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PURPOSE: Illicit cosmetic injections remain highly prevalent and can cause serious complications, including death. We aimed to explore existing literature regarding the use of illicit cosmetic injections globally. METHODS: We searched six databases with no language restriction from inception to 2022. We included all articles focused on adult patients of any gender who received any illicit cosmetic injection. Screening and data extraction followed standards from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. RESULTS: After screening 629 abstracts and 193 full texts, 142 citations were included. We identified articles from 28 countries and three multi-country studies. Most were from high-income (75.3%) and upper-middle-income countries (21.8%). Of all patients whose gender identity was described, 49.9% were transgender women, and 40.8% were cisgender women. The anatomic regions most frequently injected were the buttocks (35%) and the breast (13.3%). The most frequently described complications were granuloma (41.5%), dermatological problems (41.5%), infection (35.9%), and pulmonary complications (34.5%). CONCLUSIONS: We observed the impact of illicit silicone injections, particularly on cisgender women and transgender individuals. Existing barriers must be addressed, including healthcare prejudice and inadequate knowledge about care for gender minorities. This will require educating at-risk groups and enhancing policies to regulate these procedures.

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Aging and face sagging have many causes, and various techniques are used for treatment, including noninvasive procedures, such as focused ultrasound, which uses the principle of collagen regeneration by coagulative necrosis of the dermis layers using radiofrequency, but this procedure has complications. We reported a case of a 54-year-old female patient who complained of poor visual acuity in her right eye three days after a focused ultrasound facial aesthetic procedure, with the best visual acuity of 20/60. Biomicroscopy of the right eye revealed an acute cataract with three points of fibrosis extending from the posterior to the anterior capsule. The patient underwent phacoemulsification surgery with visual rehabilitation and improved vision of 20/20. We hypothesized that the occurrence of acute cataract was related to the inappropriate use of focused ultrasound.

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In recent years there has been an extraordinary increase in the use of different filler materials as facial cosmetic treatments. The popularity of injectable tissue fillers among individuals who wish to restore volume and gain a more youthful appearance is because it is a minimally invasive esthetic procedure for soft tissue augmentation. However, although they are considered efficient and safe, they can trigger complications such as swelling, bruising, erythema, pain, infection, nodule formation, vascular occlusion, and pigmentary changes. The objective of this article was to present a case of a 46-year-old patient who presented with significant facial edema 3 months after lip and infraorbital filling with hyaluronic acid, resistant to medication, which appeared and worsened after starting to use Ozempic for weight loss. Therefore, we chose to perform an intralesional application of hyaluronidase 2.000utr, immediately observing the decrease in edema. After a week, the patient was completely recovered, with no signs of edema, no allergic reactions and feeling very well. The etiology of late inflammatory reactions is unclear and we believe that some medications may be capable of initiating these immune responses. Hyaluronidase is an effective treatment to reverse adverse reactions from hyaluronic acid injection, dissolving the peptide bond proteins within the hyaluronic acid, increasing the viscosity of the material and allowing it to be dispersed throughout the soft tissue.

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In this report, we present the case of a woman with clinical characteristics of hypercalcemia due to ectopic production of 1,25(OH)2D. She reported a history of aesthetic surgery with gluteal fillers. The formation of granulomas after these interventions were previously described. In this case, surgical removal of the foreign formations was attempted with clinical stability during 3 years.

Presentamos el caso de una mujer con características clínicas de hipercalcemia secundaria a la producción ectópica de 1,25(OH)2D. La paciente informó una historia de rellenos glúteos con fines estéticos. La formación de granulomas posterior a este tipo de intervenciones fue previamente descrita por otros autores. En este caso se intentó la extirpación quirúrgica de las formaciones extrañas con estabilidad clínica durante 3 años.

