Between 2016 and 2019, the number of filler treatments increased by 17.5 percent. But it also goes wrong more often. This is apparent from the research on which cosmetic doctor Tom Decates is doing his PhD at Erasmus University.
Maria can talk about it. “A few years ago I had fillers put in by a doctor who was cosmetically accredited. I actually went for an eyelid correction, but a doctor told me that I could also try fillers.”
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That’s how she ended up with a colleague of the doctor. “She was very kind and said she could make my eyes beautiful again so it wouldn’t have to be surgery,” she says. Sharon chose to try.
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‘Not hygienic’
It seemed to go well for a while, but after a month the effect of Sharon’s fillers already diminished. She called the doctor again. “He said I needed a touch-up, so I went back. But it was not hygienic in the salon. The doctor used gloves that she took from her bag,” she says. “That’s how I got an infection. I got inflammation exactly in the two places I had sprayed. It became rock hard, I got mountains under my eyes.”
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Sharon was prescribed antibiotics to remedy the inflammation. “That didn’t work, so then I got prednisone.” Sharon hopes that people will think carefully about a filler treatment. “It was handled carelessly with me. I’ve had mental problems because of it.”
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Complications
Complications that can occur after a filler treatment by a non-expert, according to cosmetic doctor Tom Decates:
- The blood vessel can be closed. Then the skin dies.
- If too much filler is injected, the immune system reacts excessively and inflammation occurs.
- If it is not cleaned properly, a bacteria will enter and an infection will develop.
- At some clinics you can have fillers injected every three months, which puts pressure on it.
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Hairdressers and beauticians
Dermatologist Jonathan Kadouch notices the popularity of fillers a lot. His practice is very busy. “It’s not a bad thing that filler treatments are becoming more popular, but that it often happens in practices with non-specialist people,” he says. “For example with hairdressers and beauticians, but also with doctors. If you are a basic doctor, you are authorized to perform treatments.”
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Kadouch not only injects fillers, but also performs other cosmetic treatments. In addition, he works during a special complications lecture for people with fillers at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. According to him, 500 people come there every year with problems due to fillers. Kadouch sees a lot going wrong in starting clinics. “You should always think about why you pay so little for such a treatment.”
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