What Are Possible Complications for Fat Transfer to Forehead and Nasolabial Folds?

Fat injections can rarely cause blindness.  Probably this is the most disturbing complication of fat injections to the face.  There are two recent articles that discuss this complication and show that this problem has little or nothing to do with the skill of the injector or the technique of injection (Lazzeri, et. al. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: 2012; 129:995-1012; Woo, et al.: Am J Ophthalmol. 2012;154:653-662). Another problem not fully addressed by other Doctor answers is that, particularly in the thin woman, deformities of the donor area can occur. Most of the other risks are cosmetic ones related to reabsorption and irregularities.

There may be many other risks and this is not a complete list of complications of fat injections, but some that exist are: infection, bruising, hematoma (collection of blood underneath the skin), lumps, loss of fat, cystic change and calcification, compromise of blood flow with resultant risk of ulceration and scarring of the skin around the side of the nose and cheek and between the eyebrows and inner forehead, overcorrection, undercorrection, asymmetry, skin coloration change with pigmentation or vascular flow purple coloration.
 

All fat grafting can result in asymmetry, irregularity and resorption.

Risks in forehead is higher than nasolabial folds because of the tightness of the skin. The risks of embolism and blindness are very rare if appropriate cannulas are used.