Beware! Covid-19 vaccine may cause swelling and inflammation in people with face or lip fillers

The allergic reactions to the Covid-19 vaccine can be quickly resolved with medical attention, says a dermatologist, encouraging people with facial fillers to get the jab.

The coronavirus vaccines may cause allergic reactions to people with face or lip fillers, an advisory committee of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned.

The warning came after several volunteers who were inoculated with the Moderna vaccine shots experienced swelling and inflammation in the area where the filler was placed, The Daily Mail reported.

However, a California-based dermatologist said the reaction was immunological and the side effects can easily be treated with steroids and anti-histamines.

Your immune system is revved up when you get a vaccine and it causes inflammation in certain areas where they see substance that is not a naturally occurring in your body said Dr. Shirley Chi told ABC7, a Chicago-based news channel.

Dr. Chi cited three cases of allergic reactions in people with cosmetic facial fillers. While the two patients had cheek filler six months before getting their COVID-19 vaccine, one had lip filler two days after the vaccine. However, Dr. Chi said, the reactions were quickly resolved with medical attention. "So, it shouldn't stop those with fillers from getting the jab," the dermatologist was quoted as saying.

The US approved Moderna's vaccine one week after Pfizer's vaccine was authorized for emergency use in the country.

Reasons behind allergic reactions to Covid-19 vaccine

Meanwhile, some scientists believe that allergic reactions to the Covid-19 vaccine may be caused by the compound polyethylene glycol, also known as PEG. This compound is also found in a varied range of products, including cosmetics, foods, and drugs and is known to trigger anaphylaxis on rare occasions.

Recently, the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed six severe allergic reactions to Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine.

Earlier this month, UK health authorities also confirmed 2 cases of anaphylaxis after the patients received the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The UK Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) later issued a warning stating that anyone with a history of anaphylaxis to a medicine or food should not get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 jab.

The US CDC recommends that all recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine be observed for 15 minutes after injection, and those with a history of anaphylaxis (due to any cause) be observed for 30 minutes.

Health Canada stated that it has identified no major safety concerns related to Covid-19 vaccine, and that its benefits outweigh the risks.