But when you’re holding a syringe full of dermal filler near an angular artery, it’s not your branding that’ll save your patient. It’s your baseline CRT.
The aesthetic industry is addicted to aesthetics — not medicine. We prioritize angles, ratios, and filters. But let’s get real: vascular compromise is not rare — it’s just under-recognized.
CRT (capillary refill time) is your seatbelt. It’s a simple, pre-treatment test that gives you a measurable reference if complications arise. But most injectors don’t even document it. Why? Because it’s not sexy. Because it’s not part of the Instagram masterclass aesthetic. Because no one’s watching.
Here’s the contrarian take: if you don’t document CRT before injecting, you’re clinically negligent.
Think about it. You inject. The patient feels pain. Blanching appears. You
panic. Do you have a baseline? No. So now you’re comparing CRT on the
affected side to what — your guess?
Proper CRT protocol means:
- Test before treatment — calmly, methodically.
- Record it.
- Know what “normal” looks like for your patient — not the textbook.
- And then, if things go south, retest — and act with clarity, not fear
CRT isn’t perfect. It can be influenced by temperature, light, and stress. But it’s still better than guesswork. We’re quick to talk about Hyalase®. But let’s not forget that reversing is plan B. Avoiding a complication is plan A. CRT won’t win you, followers. But it might save your patient’s skin — literally.
We advise to add this observation to your clinical notes
