Slight reaction to Bellafill skin test and doctor said I'm not a candidate. What are risks with going through with it anyway?

Question

I recently had a skin test for bellafill about a week ago. I had a slight reaction: some slight redness on my forearm that went away after about 3-4 days. My dr. Said I was not a candidate. I still want to get the bellafill for my acne scarring because I’ve read it’s the most long-term filler available for acne scarring. But I was wondering if there are any long-term risks that could happen from getting bellafill injected after having a slight reaction to the skin test, other than redness?

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Bellafill and Artefill are known to cause granulomas. Although used for soft tissue augmentation, they can, and are known to cause permanent nodules and swelling. This is not the case for everyone. 
My office specializes in the removal of Bellafill and Artefill injections, in addition to silicone biopolymers, from the face and body. Initially, treatments are non-surgical with corticosteroids and immune modulators. If unable to be corrected, we can also perform surgery in some cases. 
Lastly, our office is conducting ongoing studies of plasma-assisted corticosteroid application, which allows for diffusion of the treatment medication in superficial tissue without causing atrophy. 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian 
Realself100 Surgeon

Douglas Wu, MD · Answer

You could have your doctor repeat the skin test or ask another doctor to perform the test. With the mild reaction you had, it is possible a second test won’t cause any reaction at all. Keep in mind that while Bellafill is the longest-lasting filler for deep scars, it is not your only option. If you have a stronger reaction to the Bellafill the second time around, schedule a consultation with a board-certified dermatologist who has an extensive menu of potential treatments and can customize your treatment to your precise needs.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

If I have a patient have any reaction to a Bellafill skin test, I normally repeat the test to check it again.  In most cases that I have seen, if there is only a slight, possible reaction, a second test usually has no reaction.  I would ask your doctor to skin test you again.

Steven F. Weiner, MD · Answer

If there is any question about the skin test, it should be repeated. If you are allergic, the reaction should be more than the prior one. If you are allergic, it is to the collagen in the product which is degraded in about 6 weeks. Allergies have been managed with steroids for that amount of time. In the long term, an allergy would not cause long term risks because the collagen is gone after about 6 weeks. Allergies to Bellafill are about 1 in 200.

Slight reaction to Bellafill skin test and doctor said I'm not a candidate. What are risks with going through with it anyway?

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