Are some people prone to vascular occlusion?

While vascular occlusion is a risk with fillers, there are things that injectors can do to minimize the risk. Placing cold packs or ice on the area prior to injection can help to shrink vessels. Cannulas are also helpful. Be sure to use only experienced injectors for your treatment. Be sure to discuss your concerns prior to your injections.

There are a few things providers can do to minimize the chance of vascular occlusions from the use of fillers.
My personal preference is to pre-inject the area with local anesthesia, containing fairly high concentrations of epinephrine (1:30,000) prior to injecting fillers. This causes intense vasoconstriction, which, in my opinion, greatly decreases the chance of intravascular injection, vascular injury, bleeding, and bruising.
The second most important variable is having a clear understanding of the anatomy, including the course of the labial artery. The last variable is the use of cannulas instead of sharp needles.
I don’t believe any individual is more prone to this complication. It is more likely to be random, and to some degree provider dependent, especially regarding providers knowledge of facial vascular anatomy.
It’s also considered appropriate to aspirate before injecting to confirm the tip of the needle is not in the vessel.
None of these safety measures can completely eliminate the risk, but they can reduce it substantially.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD