Mesotherapy Complications: Experience from over 200 Clinical Cases in Vietnam
Objectives: This presentation aims to provide attendees with practical insights into the spectrum of complications following microinjection procedures, highlight clinical patterns and risk factors in real-world practice, and share effective management strategies including pharmacologic and laser-based interventions. Participants will gain knowledge to improve prevention, early recognition, and treatment of adverse events.
Introduction: Minimally invasive procedures such as microinjections have become increasingly popular for skin rejuvenation. However, along with this growth, clinicians are observing more complications, ranging from persistent erythematous nodules to granulomas and tissue inflammation. Understanding their prevalence, causes, and management is essential to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes.
Materials / method: We retrospectively reviewed all patients presenting with complications after aesthetic procedures at our center from January 2022 to June 2025. Among 1,016 cases, 213 were identified as microinjection-related. Clinical characteristics, procedure settings, and agents used were analyzed. Management included systemic anti-inflammatory antibiotics, corticosteroids, and laser interventions, with outcomes documented photographically.
Results: Over half developed persistent nodules; 42% used mesotherapy for skin rejuvenation. Most complications arose in spas (73%), few in clinics (4%), and some patients self-injected agents like vitamin E.
Early administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics combined with high-dose corticosteroids, followed by long-term use of anti-inflammatory antibiotics such as minocycline, was effective. In addition, long-pulsed 595-nm laser therapy demonstrated high efficacy in granuloma management, particularly when applied at early stages. Intralesional corticosteroid injections were also used in selected cases
Conclusion: This report provides an overview of microinjection complications in Vietnam over a 3-year period and highlights effective therapeutic strategies. By sharing successful clinical cases, we aim to improve management and prevention of microinjection-related complications worldwide.