Hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal fillers are the second most common form of minimally-invasive aesthetic procedure across the globe.1,2 Of all HA dermal filler-related complications, vascular occlusion (VO) is one of the least frequent, yet generally the most feared by aesthetic practitioners and patients alike. The incidence is estimated to be as low as 0.001% of procedures performed.2
Typically, the symptoms of VO onset within minutes to hours, however there are reports of delayed onset VO up to a few days post-injection.1-4 The symptomatology can be quite variable.2,4 The most common symptoms include sudden, progressive pain (at the injection site, or elsewhere) and skin discolouration.2-5 Discolouration can also be variable, particularly depending upon time of onset to presentation. Acutely, it can present with pallor or cyanosis. Either of these, especially if combined with a reticular…
