Needle Contamination and Hyaluronic Acid Fillers in Aesthetic Medicine

The escalating use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers in aesthetic procedures has coincided with a rise in complications, including those stemming from needle contamination by fastidious microorganisms. A recent study published in Dermatologic Surgery assessed microbial needle contamination of cross-linked HA gel fillers stored for potential retouch procedures.

The study, conducted over a period spanning January to November 2019, focused on 35 needles stored at 4°C within their resealed filler packages following initial aesthetic treatments targeting the middle and lower facial thirds of women aged 35 to 70 years.

Results from the monitoring program yielded consistently negative findings for the presence of contaminating agents, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, anaerobes, yeasts, and molds across the tested needles. Furthermore, post-treatment controls conducted in the days and months following the initial procedures revealed no instances of infection in the treated areas among patients.

“The observational retrospective study confirms that good storage conditions, including monitored refrigeration, avoid the risk of contamination of partially used HA gel fillers by fastidious microorganisms,” concluded the study authors.

Reference

Cavallini M, Casasco A, Ferrara F, Raichi M, Spinelli G. Hyaluronic acid fillers, needle contamination by fastidious microorganisms, and risk of complications. Dermatol Surg. 2023;49(2):161-163. doi:10.1097/DSS.0000000000003674