The FDA Advisory Committee that reviewed the new Moderna vaccine noticed a specific side effect involving several process participants who have facial cosmetic fillers.
Carmel Valley facial plastic surgeon Dr. Amir Karam specifically said that swelling of the face was observed in a small number of patients in the study.
“So, what they saw in the 30,000-member trial that Moderna did was that they found that about three of these patients had a reaction to the filling. The reaction was located where the filling was inserted, so in a few cases it was the lip and the cheek, ”he said.
One of the participants filled in two weeks before the vaccination, another did so six months before.
Millions of people have doctor-administered facial cosmetic fillers to smooth fine lines, wrinkles and to enhance cheeks and lips. Karam says the reaction to the vaccine is immunological.
“What happens is you get a vaccine and suddenly your immune system grows. The thinking is mainly due to this effect of the immune system, it is that it targets the areas where you have filling and causes a more robust inflammatory response, “he said.
He also said that this possible side effect should not prevent people from receiving the vaccine when it is their turn. Karam said that all the filling reactions with the dermis were easily treated by the medical staff.
What if people have a filler and have a mild reaction? Karam said: “I think if it is localized, a very mild type of reaction only that the areas are swollen, I think the first step is to contact the doctor who injected the filling.”
If someone has a severe anaphylactic reaction, they should go to the emergency room immediately for help.