Have You Ever Heard of Swelling from a Juviderm Injection Occuring Years Later Unexpectedly?

asked 10 months ago by connie123
Latest answer by Harlow Hollis, MD
Question viewed 418 times
Tags: lips, long-term, side effects, swelling

I experienced excessive swelling from a Juviderm injection in my face initally about 4-5 years ago. I was only injected in the lower part of my face along the folds but my entire lower face swelled so dramatically I thought my lips would split. Years later on 2 separte occasions I have had similar albeit less severe swelling in the same location for no apparent reason. On both occasions I noticed the swelling upon getting out of bed in the morning.

5 answers to Have You Ever Heard of Swelling from a Juviderm Injection Occuring Years Later Unexpectedly?

Swelling has been reported with hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers several years after injection.

There was an excellent presentation at the 7th Annual Multi-Specialty Symposium on 6/24/2011 titled: Complications Associated with Injectable Fillers. Several experts have reported localized redness and swelling several years after a treatment with HA. The cause is not completely understood, but is thought to be associated with formation of "bio-films" around the material. Favorable results were reported by treating redness and swelling after HA injections with antibiotics. I... more

Eric M. Joseph, MD
West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon

Juvederm usually is temporary

Could be your swelling was/is related to the Juvederm but this must be such a rare event that I do not know of it ever happening............swelling 4 or 5 years after that is. I'd bet you have something else responsible, perhaps even some type of contamination occurring at the time of the injection? Maybe the injector did not properly cleanse your skin before the injection? Could some foundation or makeup get dragged in with the needle? It seems unlikely that the problem is due... more

Harlow Hollis, MD
Victoria Plastic Surgeon

Swelling years later unlikely

I would not think that the juvederm would have caused this unless you were allergic to something in it. It is more likely that you might have been allergic to something that was related to the treatment like a cleanser or the numbing cream used and that you have done something similar on other occasions. My concept of "biofilms" is that they cause swollen nodules and have not heard of them explained as in intermittent red face.

Jo Herzog, MD
Birmingham Dermatologist

Swelling after Juvederm treatment

A little bit more of history would be helpful. The main question is whether you developed the initial swelling right after/ next day after the injection or a few days/ one week later. If former, then most likely you had some sort of a hypersensitivity reaction to the filler which, although uncommon with Juvederm, has been reported. If latter, then you most likely had a filler related infection. Did you have redness, tenderness in the area, or fever? -- these are other signs of infection. I... more

Alexander Ovchinsky, MD
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

Swelling from Juvederm years later?

Juvederm is approved as a dermal filler by the FDA and is allowed to say that it lasts for 1 year. Obviously, some of the product will remain in the tissues longer than this. Nevertheless, I have not personally heard of swelling caused by Juvederm years after the injection. The two events are, in my opinion, likely unrelated although it is impossible to know for sure.

Lawrence Kass, MD
Saint Petersburg Oculoplastic Surgeon

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