain areas that do not necessarily resemble wrinkles (chin, temples, nose, cheeks). These new techniques are supported by new generation fillers that have different properties, injection requirements and accompanying risks.
We could potentially see more complications in future years because fillers are becoming more popular, their usage is diversifying, they’re developing newer properties and are being offered by practices not dedicated to aesthetics.
Complications – what we need to know
Complications that occur during filler injections are rare! We are talking about hyaluronic acid fillers (HA) that are the most commonly used in South Africa. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring polysaccharide found in our bodies, and clinical studies have declared it safe and support its use for aesthetic purposes. If complications occur, they are usually mild and transient causing minimal discomfort in patients. The most common are swelling, bruising, redness and mild pain.
Swelling
This is usually a non-harmful, mild and short-lived side effect lasting 1-2 days. It frequently depends on the type of the filler used and less on the