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BACKGROUND: Given the significant increase in the quantity of cosmetic procedures utilizing hyaluronic acid fillers, including in the nasal region, the initial evaluation of patients using high frequency ultrasound becomes a crucial instrument in evaluating and handling nonsurgical rhinoplasty. AIMS: The aim of this article is to introduce an assessment methodology for nasal filling guided by high frequency ultrasound. PATIENTS/METHODS: A prospective and single-center study was conducted with 12 Latin American patients. The patients underwent nasal filling with hyaluronic acid following high power ultrasound mapping. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In the evaluation of the GAIS scale, all patients reported improvement with the treatment. No infections, nodules, ischemia, or other relevant adverse effects were noted. Real-time ultrasound-guided filler techniques have been developed to reduce the risk of vascular compromise, confirming the distribution pattern of blood vessels. It's also crucial to visualize the cannula at the same moment as the vessels, even if the previous vascular mapping was performed. Therefore, the utilization of high frequency ultrasound can act as a pivotal tool in augmenting procedure safety.

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BACKGROUND: Nonsurgical cosmetic procedures, particularly the use of hyaluronic acid (HA)-based soft tissue fillers, are becoming increasingly popular. This trend has catalyzed the development of a plethora of HA-based products differing in product characteristics, thereby catering to an ever-widening spectrum of aesthetic applications. However, complications rise concomitant with the increasing number of procedures. Among the strategies to manage such adverse events is the enzymatic breakdown with hyaluronidase. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the response of different HA-based soft tissue filler materials to hyaluronidase injections. METHODS: A total of 11 different HA-based soft tissue fillers were evaluated using noninvasive ultrasound imaging to assess their behavior in response to hyaluronidase injections. The HA-based soft tissue fillers were categorized according to their product characteristics into a structuring, volumizing, and lip volumizing group. Standardized injections of 0.2 cc were performed in chicken breast to simulate human tissue. Ultrasound measurements of width, height, and calculated volume were performed immediately after filler injection, 1 h and 24 h following hyaluronidase injection. RESULTS: Regardless of the soft tissue filler analyzed, the most significant volume reduction occurred within the first h after applying hyaluronidase, with a 64.1% decrease from the initial volume. After 24 h, the total volume reduction reached 81.7%. No statistically significant differences were found when comparing the three groups at each follow-up time period, except for the height measurement after 1 h. While width was statistically significant in all groups between the investigated follow-up groups, the volume reduction was only statistically significant in the groups with the highest and second highest G' values (i.e., Group 1-structuring, Group 2-volumizing). CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of hyaluronidase in dissolving HA-based fillers is initially independent of product characteristics of HA-based fillers such as G-prime, with increased efficacy in fillers with higher G-prime values, as evidenced by significant volume reductions in such groups.

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BACKGROUND: Complications of temporary and permanent fillers have been extensively studied. However, there is a lack of comparative data regarding poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA), and polycaprolactone (PCL) known as collagen biostimulators. AIMS: This study addressed the complications of collagen biostimulators concerning their diagnosis, type of product, treatment, and monitoring. PATIENTS/METHODS: An electronic questionnaire was sent to Brazilian dermatologic ultrasound experts to identify complications related to biostimulators. The type of biostimulator, location of application, number of vials injected, application plan, time between injection treatment and complication, injector profile, treatment, and prognosis were assessed. RESULTS: Fifty-five cases were identified, of which 49.1% were caused by PLLA-Elleva®, 23.6% by CaHA (alone or combined with hyaluronic acid), 20.0% by PLLA-Sculptra®, and 7.3% by PCL. The most affected area was the face (72.7%), with nodules being the most common clinical form (89.1%), generally occurring late (60.0%) (>1 month). Only one case was injected at an incorrect depth (musculoaponeurotic system-SMAS). Despite several treatments, including saline (45.5%), hyaluronidase (25.5%), diluted corticosteroids (23.6%), and energy-based devices (10.9%), only five cases showed complete resolution. Hyaluronidase was beneficial in complications related to fillers when there was an association of calcium hydroxyapatite with hyaluronic acid (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Complications from collagen biostimulators were more common on the face, typically manifesting about 1 month after treatment. These issues seemed to be related more to the properties of the products rather than inadequate technique. Furthermore, hyaluronidase demonstrated efficacy only in cases where there was an association with HA.

