Laser treatment for adverse reactions to injectable facial filling: a systematic review

Facial filling is widespread in society, albeit associated with inherent risks. This review analyzes clinical studies using laser therapy for filler complications to assess its safety and efficacy as an alternative treatment. A literature search was conducted up until April 2023, encompassing five different databases: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Medline, to find clinical trials addressing patients who underwent laser treatment for adverse reactions to injectable facial filling. The outcome variables were the clinical assessment of the lesion and the occurrence of post-intervention complications/sequelae. The risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool. In total, six studies were included, all classified as having a "moderate risk" of bias. A total of 533 patients underwent laser treatment for adverse reactions to injectable facial fillers. The diode laser was the most frequently utilized equipment, with positive results reported in five studies. Among all treated patients, 96.24% achieved partial or complete resolution, 0.22% experienced some sequelae or complications, and only 0.01% showed no improvement. Laser treatment can eliminate the necessity for surgical intervention for adverse reactions to injectable facial fillers, resulting in partial or complete improvement of the condition.