Yes, You Should Get the COVID-19 Vaccine Even if You’ve Had Facial Fillers

You may have heard that Moderna’s new COVID-19 vaccine can cause swelling in patients who have had dermal filler injections. Although this may sound alarming, as a board certified plastic surgeon, I want to emphasize that minor swelling is a completely normal (and temporary) physiological response to immunization, and this side effect is not an issue with Moderna’s COVID vaccine or with dermal fillers. Let’s dive into the science at work here to learn more.

How do vaccines work?

Before we dive into why the COVID vaccine can cause swelling in patients with dermal fillers, it’s important to understand how vaccines work. Vaccines introduce a weakened version of a pathogen (a disease-causing organism) to our immune system. This weakened pathogen won’t infect us with the actual disease, but it will prompt our immune system to respond as if we’d been exposed to the real pathogen.

An antigen is the subpart of a pathogen that can cause us to get sick but also forces our immune system to produce antibodies, the disease-fighting “soldiers” of the immune system. When our body is initially exposed to an antigen, it usually takes time for our immune system to respond and produce antibodies specific to that antigen. However, once our immune system has produced antigen-specific antibodies, our body is more resistant to that specific pathogen.

In sum, vaccines condition our body to fight specific pathogens by exposing us to less-dangerous versions that can train our immune system to quickly produce disease-fighting antibodies.

Why is the COVID vaccine causing side effects in patients with dermal fillers?

The two most common side effects from vaccines are inflammation and a rise in body temperature. These occur because our immune system senses a foreign object (the pathogen) and attempts to get rid of it, which means the vaccine—and our immune system—is working properly.

The swelling that some patients are experiencing around their dermal fillers is a delayed allergic reaction known as a Type IV hypersensitivity reaction. Potentially caused by any foreign object, whether it’s a medical implant or dermal filler, this temporary physical reaction is intended to protect us. (This is why many patients observe some swelling immediately after receiving fillers.) After our body has adjusted, swelling diminishes and our immune system returns to its normal state.

When we receive any sort of vaccine—whether to protect us from tetanus, chickenpox, the flu, or the coronavirus—it is completely normal for some amount of inflammation and rise in body temperature to occur again, as our immune system is newly stimulated by the vaccine. You may even notice swelling around body piercings after getting vaccinated!

How can I treat swelling around my fillers?

If you experience minor swelling around your facial fillers following your COVID vaccine, you and your doctor can easily treat it with an antihistamine. Steroids such as prednisone can also reduce swelling, however, they can interfere with your body’s ability to build immunity to the vaccine. Applying a cool compress to the area can also help reduce any temporary discomfort. Lastly, I recommend getting plenty of rest to give your body the strength it needs to adjust to the vaccine.

While these minor interventions should take care of most issues, if you notice “clumping” around your filler (tangible lumps underneath your skin), contact your plastic surgeon so he or she can examine your fillers. They may advise dissolving your filler with hyaluronidase, a proven-safe substance used when filler results need revision.

Will the vaccine cause a reaction if I’ve had BOTOX?

Patients who have received BOTOX injections should not experience any swelling around these injection sites after receiving a vaccine. This is because BOTOX is a neurotoxin that is injected into a muscle and is quickly dissolved, whereas dermal filler injections introduce a collagen-stimulating substance—typically hyaluronic acid—that remains under the skin for six months to a year.

Can medications cause swelling around dermal fillers?

Anything that causes your immune system to work harder can result in localized swelling around dermal fillers and medical implants, and this includes medications that may cause you to have an allergic reaction. You can prevent this kind of inflammation by avoiding any known allergens, just as you normally would.

Is it safe to get the vaccine if I have facial fillers?

If you have dermal fillers, it is still absolutely safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine. As I mentioned, any swelling you may experience around your fillers should be minor and can easily be treated. If you still feel anxious, talk to your doctor about potential preventative measures to avoid any adverse side effects.

Contact your doctor if you experience any extreme side effects

While it is normal and safe for you to experience some swelling around your dermal fillers or any other medical implants after getting vaccinated, contact your doctor if you experience more extreme side effects, such as shortness of breath, severe pain, major swelling, and/or fever.

If you are considering receiving dermal filler injections in the Richmond area but are concerned about their safety, board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sharline Aboutanos is happy to discuss them with you further. Contact her practice online or call (804) 355-3410.