Swelling a couple months after dermal fillers - will antibiotics help?

Question

I got dermal fillers a couple of months ago. The Dr. used 8-10 syringes of different HA filler in my cheeks, jaw line, marionette lines and lips. I have been experiencing swelling in cheeks pretty much ever since and now have pain on either side of my jaw and a huge granuloma on my jawline. He said to try anti biotics for a month, then steroids and then maybe getting them dissolved. Will antibiotics work? Can I ask for a refund for this procedure?

Joshua T Halka, MD · Answer

If you are continuing to have swelling it is unlikely to be due to a bacterial infection. Steroids to decrease the inflammatory response is likely what should be tried next and if the antibiotics do not help, the last step would be trying to dissolve the filler with hyaluronidase.
-Joshua Halka M.D.

Nadja Haub, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.
You developed swelling in your cheeks straight after dermal filler made from hyaluronic acid. A couple of months later, you developed a granuloma on your jawline. A granuloma is a form of lump that can develop after dermal filler. This lump can form due to several reasons. 
One reason is that the filler got infected. As a result, a so-called biofilm of several different bacteria can form on top of the filler and cause a lump. 
Another reason could be that the filler itself sets off your immune system. The immune system now attacks the filler, and this causes a lump. 
On top of that, some filler brands, such as Juvederm, have a higher risk of causing lumps. This is due to the technology they are being produced with. It would also be worthwhile to find out if the filler was FDA-approved. 
The granuloma can be treated with antibiotics and steroids but often has to be dissolved. This can be done with an enzyme called hyaluronidase. Dissolving a lump is an office procedure that takes no more than 30 minutes. After that, you often have to take antibiotics and steroids for a week or two after that. 
Some doctors take a small specimen from the lump and have a look at it under the microscope before they treat it, but this is not always necessary. 
I think it is definitely worthwhile asking your doctor: 
What brand of dermal filler did you inject? -If it was Juvederm, it could be due to the filler. Is the dermal filler FDA-approved? -This is not ideal. Do you perform all dermal filler injections under a sterile technique? -This should be common practice.Can I have my money back? -This really depends on the practice and their protocols. 
Please also read my informative blog about lumps after dermal filler. I hope that this provides a few answers to your problem.

Swelling a couple months after dermal fillers - will antibiotics help?

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Everything you need to know about Dermal Fillers

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Swelling a couple months after dermal fillers - will antibiotics help?

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Everything you need to know about Dermal Fillers

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