I am prone to cold sores. If I get Juvederm in upper lip, could it trigger cold sores, and would it be dangerous?

Thank you as this is a very important question.  Always mention to your board-certified injector your history of cold sore.And yes, cold sore can be reactivated with any trauma to your lips, such as #LipInjection during #LipAugmentation, with any surgery, #LipLift, #FatGrafting to lips, etc.We normally recommend an antiviral medication (pills) a few days prior to treatment and for a few days after your treatment as to minimize this risk.  Cold sore, as you likely know, is not only disfiguring for a week or so but could also leave you with a small permanent scar.Hope this helps!Best,

Dr. Marc DuPere, Royal-college certified #PlasticSurgeon

The
appearance of cold sores will not jeopardize your results from Juvederm
injections. However to help patients avoid getting them, we recommend treating
with Valtrex 500 mg twice/ day before the injections, then continue for 1 week
afterwards. The occurrence of this is less than 5% in our practice and we have
performed this safely well over 1,000 times.

Dear tink1954The risk of getting a cold sore with injections is high- the result could be some scarring.  If you have taken antiviral medication for cold sores before and responded well to them- TAKING them prior to and post injection is a must.  With Warm RegardsTrevor M Born MD

HI.  Yes - an injection has the potential to trigger a cold sore.  Best bet is to get a prescription for some Valtrex prior to injection, in order to reduce the chance of this possibility.

Cold sores ( herpex or herpex simplex )  are usually triggered by stressing factors like "cold", "stress", "trauma", etc. Juvederm injections in the lip, by causing minor trauma to the lip (any injection is traumatic to any soft tissue like the lips) may trigger a cold sore.Patients with history of cold sores should discuss with their board certified plastic surgeon about taking taking cold sore prophylactic medication ( like valancyclovir or Vatrex -trade mark-) prior Juvederm injections.John Mes, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
New Jersey (NJ) & New York City (NYC)

Juvederm injections to the upper lip, or any facial procedure for that matter can trigger cold sores in people who are prone to getting them. It's not the juvederm that does it, but the injection process itself. If you are prone to getting cold sores than you can take an antiviral medication (such as Valtrex or Abreva) prior to your injection and continue for a few days after. Best of luck.

Any trauma in and around the area that has a history of cold sores can trigger an outbreak. Whether its Botox, fillers, laser hair removal or laser resurfacing, it is important to give your dermatologist a heads up on your history of cold sores as we can prescribe you medicine preventatively to avoid a cold sore.

You are wise to raise the question.  Yes, if you have a history of prior cold sores, you should request a course of oral antiviral medication, such as Valtrex, started before visiting your Plastic Surgeon or Dermatologist for the filler treatments.

I always treat with 3 doses of Valtrex when injecting someone with a history of cold sores. It is extremely rare that this doesn't prevent an infection. It is not dangerous, we do it everyday. 

If you are prone to cold sores, then it might be a good idea to take an anti-viral med to decrease your risk of an outbreak. Best to discuss with your doctor.