Am I at risk for further health issues after PMMA injections?

Hello PMMA stands for polymethyl-methacrylate.  PMMA is in products like Artefill and Artecoll.  In Artecoll and Artefill, PMMA microspheres are combined with cow collagen, and lidocaine.  Artecoll and Artefill have many side effects like prolonged pain, redness, itching, skin pigmentation changes, and foreign body reaction.  A foreign body reaction means your body makes scar around the PMMA or foreign body. The scarring can become severe and quite thick and painful.  These thick scars often turn into granulomas.  These granulomas can also confuse doctors into thinking that these lumps are cancer on ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRIs.   Indeed, sometimes these granulomas caused by PMMA fillers can turn into cancers.  See Dr Sidewell’s article of "Cutaneous sarcoidal granulomas developing after facial cosmetic filler in a patient with newly diagnosed systemic sarcoidosis". 

First, I would suggest you not have any more PMMA fillers.  If your present PMMA fillers are causing you problems, I would suggest you seek a board certified, experienced plastic surgeon who can assist you on removing the PMMA.  Usually, PMMA and other filler can be removed with ultrasound guided liposuction, or direct surgical removal.  These fillers are difficult to treat.   Please seek an expert plastic surgery.   Bottom line: don’t get any more PMMA injections.  If you have any more questions regarding PMMA or any other fillers and the removal, please call my office. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen.  Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.