Mesotherapy with hyaluronic acid in face. Is it possible to puncture an artery? (Photo)

Mesotherapy injections are too superficial to puncture an artery. The depth of the needles are carefully calculated to avoid that kind of malfunction.

Arterial embolization is possible and has been described with HA fillers.

This can lead to full thickness tissue necrosis.

This can certainly happen with a gun but needle injection is how it’s been described mostly to my knowledge.

If the provider aspirates before inject the chance of intra-arterial injection is considered much less likely.

I suppose when using an injection gun the amount of filler that goes into arterial he is probably less than if the artery has been cannulated and a direct injection is done with a needle.

These are probably more theoretical risks than actual risks.

If you work with providers who are properly trained such as board-certified plastic surgeons or board-certified official plastic surgeons then at least they know where the major vessels in the face are and can stay away from the danger zones.

The angular artery as I believe the most commonly injected artery when HA embolization happens.

Using a blunt injection cannula rather than a sharp needle has also been described as making this less likely.

Of other things to worry about this is probably one that should not be top of the list though and it’s absolute worst case scenario the complication can be fairly dreadful.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom MD