How safe are Dermal Filler treatments?
Over the last few years, Dermal Fillers have become an increasingly popular treatment. It is considered to be safe and has many benefits, which are often sought upon due to the quick solutions they offer patients. Benefits can include correcting deep lines and wrinkles, add volume to the cheeks and lips, as well as giving a natural lift to the face. Hyaluronic acid based fillers are considered the most popular, widely used and safe products.
Like any medical cosmetic procedure there are however certain risks and we would always fully explain to our patients what these risks are prior to any treatment carried out. That way our patients can make an informed decision about proceeding with any treatment, and can feel confident that they are in safe hands with their chosen aesthetic practitioner.
Common Side Effects, Associated with the Injection Hyaluronic acid based fillers
- Discomfort/sensation during injection stage.
- Localised swelling, redness and tenderness at the injection site.
- Bleeding after injection
- Bruising; rarely this bruising may be severe and may persist for several weeks.
- Numbness of the area following injection as fillers may contain local anesthetic.
- Soft lumps in the treated area can sometimes occur immediately after the injection, however this can be resolved by the Aesthetic Doctor gently massaging the area.
Uncommon Side Effects
- Infection and inflammation
- Skin discoloration or ulceration
- Allergic or sensitivity reaction
- Abscess formation
- A Foreign body reaction known as ‘granuloma’ presenting as lumps or nodules 6-24 months post treatment
- Though extremely rare, transient visual disturbance or permanent blindness has been reported following injectable cosmetic treatment.
Generally Hyaluronic acid based fillers are very safe products, if they are used in safe hands. Serious complications are so rare that there are no available statistics of such incidents. Unfortunately, in the UK dermal fillers have not yet been classified as a medical procedure and even a person without any qualification or medical back ground can use them. This is what makes it very dangerous for the public.
Ensure that you receive treatment from a medically qualified person with appropriate training.