What happens if filler is injected into a nerve?

Author: Connie Schmeler  |  Last update: Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Vitamin K cream has been reported as beneficial in the management of purpura. An inadvertent trauma, direct injection into the nerve, or compression of the nerve by the filler material can cause nerve damage that may lead to dysesthesia, anesthesia, or paresthesia, which may be transient or, rarely, permanent.

How do you know if a filler hit a nerve?

Signs of nerve damage after fillers

Dr Lindsay informs, “Often a patient with a nerve injury will initially report a sharp electric shooting, burning, itching, tingling or a pins and needles sensation.

What happens if a nerve is hit during an injection?

Nerve damage – If the needle penetrates a nerve or blood vessel, it can cause severe pain, tingling, numbness, or even paralysis in extreme cases. Muscle damage – An incorrect injection technique may lead to muscle atrophy, scar tissue formation, or long-term weakness.

Where should you not inject fillers?

Filler Danger Zones

Glabellar region (just above the nose and between the eyebrows) Temporal fossa (area around the temples bordered by the outer eye socket, upper cheekbone, hairline, and forehead)

What happens if you inject filler too deep?

Vascular complications occur as result of inadvertent arterial injection of filler material and could result in serious injury in the form of cutaneous necrosis, blindness, or stroke.

Cosmetic Fillers in the Face - Why Nerve Damage is Highly Unlikely

What is the riskiest place for fillers?

Common danger zones include the glabellar region, temporal fossa, infraorbital region, perioral region, lips, oral commissure, nasal area, and areas with major arteries like the supratrochlear, supraorbital, infraorbital foramen, mental foramen, facial artery, and deep temporal arteries.

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.

What are the danger zones for filler injections?

Avoid complications by understanding the danger areas and arteries to steer clear of when injecting dermal fillers
  • Supratrochlear and Supraorbital Arteries (Forehead) ...
  • Infraorbital Foramen (Nasolabial) ...
  • Mental Foramen (Chin) ...
  • Facial Artery (Jawline)

Where is the most painful place to get filler?

Like the lips, the nasolabial folds have more nerve endings running through the area than other areas. The area also frequently moves, so this can cause more soreness after the injections.

What are the first signs of vascular occlusion from fillers?

What are the symptoms of vascular occlusion?
  • Pain or discomfort at the site of the blockage.
  • Swelling.
  • Changes to your skin color; red (erythema) to blueish-purple or white spots (blanching).
  • Cool temperature to the affected area of your skin.

How do you tell if a needle hit a nerve?

Pain is the most frequent symptom of a nerve injury. It is usually described as a severe shooting or burning sensation at the injection site with radiation to the dorsum of the forearm and hand. Patients could also present numbness, paresthesia, hypoesthesia and other sensory disturbance.

What to do if an injection goes wrong?

Symptoms often include skin redness and discoloration, swelling, and itching at the injection site. Cold compresses and antihistamines may help reduce these symptoms. People should contact a doctor if symptoms do not resolve or get worse. If anaphylaxis develops, a person should call 911 immediately.

What happens if lidocaine hits a nerve?

Nerve damage – If the needle directly hits a nerve, the result can be numbness and pain that lasts for weeks or months. Nerve damage is very rare in a regional injection, according to the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA).

What happens if you hit a nerve while injecting?

Contact with a nerve may cause 'pins and needles' or a brief shooting pain. This does not mean that the nerve is damaged, but if the needle is not repositioned, damage can occur. If this happens you should try to remain still and tell your anaesthetist about it.

How do you know if your body is rejecting filler?

If you experience any signs of an allergic reaction after a filler injection, such as tenderness, swelling or asymmetrical fullness, seek medical attention immediately. Ask your doctor to test for allergies to the injectable fillers and/or the liquid gel in which they are suspended.

What happens if filler is not injected deep enough?

Minor complications

This is particularly common if the filler is not injected deep enough into the skin. They might possibly cause a bluish colour due to a phenomenon called the Tyndall effect, and this is often clearly evident in the area just beneath the eyes. This discolouration can last for years.

What happens if you hit a blood vessel while injecting fillers?

Yes, injecting filler into a blood vessel can lead to a blockage, potentially causing a blood clot. This rare but serious complication, known as vascular occlusion, can have significant health consequences if the clot travels to other body parts.

What hurts worse Botox or filler?

In general, Botox injections cause less discomfort since they are administered using very fine needles and injected directly into the muscles. On the other hand, fillers may involve slightly larger needles to inject the dermal fillers beneath the skin surface, which can cause more discomfort.

Why does my filler suddenly hurt?

Late-onset inflammatory reactions are rare complications, which may occur following injection of HA dermal fillers. Their cause may be infectious or immune-mediated in origin, and their outbreak can be triggered, for example, by a flu-like illness. Nevertheless, the latter events may be coincidental.

When is it too late for fillers?

There's no wrong or right age to start your dermal filler journey, as long as you're a healthy adult of course. Many men and women in their 60s and beyond can benefit from dermal fillers, especially ones like Sculptra that stimulate your collagen for improvement in your skin at its core.

Who is not a good candidate for fillers?

Existing Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions and medications may make individuals unsuitable candidates for dermal filler treatments. Conditions like lupus, diabetes, or a history of severe allergic reactions may pose risks during the procedure.

When should I be worried about fillers?

Increased redness, pain, swelling and heat around the lips hint at an infection. The presence of pus is also very worrying, and a professional must be consulted as quickly as possible.

What is forbidden after filler?

After your first dermal filler appointment, you want to avoid any hot and humid place. For example, don't rush to the sauna or a hot tub right after your treatment. The high heat makes swelling in your face a lot worse.

What is a pillow face?

“Pillow face” occurs when too much filler is injected into areas like the cheeks, nasolabial folds (the lines from your nose to the corners of your mouth), lips, and under-eye area. This repeated overfilling can result in a bloated, round appearance that looks far from natural.

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.

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