By Dr Fab Equizi.
Nowadays, dermal filler and lip filler procedures are commonplace.
Unfortunately, within the Aesthetic Industry there is a lack of regulation and therefore procedures are being performed by anyone, and in any location.
The lack of awareness of the general public can often mean they allow price to dictate their choice over the experience and qualifications of their practitioner.
When deciding on treatment and choosing a practitioner it is not only the calibre of their work that should be a priority, but their ability to rectify a problem should one occur.
No procedure is without risk and safety should always take priority over price.
Here are the 4 worst things that have been reported after fillers (including fat transfer)
1. Death
2. Stroke
3. Blindness
4. Necrosis (tissue death)
More common are infections and delayed reactions causing nodules and swelling.
The following photographs are examples of a complication which occurs when filler is accidentally injected into a lip artery (vascular occlusion).
They highlight the damage that is caused, the treatment that is necessary and the healed outcome. In some cases scarring may be present and skin treatments may be necessary in the surrounding area.
In these examples the complication was missed by the practitioner and as a duty of care we had to rectify the situation for her as soon as possible due to the patient being left in agony and at risk of infection and significant tissue loss.
With any aesthetic treatment it is advisable that any problems are referred back to the original practitioner but in an emergency, intervention is often necessary.
Luckily for these ladies we were able to dissolve the filler and restore circulation thereby limiting the damage done. As you can see these ladies were very lucky indeed.
Thankfully serious complications are rare, and risks are minimised by going to a medical professional. At Enhance Clinispa we always aim to minimise the possibility of risks. Vascular occlusion’s can be avoided with the use of blunt cannulas, especially in areas of high risk when injecting fillers. Having a thorough knowledge of anatomy is essential as is the use of advanced techniques.
