Skin fillers delayed effects

A new study on cosmetic skin fillers conducted by Spanish researchers revealed that polyalkylimide implants may lead to potentially severe and adverse immune-related effects that appear months after the procedure was performed.

The research, published in a recent issue of the Archives of Dermatology, stressed that polyalkylimide implants are made to augment lips, cheeks, the forehead, and the lines that develop between the nose and mouth.

Researcher Jaume Alijotas-Reig, M.D., Ph.D. from the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and Autonomous University of Barcelona, and his colleagues have this to say:

"According to the manufacturer's information, polyalkylimide structures do not change over time and do not move or migrate. In the early reports on polyalkylimide implant injections for cosmetic purposes, there were no significant signs of bioincompatibility [rejection of or reaction to the foreign material]. However, more recent evidence refutes these statements, and so the complete safety of polyalkylimide implant gels can no longer be assured."

During their tests, the researchers discovered that patients who had the implant injections experienced adverse effects at one year or longer after the procedure. Several reactions such as swelling, hardening and swollen nodules or skin lesions around the site of injection were observed. Systemic cases such as fever, arthritis, and dry eyes or mouth were also present.

The authors added: "Although infrequent, delayed, moderate to severe immune-mediated adverse effects may be caused by polyalkylimide implants, occasionally with systemic manifestations. Perhaps in predisposed hosts, the use of more than one source of dermal filler may increase the risk of the onset of delayed immune-mediated reactions related to bioimplants.

It is therefore important that physicians should be aware that intermediate or delayed effects can occur with polyalkylimide implants as well as with collagen, polyacrylamide, polylactic acid or methacrylate.