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BACKGROUND Histoplasmosis is typically associated with immunocompromised individuals, but cases in immunocompetent patients are rare. Primary cutaneous histoplasmosis (PCH) is a challenging diagnosis due to its clinical polymorphism and can mimic other infectious and non-infectious diseases. Previous cases of PCH have been reported in immunocompetent patients with underlying medical conditions or trauma history. So far there have been no reports of PCH after platelet-rich plasma (PRP) application due to inadequate hygiene measures in an immunocompetent host. CASE REPORT This case report presents a rare occurrence of PCH following a cosmetic procedure (PRP injection) in an immunocompetent patient. The patient developed nodule-like lesions at the application sites, which progressed to ulceration with purulent discharge. Initially, atypical mycobacterial infection was suspected, and empirical antibiotic therapy was initiated. Complementary tests were performed, ruling out immunosuppression and systemic pathogens. The patient showed complete resolution of the lesions after one month of atypical treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX). Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of PCH with intracytoplasmic inclusions of Histoplasma sp. CONCLUSIONS This case highlights the importance of considering histoplasmosis as a diagnostic possibility, especially in hyperendemic areas like Venezuela. Direct inoculation of Histoplasma sp. after aesthetic procedures without proper hygiene measures can lead to pathological lesions, even in immunocompetent individuals. TMP/SMX can be considered as an alternative treatment option in the absence of the first-line medication. Further exploration of this treatment approach may benefit patients with similar clinical conditions or when ideal treatment options are unavailable.

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BACKGROUND: Recent research introduced the concept of the "line of convergence" as a guide for injectors to enhance precision and avoid complications when treating the frontalis muscle with toxins. However, currently, no pre-injection ultrasound scanning is employed to increase precision and reduce adverse events when searching for the line of convergence. OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility and practicality of implementing pre-injection ultrasound scanning into aesthetic neuromodulator treatments of the forehead. METHODS: The sample of this study consisted of n = 55 volunteers (42 females and 13 males), with a mean age of 42.24 (10.3) years and a mean BMI of 25.07 (4.0) kg/m2. High-frequency ultrasound imaging was utilized to measure the thickness, length, and contractility of the frontal soft tissue and to determine the precise location of the line of convergence during maximal frontalis muscle contraction. RESULTS: The results revealed that the line of convergence was located at 58.43% (8.7) of the total forehead height above the superior border of the eyebrow cilia without a statistically significant difference between sex, age, or BMI. With frontalis muscle contraction, the forehead shortens in males by 25.90% (6.5), whereas in females it shortens only by 21.74% (5.1), with p < 0.001 for sex differences. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the feasibility and practicality of pre-injection ultrasound scanning for facial aesthetic neuromodulator treatments. Knowing the location of the line of convergence, injectors can determine precisely and on an individual basis where to administer the neuromodulator deep or superficial or when the injection location is at risk to cause eyebrow ptosis.

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RESUMO Com o crescimento da indústria cosmética global, a busca pela estética e pelo rejuvenescimento impulsionou o aumento de procedimentos estéticos. A gordura autóloga é o tipo de preenchimento mais comum e mais grave relacionado à cegueira iatrogênica. A oclusão iatrogênica da artéria oftálmica é uma complicação rara (mas devastadora) das injeções de preenchimento facial. Embora diversos tratamentos tenham sido relatados e propostos, até o momento não há eficácia comprovada. Na identificação da oclusão de artéria central da retina, o tempo é de fundamental importância para o prognóstico visual do paciente. Os resultados, em geral, são insatisfatórios, e há pouca ou nenhuma evidência favorável. O objetivo deste trabalho foi relatar o caso de uma paciente que apresentou oclusão de artéria central da retina após procedimento cosmético com gordura autóloga em região nasolabial.

ABSTRACT The global cosmetic industry growth and the desire for aesthetics and rejuvenation have increased the aesthetic procedures. Autologous fat is the most common and most serious type of filling related to iatrogenic blindness. Iatrogenic occlusion of the ophthalmic artery is a rare but devastating complication of facial filler injections. Although several treatments have been reported and proposed, to date there is no proven efficacy. In identifying central retinal artery occlusion, timing is crucial to the patient's visual prognosis. The results, in general, are unsatisfactory and there is little or no favorable evidence. This paper aimed to report the case of a patient who presented central retinal artery occlusion after a cosmetic procedure with autologous fat in the nasolabial region.

