My arm aches after getting the Bellafill skin test. Should I not get Bellafill?

Question

I had the Bellafill allergy test today which is just a small prick of the bovine collagen to my forearm. My whole arm is now achy but the spot which had a pea sized amount of inflammation is basically gone. Is this a failed tested and I should avoid Bellafill?

Elham Jafari, MD · Answer

Hi and thank you for your question! Vague aching in the arm is not likely to be related to a possible allergy to Bellafill. Signs such as local redness, swelling and itching at the site of test injection are the usually indicators of allergy reaction. It is always recommended to follow up with the physician who performed the test for a more accurate evaluation. I hope it helps and good luck!

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

Having the entire arm ache after a Bellafill skin test is not a usual symptom of an allergic reaction, but it would be best to contact the physician who tested you.  An examination of you would be helpful to determine if there is any issue or not.  It may be a good idea to repeat the skin test on the other arm to see if you get the same reaction.

Edgardo Zavala, MD · Answer

The reaction you describe is not seen with Bellafil. The arm aches should be examined by your doctor but I do not think they are related to the filler test. The test is negative. I have used this product for many years and have never seen a positive reaction. Actually in Canada the skin test is not even performed.

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your question and I am sorry to hear of your arm stiffness.  I would see your injector for an in-person examination.  The classic reaction symptoms would include swelling and redness, not arm aches.  It would be important to rule out other possible issues to ensure your safety with treatment.

Ben J. Tittle, MD · Answer

Thank you very much for your question. The Bellafill skin test is made of collagen and allergies to it are very rare. I have had three patients with a positive test and their forearm was at the site of the test was red like a bee sting. The effects of a positive on the forearm are minimal and cause no harm to the patient. It just means the patient cannot use Bellafill. Luckily this is very rare. It does not sound like what your are having is an allergic reaction at all. You  could go by and let your doctor check the area to be sure there is no problem, but it sounds harmless.

Faraz Valaie, MD · Answer

Hi,
Thanks for the question.
What you are describing doesn't sound like allergy, however for Bellafill Allergy test you need to wait at least a month to make sure you are not allergic.
So while you would give it some more time, please consult your physician for your arm ache.
Best of luck in your Bellafill endeavor :)

Brian Windle, MD (retired) · Answer

Bellafill is a collagen based filler that converts to your own collagen because the PMMA particles in Bellafill act as a biostimulant.  The skin test for Bellafill is to see if you are allergic to the collagen in Bellafill.  This is bovine collagen and very rarely causes a reaction.  If the there is a reaction, it will be a large red welt where your skin test was done.   You sould be fine to move forward with Bellafill.  Good luck.I hope that helps.Best regards.

My arm aches after getting the Bellafill skin test. Should I not get Bellafill?

Answers (7)

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