Last month, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was authorized for emergency use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration. Although early data shows that the vaccine is highly protective against the virus, new reports suggest that it also caused an unexpected side effect in people with facial fillers.
In a recent vaccine review conducted by the FDA advisory committee, it was noted that a handful of people who had previously received cosmetic facial fillers had mild reactions after receiving their second doses during the Modern vaccine test. While this may sound a little alarming to the thousands of people who receive fillers on a regular basis, it is important to note that these reactions are extremely rare occurrences and, according to doctors, there is not much to worry about.
“There were three reports of patients with a history of cosmetic fillings who experienced mild facial swelling shortly after the administration of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine,” plastic surgeon Samuel Lin, MD, told POPSUGAR. “Two cases were reported on the day of vaccine administration and one case was reported two days after vaccination.”
Of the three patients, one received the filling two weeks before receiving the vaccine, while another had received the vaccine six months earlier. Another reported having a similar type of reaction after receiving the flu vaccine. It is unclear what exactly caused the reaction, but a current theory among doctors is that the swelling was the result of an inflammatory reaction that mimics something that a person with an allergy would experience.
“Calling it an allergic reaction is bold,” Suzanne Trott, a doctor, told POPSUGAR. “[It] it may be that the swelling was due to an inflammatory reaction to an interaction between the immune response after vaccination and the dermal filler. Some people simply have a small immune response due to the injected ingredients so close together. “In other words, if you have any doubts about this, it can be useful to wait about three to six months between obtaining fillers and vaccination (although vaccination should probably take precedence here, considering all things).
An important distinction that Michelle Koo, a plastic surgeon and founder of Private Practice Skincare, also pointed out is that it has not yet been specified which fillers – Juvederm, Restylane, Bellafill, etc. – the participants received before their vaccines, making them too early to jump to conclusions. “It may be related to how products are made in a viral culture to grow hyaluronic acid or the preservatives that stabilize hyaluronic acids,” she said. “There may be areas of filler RNA or DNA that are recognized as a ‘target’ by mRNA vaccines. No one knows for sure now.”
With that in mind, three reported cases are not enough to conclude that there is a direct correlation between cosmetic fillers and the vaccine, which is why medical experts recommend that individuals who have already had the fillers still get the vaccine to decrease the risk of hiring of COVID-19.
“Even if you have filled it out, the COVID-19 vaccine is still highly recommended.”
“The adverse reactions recorded so far in patients who received injectable fillers and received the COVID-19 vaccine are much less worrying than getting sick with COVID-19 or spreading the disease to high-risk individuals,” said Dr. Lin . “Even if you have filled it out, the COVID-19 vaccine is still highly recommended.”
All three doctors recommend taking an antihistamine before being vaccinated to suppress any potential fear or, if you have any of the same swelling mentioned above, taking Benadryl or Zyrtec to alleviate your symptoms.