Using a Safety Checklist Tool to Reduce Skin Reactions and Adverse Events After Cosmetic Dermal Filler Injections

The rising popularity of dermal filler injections has highlighted the need for standardized safety protocols to minimize common skin reactions and reduce adverse events. This quality-improvement project implemented the Assessment Cosmetic Injection Safety Tool (ACIST), a preinjection safety checklist tool, at a suburban medical aesthetics clinic. The ACIST aims to reduce common skin reactions, such as bruising, swelling, and redness, and to identify high-risk cases that require treatment postponement, thereby reducing adverse events. A pre- and postintervention design was conducted over a 12-week preintervention and 6-week postintervention period, with data collected from 2 nurse practitioners and analyzed using χ2 analysis. Results revealed no statistically significant reduction in skin reactions, although the ACIST successfully identified high-risk cases, delaying treatment, and reducing adverse events in 4.44% of appointments. The ACIST tool streamlined patient assessment, prioritized patient safety, and enhanced operational efficiency. Although the statistical outcomes were not significant, the tool demonstrated clinical utility in improving patient safety and fostering a culture of standardized care in aesthetic practices. Future research with larger sample sizes, and extended study durations is recommended to validate these findings.