Do Restylane injections cause cold sores?

If you are prone to getting cold sores, any form of trauma or stress can cause the cold sores to become activated.

Restylane can NOT cause a cold sore, but if you already have a history of cold sores, then having an injection of Restylane (or any other facial injection) can make it more likely that you will develop a cold sore. If your doctor is aware of this before you get injected, you can be pre-treated with medication such as Valtrex or Zovirax to try to reduce the chances of getting a cold sore.

Even if you do get a cold sore from an injection of Restylane, don't worry... it will go away with or without treatment. Be sure to tell your doctor if you do develop a cold sore after your injection. He can then provide pre-treatment for all of your future injections.

There is a small risk that a cold sore virus could be reactivated by treatments to the lips, including:

• Injectables (Restylane, Juvederm, etc.)
• Chemical peels
• Dermabrasion

 Your physician may elect to provide preventative medicine to reduce the risk of developing a cold sore or delay injection if a cold sore is present.

It is very important to tell your doctor if you have a prior history of getting cold sores, especially if you are interested in getting a filler (Restylane) injected into your lips.

All dermal fillers in addition to lasers can cause cold sores to appear not only in patients with a history of cold sores but also in patients without a known history of them. Cold sores are more likely to appear if you are being lasered or injected in the lip area, however they can still appear with any dermal filler injection or laser to the the face or neck area.

If you do have a history of cold sores, alert your doctor to this and he/she can prescribe an antiviral medication. A history of cold sores should not preclude you from getting dermal filler injections or laser treatments, and you should do well if treated appropriately.

Cold sores are associated with many different potential causes. Trauma to tissue, such as that asssociated with an injection of a filler material, can be associated with the development of cold sores.

If you have a history of cold sores, be sure to tell your doctor before having any procedure performed so an anti-viral medication may be prescribed.