Global Recommendations on COVID-19 Vaccines and Soft Tissue Filler Reactions: A Survey-Based Investigation in Cooperation With the International Society for Dermatologic and Aesthetic Surgery (ISDS)
April 2021 | Volume 20 | Issue 4 | Original Article | 374 | Copyright © April 2021
Published online February 24, 2021
Robert H. Gotkin MD,a,* Uliana Gout MD,b,* Sonja Sattler MD,c,* Miriam Emily Piansay-Soriano MD,d,* Rungsima Wanitphakdeedecha MD, MA, MSe,* Sahar Ghannam MD, PhD,f,* Elena Rossi MD,g,* Teresita S. Ferrariz MD,h,* Doris Hexsel MD,i,* Konstantin Frank MD,j Kristina Davidovic MD,k Deborah S. Sarnoff MD,l,* Sebastian Cotofana MD PhDm
*For the International Society for Dermatologic and Aesthetic Surgery (ISDS)
aPrivate Practice, New York, NY, United States
bPrivate Practice, London, United Kingdom
cPrivate Practice, Darmstadt, Germany
dDepartment of Dermatology, Davao Medical School Foundation, Davao City, Philippines
eDepartment of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
fPrivate Practice, Kuwait and Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Alexandria University, Egypt
gDepartment of Dermatology, Head and Neck Cancer Service, Modena and Reggio Emilia University, Modena, Italy
hGwapaha Advanced Medical Aesthetics Centre, Makati City, Philippines
iBrazilian Center for Studies in Dermatology, Porto Alegre, Brazil
jDepartment for Hand, Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Ludwig – Maximilian University Munich, Germany
kDepartment of Radiology & Medical School, University of Belgrade, Serbia
lDepartment of Dermatology, NYU Langone Medical Center and Private Practice, New York, NY, United States
mDepartment of Clinical Anatomy, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
Abstract
Background: Recent reports have surfaced from the United States Food and Drug Administration hearings in December 2020 regarding the
COVID-19 vaccines and study participants who developed facial and/or lip swelling after receiving the newly developed drug. Despite an incidence rate of 0.02% in the vaccine arm of the Moderna mRNA-1273 trial, concerns have been expressed about the association of adverse reactions following soft tissue filler injections and the COVID-19 vaccines. The International Society for Dermatologic and Aesthetic Surgery (ISDS) understands these concerns and has designed the following study.
Methods: A global survey was designed to capture the incidence of adverse events related to: (1) previous soft tissue filler injections, (2) soft tissue filler injections during positive testing for COVID-19, and (3) soft tissue filler injections during and after receiving any of the COVID-19 vaccines globally available.
Results: The information of 106 survey participants from 18 different countries was analyzed. 80.2% (n=85) never experienced any adverse reaction following their soft tissue filler injection whereas 15.1% (n=16) experienced swelling and 4.7% (n=5) experienced pain that lasted longer than two days. Of those who received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (n=78), 94.9% reported not to have experienced any adverse reaction related to their previous soft tissue filler injection, whereas 5.1% (n=4) reported to have perceived pain that lasted longer than two days.
Conclusion: The data collected does not support the concern for an increased risk of developing adverse reactions following soft tissue filler injections associated with the
COVID-19 vaccines compared to that risk associated with other previously described triggers or the default risk following soft tissue filler injections.
J Drugs Dermatol. 20(4):374-378. doi:10.36849/JDD.2021.6041
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INTRODUCTION
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the existence and day-to-day lives of people around the world. From city, state, or nationwide lockdowns to domestic and international travel restrictions, much of how we now interact with our fellow global citizens is online. Although accurate reporting has been questioned in many countries, at the time of this writing, there have been
