Table 2.

Types of dermal filler complication by onset of adverse event

Early events (occurring up to several days post-treatment)	Delayed events (occurring from weeks to years post-treatment)
Injection site reactions	Infection (atypical; eg, mycobacterial)
Erythema	Erythema
Edema	Edema
Pain/tenderness	Pain/tenderness
Bruising	Nodule/abscess
Itching	Systemic responses to infection Biofilm
Infection	Foreign body granuloma
Erythema	Varying from subclinical histologic changes to disfiguring nodules
Edema
Pain/tenderness
Acne papule formation
Nodule/abscess
Hypersensitivity	Migration of implant material
Erythema
Edema
Pain/tenderness
Nonfluctuant nodules
Lumps, asymmetries, contour irregularities caused by technique and placement errors	Immune reactions
	Local and site of injection and generalized
Skin discoloration	Persistent discoloration
Redness	Persistent scarring
Whiteness
Hyperpigmentation
Local tissue necrosis caused by vascular occlusion	Malar edema

Notes: Reproduced with permission. Copyright © 2006, John Wiley and Sons. Lowe NJ, Maxwell CA, Patnaik R. Adverse reactions to dermal fillers: review. Dermatol Surg. 2005;31(11 Pt 2):1616–1625.⁷⁰