Microfocused Ultrasound for Management of Facial Nodules from Illegal Fillers

Liquid injectable silicone has been used for soft-tissue augmentation for many decades. This has been a controversial practice within the medical community because of the frequent complications that can occur with silicone injections, including death. Even more worrisome is the use of industrial-grade silicone combined with other products that are now being injected in large volumes by nonmedical practitioners, which can migrate and cause a multitude of both cosmetic and medical complications. These include granulomas, chronic local and systemic inflammation, inflammatory pulmonary disease, blindness, silicone embolus, and death. The following case report will discuss the devastating cosmetic complications that can occur with black-market filler injections and new methods for treating these patients. Use of microfocused ultrasound over the nodules has resulted in a dramatic decrease in the size of the lesions.