Dermal Fillers: Adverse Reactions in Oral and Maxillofacial Regions

A recent study, published in Head and Neck Pathology, examines the adverse reactions to dermal fillers in the oral and maxillofacial regions, enhancing the understanding of complications associated with cosmetic procedures.

Conducted as a retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study between 2019 and 2020, the research was carried out in a dermatology service in Venezuela. The study investigated the clinical and histopathologic features of patients experiencing adverse reactions following dermal filler procedures.

A total of 35 cases of adverse reactions associated with cosmetic filler procedures were examined during the analyzed period, with 6 cases (17.1%) identified to involve the oral and maxillofacial regions. It is worth noting that all these cases occurred in women, with a mean age at diagnosis of 59.3 years. Out of the 6 cases, 3 cases involved dermal fillers in various facial locations, whereas the remaining 3 cases specifically pertained to lip fillers. Among these, 5 of the patients experienced adverse reactions to lip filler applications. Through histopathologic analysis, all 6 cases were diagnosed as foreign body reactions due to the injected material: 4 cases corresponding with microscopic features associated with hyaluronic acid and 2 cases corresponding with polymethylmethacrylate.

“Reflecting the dramatic increase in cosmetic procedures with soft tissue fillers, this study contributed by reporting 6 cases of foreign body reaction involving the oral and maxillofacial region, confirmed with biopsy and histopathology,” concluded the study authors.

Reference

Rosendy G, Cavalcante IL, Barros CCDS, et al. Adverse reactions associated with dermal fillers in the oral and maxillofacial region: a Venezuelan experience. Head Neck Pathol. 2023;17(3):631-637. doi:10.1007/s12105-023-01563-9