Expert Sets Record Straight on COVID-19 Vaccine/Fillers “Risk”

When FDA officials reviewed the data for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, a data point garnered some attention. There seemed to be at least a temporal association between treatment with dermal fillers and non-serious adverse reactions to the vaccine in three study subjects. Modern Aesthetics® magazine founding editorial board member Joel L. Cohen, MD, assessed the data and commented for a recent article for New Beauty magazine (Read the article here for more background on the apparent association) and brought the topic to the attention of AestheticsWire.

The bottom line, according to Dr. Cohen? “Basically, the risk of having a delayed filler reaction is extraordinarily low.” He points out the apparent connection is not limited to the COVID-19 vaccine and has, in fact, been reported with other vaccines. 

Presumably, in certain individuals, the immune response initiated by the vaccine may lead the body to react to perceived foreign matter, such as fillers. “Such responses also have been reported with people who have sinus infections or dental issues. This is not something new,” Dr. Cohen says. 

More importantly, Dr. Cohen says the risk for a reaction to vaccines among dermal filler patients, “is very low,” and in his opinion should not warrant avoidance of the vaccine. He goes on to indicate that, “delayed filler reactions are not only extremely rare, but also completely treatable by a well-versed core aesthetic physician (dermatologist, oculoplastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon, or plastic surgeon) with prescribed medications, such as antihistamines, steroids, or sometimes even antibiotics. And in rare cases, some of the filler can also be dissolved with hyaluronidase enzyme for most fillers.”