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BACKGROUND: Injectable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) has been proven safe and effective with numerous medical applications for more than 25 years. The product has been approved in over 40 countries and is being used for soft tissue augmentation in the face and certain body parts. With the increased demand for subtle and natural-looking aesthetic treatments in the Asia-Pacific region, there is also a heightened need for consistent preparation and effective treatment methodologies to optimize outcomes for Asian patients. METHODS: The body of evidence in medical literature, clinical data of presented case reports, and the collective experience of the authors are reflected in these consensus recommendations, which also take under consideration the availability of biostimulators in the Asia-Pacific region. RESULTS: The resulting consensus recommendations include patient selection and assessment, management of treatment expectations, appropriate preparation and storage, proper injection techniques and treatment plans, management of adverse effects, PLLA combination with other facial rejuvenation procedures, and other constructive considerations. CONCLUSIONS: In the above consensus recommendations, the authors shared their best practices in accordance with the updated preparation and treatment protocols of PLLA. These recommendations represent the clinical and real-world techniques utilized by authors in providing PLLA treatments for Asian patients.

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BACKGROUND: Dermal facial fillers are increasingly popular. Published reports on the clinical and histopathologic characteristics related to adverse reactions to dermal fillers in the facial region have been relatively well documented. This study adds to the literature on adverse reactions to injected filler in the oral and maxillofacial region in a South American population. METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional study (2019-2020) was performed. The study population was a dermatology service in Venezuela. Clinical and histopathologic features of patients with adverse effects were documented. RESULTS: A total of 35 cases of adverse reactions associated with cosmetic filler procedures were diagnosed during the analyzed period; of these, six cases (17.1%) involved the oral and maxillofacial region. All cases occurred in women. The mean age at diagnosis was 59.3 years (58-73). In three cases, dermal fillers were used in different locations on the face, while three involved the lips. Five patients exhibited adverse reactions to lip filler. All six cases were histopathologically diagnosed as foreign body reactions to injected material. Four and two cases revealed microscopic features compatible with hyaluronic acid and polymethylmethacrylate, respectively. CONCLUSION: Reflecting the dramatic increase in cosmetic procedures with soft tissue fillers, this study contributed by reporting six cases of foreign body reaction involving the oral and maxillofacial region, confirmed with biopsy and histopathology.

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BACKGROUND: Adverse reactions, caused during the inflammation and healing process, or even later, can be induced by the injection of dermal filler and can present a variety of clinical and histological characteristics. In this study we aimed to review the adverse reactions associated with the injection of aesthetic filling materials in the face and neck. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The review was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. Studies published that mentioned adverse reactions in patients with aesthetic filling materials in the face or neck were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal tool. After a 2-step selection process, 74 studies were included: 51 case reports, 18 serial cases, and five cohorts. RESULTS: A total of 303 patients from 20 countries were assessed. Lesions were more prevalent in the lip (18%), nasolabial folds (13%), cheeks (13%), chin (10%), submental (8%), glabella (7%), and forehead (6%). Histopathological analysis revealed a foreign body granuloma in 87.1% of the patients, 3% inflammatory granuloma, 3% lipogranuloma, 2.3% xanthelasma-like reaction, 1% fibrotic reaction, 0.7% amorphous tissues, 0.7% xanthelasma, 0.3% sclerosing lipogranuloma, 0.3% siliconoma, and 0.3% foreign body granuloma with scleromyxedema. In addition, two patients displayed keratoacanthoma and two others displayed sarcoidosis after cutaneous filling. The most commonly used materials were silicone fillers (19.7%), hyaluronic acid (15.5%), and hydroxyethyl methacrylate/ethyl methacrylate suspended in hyaluronic acid acrylic hydrogel (5.6%). All patients were treated, and only 12 had prolonged complications. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that adverse reaction can be caused by different fillers in specific sites on the face. Although foreign body granuloma was the most common, other adverse lesions were diagnosed, exacerbating systemic diseases. In this way, we reinforce the importance of previous systemic evaluations and histopathological analyses for the correct diagnosis of lesions.

