Spontaneous swelling weeks/months after Volbella filler when sick - does this mean I'm not a candidate for future Lip Fillers?

Question

I had half of a syringe of volbella in early November. Since then, I have been sick twice, once with Covid and a very bad head cold. Both times, I had swelling of my lips that lasted a day or less. It went down without any intervention, but my injector informed me this can happen in some people when sick and is an immune reaction. Does this mean I am not a candidate for future lip filers? I really liked the results that I had, but unsure if I should avoid them now.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Marissa29906,
allergic reaction is a contraindication for lip fillers. I perform a lot of lip injections with fillers such as juvederm and it works great. Many times I need to put more in one side than the other to attempt to even out the vermillion border (The red line of the lip). This helps provide more symmetry at times.For patients looking for a more long lasting result, I recommend fat grafting. That is, using your own bodies fat to make your lips naturally look more shapely. The bonus is that the results last many many years.
In general, I avoid using permanent prosthesis because I find that the lips are such dynamic and sensitive structures, the end result is not natural.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Ratnaja Katneni, MD · Answer

Dear Marissa, Swelling of lips after lip filler injections are common and subside on their own, and with icing. If your lip swelling is around the time you had viral infection and with COVID, it could have been an immune response. This does not mean that you are not a candidate for fillers in the future unless if these reactions continue to reoccur. if there is a true allergic reaction, you would have seen any type of significant immune reaction immediately after the injection and this is exceedingly rare. Volbella is a hyaluronic acid filler made by the company Allergan and is highly regulated and a fantastic filler for lips. Furthermore, hyaluronic acid is found in our body in various parts such as joints, and immune reactions are very uncommon, not to say that they never happen. I hope this helps you with your future decision to undergo filler treatment.

Spontaneous swelling weeks/months after Volbella filler when sick - does this mean I'm not a candidate for future Lip Fillers?

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Lip Fillers

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Spontaneous swelling weeks/months after Volbella filler when sick - does this mean I'm not a candidate for future Lip Fillers?

Answers (2)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Lip Fillers

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.