COVID – 19 Vaccine and Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Patients reach out to us to find out about possible barriers to get vaccinated against COVID – 19 virus if they have had fillers in the past. Additionally, social media brought to public’s attention side affects associated with the vaccine, including but not limited to facial swelling in individuals with fillers.

How bad is it to get vaccinated if you have had or planning to get facial fillers?

It has been reported that three patients with dermal fillers have had adverse reactions to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. In two of these cases localized facial swelling occurred after vaccination, and in one – lip swelling two days after vaccination. Each of these cases was resolved after treatment with allergy medications. There have been no reported cases in patients receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (COVID -19 Vaccine FDA statement).

Both, the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies are continuing to monitor for other similar reactions. Clinics that are providing vaccinations with either the Moderna or the Pfizer vaccines are prepared to monitor and treat patients for signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction as per recommendations from the CDC, FDA, and others.

And it’s not only the COVID-19 vaccine that might trigger this reaction. According to Dr. Biggers, any viral infections such as common cold or influenza activate your immune system and cause facial swelling. Medication allergies are also know to cause similar inflammatory processes.

It can also happen with other types of vaccines. According to Health, The FDA team carried out a literature review and found earlier reports where people with dermal filler injections reacted to vaccinations with temporary facial swelling. However, it doesn’t appear to have been reported with the Pfizer vaccine, and it’s not clear why, because the two vaccines are almost identical. Both are made using a newer technology called messenger RNA (mRNA), and work by encoding a portion of the spike protein found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Having a history of dermal fillers should not stop someone from being vaccinated. The risks from acquiring and being infected with the COVID-19 virus far outweigh the risks from a reaction to one of the vaccines if the patient has a history of using dermal fillers.

References:

Biggers, A., MD. (n.d.). Medical and health information. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/

Gillespie, C. (n.d.). Fitness, Nutrition, Tools, News, Health Magazine. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from http://www.health.com/

Lund, G. G., MD. (n.d.). Facial Fillers and COVID-19 Vaccine. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from http://www.surgery.org/