Infraorbital Hyaluronic Acid Filler: Common Aesthetic Side Effects With Treatment and Prevention Options

BACKGROUND: Infraorbital hollows can give a fatigued or aged appearance, which can be treated by volumizing the segmented transition from the tear trough to the cheek with hyaluronic acid filler. Due to thin skin and the complex anatomy of the infraorbital area, both short- and long-term side effects (SEs) from this treatment are very common. While some patients are clear surgical candidates vs filler candidates, in real-world practice, many, if not most, patients are on a continuum where either procedure is appropriate, and the treatment decision is individualized based on each person’s risk vs benefit profile. OBJECTIVES: Common aesthetic SEs from hyaluronic acid filler treatment in the infraorbital area will be reviewed, including their etiology, prevention, detection, and treatment. METHODS: The author’s experience from injecting the infraorbital areas of more than 800 patients in private clinical practice and observations from both short- and long-term follow-ups over 8 years is leveraged to provide detailed guidance. RESULTS: Recommendations on injection techniques, patient selection, and patient education are presented along with algorithms for the prevention and management of bruising, short- and long-term swelling, bumps, and blue discoloration (which is usually secondary to swelling from the filler rather than just the filler alone placed or migrating too superficially). CONCLUSIONS: For nearly all patients, complete dissolution of filler with hyaluronidase is not required to address the issue, and the guidelines provided here will assist clinicians in the management of SEs to increase patient satisfaction with their treatment and aesthetic outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5: [Image: see text]