Reaction to Voluma: What Can I Do about Side Effects?

Allergan has an extensive database of patient and patient outcomes.  It is unlikely but not impossible that Voluma would cause palpitations, muscle fatigue and headaches.  If there is concern about an allergy patients can take a small amount of Voluma to an allergist and test for reactivity to either the product or lidocaine component.  Voluma can be dissolved as well.  

Bruising, swelling, sometimes discoloration, lumps, and bumps are normal side effects. They will be gone in a matter of days. Relatively extreme reactions like yours are rare. They might be due to the filler or totally unrelated. Please contact a qualified provider or a board-certified physician with extensive experience in these procedures. Consult a specialist for the allergy.

Volumais an FDA-approved hyaluronic gel filler used to bring back volume in thecheeks particularly. It has lasting effects that could be observed for 18 to 24months making it an excellent filler for cheek enhancement. The systemicreactions that you felt may or may not possibly be due to your Volumatreatment. It is highly implausible but not totally impossible. To know thisfor sure, I would suggest going to a specialist that could help you better. Inthis case, you may want to go to an allergist for full assessment. Bring asmall amount of Voluma as well, so they can examine it for reactivity. Thiswill help them pinpoint the cause of the symptoms that you have or areexperiencing. If Voluma is truly the reason, you can always visit your injectorto have it dissolved since that is a possibility with Voluma as well as anyother filler made with hyaluronic acid.

Voluma is FDA approved for restoring facial volume in the mid face.  With long lasting results, up to two years in duration, it is a great choice for facial rejuvenation.  The systemic symptoms that you are describing may not related to Voluma.  I would definitely consult an internist/allergist for examination to determine the cause of your symptoms.  Voluma can always be dissolved like any other hyaluronic acid filler.

Your symptoms may have nothing to do with your injections, or may be related to the lidocaine anesthetic in Juvederm Voluma.  Ask your injector if the Voluma contained lidocaine and if so, you should be tested for lidocaine allergy with an allergist. If you have a lidocaine allergy, you would need to tell your dentist and dermatologist in case they need to use a local anesthetic for you.  

Voluma is also available without lidocaine.  You could have a small patch test to Juvederm to reassure yourself that you are not allergic to it, which is very rare.  If negative, you could still continue to enjoy the benefits of Juvederm fillers without lidocaine.

Honestly, I have no experience with Juvederm Voluma because it is not approved for use in the United States. However I have never seen or heard of any similar reaction to Juvederm or other HA fillers. Hopefully your symptoms have improved by the time you get our response.

IMHO you should contact the MD that did your Juvederm Voluma injections ASAP for a referral to an allergist for evaluation and possible treatment.  

I agree with Dr. Smith. All of the symptoms you are describing could result from other infections and not necessarily HA. I have seen HA reactions less than 5x in my career, but with any of those patients they also had other skin problems and reactions. If you're not having any skin reactions or problems, I would suggest that it might not be an HA allergy. Also, if you've had HA fillers before (like Restylane, Juvederm, etc.) and not had a reaction, the likelihood of you being allergic to Voluma is extremely small. All of that being said, just like any HA filler, Voluma can be dissolved with hyaluronidase easily.

 

"palpitations, extreme muscle fatigue, shortness of breath and horrible headache" sounds a lot more like a viral illness or a systemic disease than a reaction to an HA filler like Voluma®.

If I were you I would want my doctor to consider and rule out those things, which are far more likely [vastly more liikely] that something related to the Voluma®.