29 September 2023 , 21:00
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Thousands of people who have had cosmetic fillers could now face problems with their immune system as a plastic surgeon warns there could be "more medical ramifications".
The popularity of dermal fillers – which fill lines and wrinkles and add volume to lips or cheeks – has surged thanks to reality TV shows such as Love Island and The Kardashians. But experts say the injected substances can be rejected by the immune system, resulting in painful side-effects such as swollen eyes.
Hyaluronic acid – the key compound in fillers – has been found to block lymph nodes, which help the body identify and kill toxins, including cancer cells. Research is now being planned to see if the treatment affects the risk of cancer. Fillers have also been linked to cysts, lumps and soreness.
A US research team unveiled the findings during a conference of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons in London. Dr Spero Theodorou, director of the leading bodySCULPT plastic surgery practice in New York, told the Mirror: “Under-eye filler is one of the biggest problems.
Dr Spero Theodorou (DAILY MIRROR)"You see women everywhere with swollen eyes. Women know about this. What’s new is we’ve proved it. It’s taken us 20 years. I don’t gain anything from doing this. I will be a pariah. You have 22-year-old girls putting this stuff in their faces. It’s never going to go away. It’s very hard to remove and it blocks lymphatics in your face. This is a very important system.”
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Not all patients will have swelling, he said, but evidence suggests all will have some degree of “lymphatic blockage”. Dr Theodorou, who no longer offers the procedure, said: “I feel strongly because my daughters are going to say, ‘What did Daddy do? Daddy did this’. I’m just trying to stop this.”
BAAPS president Marc Pacifico said: “People don’t need to panic and have fillers dissolved. This is preliminary research but it gives us a scientific explanation for side-effects we are seeing with fillers. Whether it has more medical ramifications is unknown at this stage. This does highlight the need to use a medically trained clinician.”
How it works
Hyaluronic acid – the key compound used in fillers – is a natural substance that acts as a cushion and lubricant in joints and tissue. But researchers claim the versions used in fillers have been chemically altered for a longer lasting effect – so the body considers it to be a “foreign’” object. Lymphatic pooling happens as a result.
This is when the white blood cells in the skin are unable to drain to the lymph node so remain stagnant and cannot remove toxins. The consequences are so far unknown.