As a passionate aesthetics practitioner, I am committed to providing you with the best level of care I can. We are seeing more and more of a spotlight on some truly devastating complications that have arisen after injectable treatments. But what's the real risk?
I believe the risk arises from inadequate complications training.
What do I mean by this?
Well everything in life has a risk(s). It is being able to minimise the incident of complications, recognise them when they do occur and being able to deal with them that is the ultimate goal.
I recently attended the IAPCAM symposium and I'd like to share why I attend this type of event.
(IAPCAM: International Association for Prevention of Complications in Aesthetic Medicine.)
You might be thinking.... 'why are you banging on about complications?! You'll put me off treatment for life!'
This is NOT the goal: the goal is to educate so that you can make an informed decision when you consent to treatment with me. Risks vs benefits, anticipated outcomes,alternatives etc.
What is a complication?
There is a truly wide variety of possible complications, varying in severity and presentation. They often involve a change in skin colour, a lump or lumps, or swelling. Sometimes a combination.
I won't list them all here but you can expect some discomfort, bruising and swelling and I would consider these side effects of the treatment - we are using needles after all!
The Voldemort of complications- Blood Vessel Blockage
This is the main complication that you may have heard about, or even experienced. Often referred to as a vascular occlusion (VO) this is when a dermal filler is inadvertently injected into a blood vessel.
Why does this matter?
We need a bloody supply to essentially keep our skin alive! If a VO is not identified and treated, skin can become necrotic or it can even result in visual loss. This truly is the scarier end of the spectrum and if you're hearing about this for the first time I'm not sorry: I speak to every single potential client before proceeding with injectable treatments to ensure that this is a risk worth taking.
How I minimise the risk for you:
Informed Consent: this is why the consultation is arguably the most important part
I know your anatomy: my basic training as a dentist was in head & neck anatomy and I continue updating this knowledge pretty much every day of my life
Capillary refill: by pressing firmly on an area of skin for a few seconds then letting go (feel free to try it!) you will cause the area to look white as you've stopped the blood flow, then as you let go you should see a rush of red/pink colour come back pretty quickly. I'll check this before, during and after your treatment. If your capillary refill becomes sluggish, a blood vessel may be blocked. By identifying it, we can start to deal with it.
Aspirate: when injecting I will always pull back on the needle for a minimum of 10 seconds. If any blood were to appear inside my syringe then I will not inject before repositioning and aspirating again.
Pain level: needles can be a bit stingy, granted but if you experience excessive pain at any point during treatment this could indicate a complication. Again, identification means we can start to deal with it together.
Capillary refill: yes I meant to type this again! We'll spend time at the end of your treatment checking this again not only in the area of injection but around it to ensure we are safe.
Aftercare Instructions: it is part of my duty of care to educate you on complications and what to do if you have concerns at home. Rest assured you will always have a point of contact with me before, during and after your treatment. This is what you're paying for.
And if a complication were to arise, I have the necessary equipment, a stock of hyalase (used to break down hyaluronic acid dermal fillers), a network of clinicians that all aid each other in times of need, and I am able to prescribe any medication necessary to help you recover.
What YOU can do:
Research your practitioner
Ask questions! Can you prescribe? Where is your hyalase? Where is your emergency kit?
Don't hesitate to confirm credentials
Actually read the consent form! Question it! Ensure you understand it!
Be honest in your medical history form - we're not just being nosy!
Follow your aftercare instructions - they're there for a reason
Attend your follow up appointment
I hope this was helpful for you. I know all of this can be scary, and I will always do everything I can to prevent it but I am not naive: complications DO happen so it is important that we are all aware and capable to recognise and deal with them
Cosmetic injectables can be a truly empowering, positive and life changing experience! It's your face: choose your injector wisely.
Megan
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