Artefill Artecoll Lumps

Hi, I have had PMMA in several areas of my face for more than 10 years. This product has (had) only been available in the US for a few years but it has been available in Canada and Europe for several years. I started getting Artecoll injections in Canada back in the late 90’s. I was satisfied with the results of Artecoll for several years so when it was time for more injections I researched options closer to where I currently lived (Central Texas). After much research I found Clinic'estetica. I did several rounds of Precise (PMMA in a different solution and microsphere size). I was quite happy with the results for a year or two but after about 2 years, suddenly visible lumps started appearing where the product was injected (kind of like a gummy worm in length and consistency but white). Since then I have been battling these lumps. Clinic'estetica offered no viable solution so I have spent the last year or so consulting with several plastic surgeons and doctors. I have tried steroid injections directly into the lumps which caused thinning of the skin so now I have hollowed eyes, dark circles AND lumps. I also tried fat grafting with one of the top fat grafting doctors in the LA area to try and camouflage the lumps and after several treatments the improvement was minimal (at best) and very expensive. On the upside-after many consultations and much research, I was lucky enough to find Dr Hoenig in Beverly Hills, CA. He is very experienced with this type of problem and has been treating me for about 7 months now with 5FU & Restylane. I have had much improvement but the lumps persist and new ones appear every day. I will see him again in a few weeks to see if I can reasonably expect a positive outcome for surgically removing the product. It seems to me that keeping the lumps under control will be a constant and long term battle so I’d like to remove them if possible. I've been trying to avoid surgery but if Dr Hoenig feels surgery will result in long term improvement without creating other issues, I'm ready to try it. My goal with this post is twofold; #1 to confirm there are indeed residual side effects of a PMMA product (several years later) and #2 there is a fantastic doctor in Beverly Hills with a great deal of experience dealing with this type of problem; finding him was the longest and most frustrating part of my battle so if you're looking for help, he's your man. Incidentally, one of his students is now practicing in Austin Texas, (Dr Nakra) so I’m going to have a consultation with him so if I have to continue treating the lumps with injection hopefully I can stop traveling to CA every month for treatment. I hope this helps with either deciding to get the PMMA injections or finding help if you experience any side effects. W.W.

I too had Artecoll injections into my forehead nearly ten years ago and am suffering a nightmare ever since. The first time the surgeon injected the wrong side of the frown line and he said "how did that happen?!" stupidly I let him have another go and he got it wrong again. I'm left with two, raised, very lumpy lines running vertically down the middle of my forehead with a deep groove in between them. I went back to the surgeon a third time who injected steroid into one of the lines to try and diminish it but missed which caused the surrounding tissue to atrophy and "cave in". I tried needle therapy which is supposed to reduce the scar tissue that has formed round the PMMA but his didn't help. I went to see another surgeon who suggested surgical removal but he couldn't guarantee the outcome so I didn't feel too optimistic. I've seen someone else a couple of times in Harley Street who has injected steroids into the lumps which have improved a bit, but he now refuses to do anymore because he can see the skin is thinning and some of the surrounding tissue is getting very sunken. I feel very depressed about the whole issue, I wish I had researched more extensively about it myself, but above all, I wish the original surgeon had been more honest about the product. I've since found out that he was supposed to give me an allergy test first because of the bovine collegen that's in Artecoll, but this wasn't offered. I really don't know what to do but it has completely knocked my self-confidence, I hate having photos taken and am very careful where I stand if there are lights around as it illuminates the shadows and crevices on my forehead. It's a nightmare. Good luck to you whichever method you choose to try and remove it.

Hello,

I have lumps under my right eye that are the result of artecoll injected 6 years ago. You seem very knowledgeable on these complications, could I possibly have your email address to ask you a few questions?

Thanks in advance for any considerations.

Dave.

Hi Dave,
Sure, just tell me how to give you my email address privately-(with posting it).
WW.