Looking tired? Got that hollow under the eye? Want to fix it with filler?
Soft tissue dermal fillers with hyaluronic acid like Refyne and Restylane are my staples to fill those dark circles and hollows under the eye. But is there a difference with HOW we do it? Do we use a needle or a cannula?
Walah comes this study in the March 2022 Aesthetic Surgery Journal looking specifically at that. “A Randomized, Crossover Controlled Evaluator Blinded Trial Evaluating Cannula vs Needle Assisted Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Infraorbital Deformities.” Is there a difference in results? Healing? Pain?
Study:
- Prospective, randomized controlled trial. The evaluator was blinded.
- 42 patients, mean age 45
- 2 treatment sessions spaced 2 weeks apart. with follow up at week 4
Findings?
No differences in efficacy, safety, or patient satisfaction. They conclude, “cannula or needle result in similarly high efficacy and safety ratios.”
My thoughts?
When reading through their actual study, I agree that the results are the same. But in my own practice this is one area I really like to use the cannula. I think it is less painful and for sure has less bruising. I also think that area is more vascular, and I like the idea of a blunt cannula near those blood vessels and not a needle. I did find them say in their text, “However these authors found that pain was markedly worse for the injections performed using the needle (moderate vs mild) as was bruising.” But they go on to state the patient diaries did not remark on a difference in pain or bruising.
So great to know, but I would recommend the cannula for the tear trough area.