Common Complications of Dermal Fillers: A Brief Literature Review

Dermal fillers have gained widespread popularity over the past few decades as nonsurgical cosmetic treatments worldwide, at times even super ceding surgical procedures. Common dermal filler types include calcium hydroxyapatite, polylactic acid, and hyaluronic acid (HA). However, HA has quickly become recognized as the most acceptable filler for facial balancing and contouring, due to its affordability compared to plastic surgical procedures. Additionally, HA offers superior cosmetic outcomes and is generally well tolerated by dermal tissues. The safety profile of HA has been extensively studied with impressive outcomes, and its ease of reversibility makes it the dermal filler of choice for today’s population. Dermal filler injections have become one of the most widespread cosmetic procedures in the United States to date. Despite the prevalence of use and popularity of HA fillers particularly, adverse events have been associated with their administration. While most reported complications are considered mild and self-resolve, there are rare instances of severe complications that can be irreversible. Clinicians must continue to be educated on these risks, as some can affect the patient’s quality of life. As with all cosmetic procedures, dermal fillers do come with risks. Correct technique aids in decreasing the adverse effects of dermal fillers but cannot guarantee perfect outcomes. Adverse effects of dermal fillers can include mild outcomes such as bruising, redness, pruritis, edema and subcutaneous nodular formation. More severe adverse effects include infections, formation of granulomas, vascular occlusions and nerve palsies, all of which are extremely rare. As with any cosmetic procedure, the administration of dermal fillers requires identification of elements which contribute to adverse effects and diligent work to minimize their occurrence.