Is a Blunt Cannula Better Than a Needle for Filler?

Hi folks. I want to discuss the issue of the blunt cannula versus the sharp needle for facial injections of dermal fillers. I have videos of both. I've got plenty of videos of sharp injections with traditional needles, as well as blunt cannula injections. Now, the blunt cannula has become a really popular topic online, and people assume that if they're going to come in to see me or my partner, we're going to use the blunt cannula. The fact is, the blunt cannula has severe limitations in multiple aspects.

With a sharp needle, the injection can be precise, into the exact location. You can do it in multiple layers. You can go right underneath the skin, very superficially, or you can go deep down, on top of the bone, and it's a very precise type of injection. It's more of a vertical injection. With the blunt cannula, it's not a vertical injection. It's more of a horizontal injection, and you don't know exactly where the tip of the cannula is. It's more of a diffuse spray of the filler, if you will, versus precise droplet placement.

So there are risks and benefits to both. The risk of bruising is minimized with the blunt cannula, but sometimes, for the best results, you accept a little bit of bruising for the better results of sharp injections. In some patients, the sharp injection actually is not a good idea, and the blunt cannula works better. It also depends on the location and the space.

So I want you to know that just because you come in to see your plastic surgeon, it doesn't mean they're going to use a blunt cannula, or that the blunt cannula will be better. You have to let your surgeon decide for you and with you, and you can come to a decision together about bruising versus results versus other risks. So don't buy all the hype and the marketing. The blunt cannula is not the answer for everything, but it does have its time and place. Thank you.