Juvederm Reaction, What Can It Be?

Question

I had Juvederm Ultra 4 injected in cheeks about 3months ago. First 3weeks I was fine. But one day after I had eaten much carbs my cheeks began to get very swollen(edema). It took about 4days before the swelling got down. This has happen many times, mostlt after I have eaten much carbs or milk products. I do not have swelling right now, but the juvederm feels like a very hard bump under the skin. What can this be? allergy to juvederm or milk protein? carbs that bind to much water? or?

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Juvederm does draw water, and any changes in swelling or fluid retention can cause the places of injection to retain fluid as well.

Nima Shemirani, MD · Answer

Dear Shayfie,

	
		It is usually a matter of having a little too much salt
	
		If you know what aggravates the swelling, I would advise you to stay away from those foods for a week
	
		If you keep a food diary, you can tell if it is a dairy thing or something else


	Best regards,

	Nima Shemirani

Sam Naficy, MD, FACS · Answer

Since the swelling seems to be related to diet I suspect that you may be retaining fluid. A number of things can contribute to this; Sodium, MSG, food allergies, etc. I do not believe you are allergic to Juvederm. It's more likely due to diet. Remember Juvederm is a humectant. It pulls in fluid from your body and expands it's self. If you retain fluid so does it. If you become dehydrated the Juvederm dehydrates too. You can try drinking lots of water to flush your system and avoid sodium, or foods you know cause the problem.

John Q. Cook, MD · Answer

Since your reaction occurs only after eating certain foods, it is unlikely that juvederm is the culprit. The material that juvederm is made of is universally present in the body, in skin, soft tissues, and many other structures, so allergic reactions are extremely rare. If the juvederm is lumpy, it may be an issue of placement. One nice thing about hyalurionic fillers is that they can be melted away with a substance known a hyaluronidase.

F. Victor Rueckl, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

If you were having a reaction of any kind to Juvederm (or any filler for that matter) it would be happening 100% of the time. Reactions like these do not come and go. Therefore, what you have is diet related only. So be aware of what you eat, drink water, and maintain a healthy lower sodium diet in general.

Juvederm Reaction, What Can It Be?

Answers (5)