Objectives: The durability of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers can persist around 2-5 years. Due of this longevity, sometimes delayed inflammatory reactions (DIR) can be trigger by HA filler.
The exact mechanism of action for the delayed reaction is unclear, sometimes DIR to fillers following infectious processes, are already known. Our main goal is to achieve a protocol to manage DIR, due to viral COVID-19 illness and vaccination reactions.
Introduction: COVID-19 infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus continue and this is an issue that should be known by the injector. Viral spike protein uses angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for intracellular invasion.
ACE2 is expressed in cells of the vascular system and skin cell types as fibroblast, keratinocytes, and adipose tissue.
ACE 2 plays a critical role as an immune-regulator in the conversion of Angiotensin I to the proinflammatory metabolites, Angiotensin II-VII. As such, localized blockade of dermal ACE could result in a proinflammatory cascade.
Materials / method: Five women with hyaluronic acid soft tissue filler shown DIR. They were fully vaccinated, receiving at least 2 doses of mRNA vaccines (Ptizer-BionTech or Moderna).
Four of the patients had already passed the COVID-19 infection, and only one had been only vaccinated without being infected.
We treated DIR with antihistamines, double antibiotic treatment and oral corticosteroids. Three of them developed intermittent swelling and need to take lisinopril with total resolution after 1 week.
Only one had to be treated for a nodule in upper lip, with fully resolution after intralesional treatmen
Results: All five patients were treated with Cetirizine 20mg/day, Ciprofloxacin 500/twice a day, azithromycin 500mg/day, deflazacort 30mg/decreasing 10mg dose every week.
Intermittent swelling resolved with lisinopril 5mg every 12 hrs for 3-5 days.
Inflammatory nodules needed to be treated with intralesional corticosteroids (triamcinolone) and hyaluronidase with full resolution.
Six months clinical follow up was used to evaluate the clinical result and clinical follow up, with great degree of total resolution.
Conclusion: We must wait at least for 15 days after the COVID-19 vaccine or COVID-19 infection before treating patients with soft tissue fillers. Moreover, it would be even better 3 weeks as it may take up to 21 days for the peak immune response.
If DIR appears, antihistamines, antibiotics, corticoids are the first line of treatment, and to avoid interment swealling lisinipril can be added for 3-5 days.
Vaccination should not be discouraged, and if previous DIR antecedents existis , concomitant usage of oral corticosteroids vs lisinopril, should be considered 2 days prior, in every booster vaccine.
Disclosures
Did you receive any funding to support your research for this TOPIC?
No
Were you provided with any honoraria, payment or other compensation for your work on this study?
No
Do you have any financial relationship with any entity which may closely compete with the medications, materials or instruments covered by your study?
No
Do you own or have you applied for any patents in conjunction with the instruments, medications or materials discussed in your study?
No
This work was not supported by any direct or non direct funding. It is under the author's own responsability