What do vascular occlusion lips look like?

Author: Roel Dickens  |  Last update: Thursday, July 31, 2025

In the case of a true, complete vascular occlusion, pallor is very stark, particularly in lips. There will be a grey patch on the lip that sometimes has zero capillary refill.

How do you know if you have a vascular occlusion in your lips?

The pain may be accompanied by a burning or tingling sensation. Swelling: A sudden, significant increase in swelling in the treated area is another common sign of a vascular occlusion. The swelling may be accompanied by redness and warmth.

What does lip necrosis look like?

Signs of Necrosis After a Lip Filler

The skin on your lips will start to look very pale and dusty and will eventually start to turn purple.

How to tell the difference between bruising and vascular occlusion lip fillers?

‍Vascular Occlusion or Bruise Lip Filler – How to Tell? ‍A bruise should improve within a few days and typically doesn't cause intense pain or persistent blanching. If in doubt, contact a medical professional to assess for vascular occlusion lip filler symptoms like severe pain and delayed capillary refill.

What is a vein occlusion in the lip?

As mentioned above, vascular occlusion occurs if filler is accidentally injected into a blood vessel or a large deposit of filler compresses a blood vessel underneath. This obstructs blood flow. If it happens in the lips, this suffocates the blood supply to a portion or all of the lip and even surrounding skin.

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What are the first signs of impending necrosis?

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF NECROSIS
  • Pain. 2,3,5,6,7 Severe pain is usually experienced by the patient when necrosis ensues. ...
  • Prolonged blanching. 2,3,5,7 When the vasculature is affected, the area will often initially look very pale, white, or dusky due to the reduction in blood supply. ...
  • Dusky, purple discoloration. ...
  • Coolness.

What are the red flags after lip fillers?

If you notice severe pain, extreme swelling or a blue appearance in your lips or surrounding skin, call your doctor as soon as possible. Cold sores. If you are prone to getting cold sores, lip fillers can bring on an outbreak.

What does the start of a vascular occlusion look like?

Vascular occlusion warning signs (2): pallor

After the initial injection, the next sign of a problem with a VO is usually pallor. In the case of a true, complete vascular occlusion, pallor is very stark, particularly in lips. There will be a grey patch on the lip that sometimes has zero capillary refill.

How to avoid vascular occlusion lip fillers?

The number one way to avoid vascular occlusion is to choose a facial cosmetic surgeon certified by the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery (ABFCS) for your filler injections. Doing so will ensure he or she has a thorough understanding of facial anatomy and extensive experience performing cosmetic injections.

What does normal lip filler bruising look like?

You may notice some swelling and bruising immediately after your appointment. Bruising appears as purplish spots around the injection sites, and its severity can vary quite a bit, depending on your skin's sensitivity and your injector's technique. Swelling often peaks within 48 hours of the appointment.

What are the early signs of lip necrosis?

SYMPTOMS OF NECROSIS INCLUDE:

Prolonged blanching: when the affected area looks very pale, white or dusky due to the reduction in blood supply. Purple discolouration: this typically occurs several hours after treatment when tissue death has already occured.

Is there always pain with vascular occlusion?

The Immediate Signs Of A Vascular Occlusion

The patient may also complain of pain which is beyond the level that you would expect during a normal procedure. However, pain doesn't always occur, with one survey stating that in 47% of intravascular events, pain was either absent or mild.

What does a lip granuloma look like?

Granulomatous cheilitis is a rare condition that causes swelling in your lips. The swelling can affect your top lip, bottom lip or both. It might look like you have large lumps, or nodes, under the skin of your lips. The lumps are benign (not cancerous).

How quickly does vascular occlusion happen after lip filler?

If you have a vascular occlusion after a dermal filler, you could experience symptoms 12 to 24 hours after your filler procedure. Vascular occlusion is a serious condition that needs medical treatment immediately.

How do you know if your lips are rejecting fillers?

Some of the common signs of lip fillers going wrong include: Lumpiness. Successful lip fillers should not be lumpy to the touch or to look at. If your lips are lumpy, this may be because the technique used to insert the filler was incorrect, or a filler with too much viscosity has been used.

What are the symptoms of occlusion?

What are the symptoms of a chronic total occlusion?
  • Chest pain, tightness or pressure.
  • Dizziness.
  • Fatigue.
  • Irregular heartbeat.
  • Nausea.
  • Racing or rapid heartbeat.
  • Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
  • Upper arm pain.

How to tell the difference between bruising and vascular occlusion?

The most important sign of occlusion is poor capillary return on the affected area. In comparison, a bruise will have quick capillary return. The bruising is contained in a certain location and takes on a relatively defined shape, as opposed to discoloration, spreading and a mottled appearance.

How do you prevent duck lips after fillers?

The most critical factor for avoiding duck lips is choosing a highly experienced board-certified provider to perform your lip injections. Do your due diligence researching the background, training, expertise, reviews and before & after photos of any injector you are considering.

How do you know if lip filler hit an artery?

Rapid Swelling of the Lips: Significant swelling can develop within minutes on the side where the injection was made. This is due to the filler material expanding within the blood vessels. Bruising and Discoloration: The affected area may exhibit dark, blotchy bruises and a bluish discoloration of the skin.

What are the red flags after fillers?

As with any medical procedure, there are risks involved with the use of dermal fillers. Most side effects associated with dermal fillers, such as swelling and bruising occur shortly after injection and many resolve in a few days to weeks. In some cases, side effects may emerge weeks, months, or years later.

How do you check for capillary refill on lips?

In relation to the lip filler procedure the Capillary refill test (CRT) is carried out by holding and applying pressure to the lip, often by pinching. When you pinch the area it while whiten, which is called blanching. The pressure should be maintained for 5-10 seconds.

What are the 5 Ps of vascular occlusion?

The P's refer to pain, pallor, pulse, paresthesia, and paralysis. Pain is commonly rated on a 10-point scale and can be disproportionately severe in the case of compartment syndrome. Pallor refers to the appearance of the skin and whether it appears as though blood is appropriately reaching the affected body part.

What are the first signs of vascular occlusion?

Early signs of vascular occlusion include pain, pale skin or white blanching after filler and prolonged capillary refill. These symptoms are commonly seen within minutes to an hour of an occlusion occurring. Later signs of an occlusion are perishingly cold skin and purple mottling or livedo reticularis.

What is not normal after lip filler?

Avoid using drinking straws or smoking for at least 24 hours, as well. Puckering or contracting your lips may disturb the lip filler, too. You should also avoid drinking alcohol for at least 24 hours, as alcohol thins your blood, which can make bruising on your lips worse.

What percentage of lip fillers go wrong?

Here are the Lip Filler Risks & Facts you need to know:

This first and most common of the lip filler risks is bruising and bleeding. Studies on injectable fillers indicate that bruising occurs in roughly 19 to 24 percent of patients. Bleeding may also occur but typically does not last more than a few minutes.

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