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Skin aging goes beyond a chronological process and also results from extrinsic factors referred to as the exposome. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an important component of the extracellular matrix, with loss starting at 25 years old. While many studies of HA concern topical use, few literature reviews only address the use of topical HA in dermatology. This review describes the different characteristics of HA-containing cosmeceuticals, with a focus on skin aging and the impact of exposome factors on HA synthesis and degradation. A review was performed using the terms HA, hyaluronan, topical, dermatology, cosmetic, aging treatment, exposome, and cosmeceuticals. Results are also presented from a recent randomized controlled trial (RCT), which investigated the additional benefit of using a HA epidermic filler (HA-filler serum) combined with Botulinum toxin type A (BoNTA) to treat signs of skin aging. Subjects were randomized to two groups: HA-filler serum starting 24 h after the BoNTA injection then twice daily for 24 weeks, or the control group, which received BoNTA. HA is a key ingredient used in cosmeceuticals for its hydration/antiaging properties (hygroscopic, rheological, and viscoelastic). Several clinical studies indicate that HA is both well tolerated and effective, adjuvant to both post-surgical and facial rejuvenation procedures. In the RCT, one of few studies to combine BoNTA and HA with a 6-month follow-up, the HA-filler serum lengthened the duration of BoNTA's effect in reducing wrinkles. Numerous studies support HA-based cosmeceuticals as a noninvasive, effective solution for improving skin hydration and rejuvenation.

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BACKGROUND: Although much has been published on the use of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) for off-face indications, questions remain regarding their exact mechanisms of action in subcutaneous tissue and their comparative efficacy. OBJECTIVE: To present the clinical and histological results of the PLLA and CaHA injections into the opposing arms of the same patients. METHODS: Five women received superficial subcutaneous injections of PLLA into the left arm and CaHA into the right arm. After three sessions, the clinical and histological outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: After the first session, three patients showed improvement in the right arm (CaHA), but at the end of study, two patients showed better results in the left arm (PLLA). Histologically, moderate to intense lymphocytic and giant cell infiltrate, as well as collagen and elastic fiber neoformation, were observed equally near the particles of both products. Dermis had no inflammatory or fiber alterations. CONCLUSION: In this study, there were no clinical differences between these two fillers. Despite current thinking and previous histological studies, we found both products produced moderate to intense inflammatory reaction, as well as collagenic/elastogenic fiber neoformation, only in the subcutaneous tissue of the immediate vicinity and surrounding the individual filler particles.

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INTRODUCTION: The use of hyaluronic acid (HA) as a dermal filler is considered safe. However, as new brands come to the market, reports of adverse events are becoming more and more common. OBJECTIVE: To describe a particular type of adverse effect that, unlike the erythematous, indurated, and painful nodules described in the literature as "angry red bumps," is characterized by noninflammatory, stony-like nodules that appear in sites previously treated with HA. METHODS: The report of four patients who presented this complication, and the occurrence of two HA syringes from the same batch that had hardened the product inside at the time of filling. CONCLUSION: The authors propose the nomenclature "happy bump" to group adverse reactions to HA that translate into noninflammatory nodules, with a stony consistency, appearing up to 4 weeks (recent) or after one month (late) in sites previously treated with AH.

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BACKGROUND: In recent years, fillers procedures with hyaluronic acid (HA) have grown significantly. Despite HA relative safety, the number of cases of complications after injections has grown, and in many of which, we are not aware of or have little control over. AIMS: In this article, the authors describe a new adverse reaction after filling with HA injection, the sterile abscess. PATIENTS/METHODS: We present eight patients with similar clinical, laboratory, and ultrasound characteristics for sterile abscess and report a new therapeutic modality for it. RESULTS: All cases were treated with "Munhoz-Cavallieri Lavage Protocol" procedure with complete resolution. CONCLUSIONS: "Munhoz-Cavallieri Lavage Protocol" serves as a guideline in diagnosis and management of sterile abscess.

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Treatment with injectable fillers is considered to be intrinsically associated with the understanding of facial anatomy and appropriate techniques. However, a more comprehensive understanding of facial structure is critical to improving facial shape. This article presents two Nonsurgical approaches developed from the MD Codes system denominated "The 7-point Shape" and "The 9-point Shape." Both techniques were designed to help create a more feminine and masculine look, respectively. The aim is to provide foundation for the midface (cheek) and contour for the lower face (chin and jawline) and indirectly improve the facial signs that patients usually focus on when looking for aesthetic treatment (lines, folds, jowls, double chin, etc.). The MD Codes platform aims to deliver an alternative to surgery with injectables. The 7-point Shape and The 9-point Shape may provide visible results immediately after treatment.

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