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Wrinkle fillers 'can give arthritis'

By Kate Wharton on Tuesday 20 May 2008

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Filler injections used to get rid of wrinkles could cause severe allergic reactions, doctors have warned.

Scientists have found the implants used to combat wrinkles left some women with recurrent side effects.

A new report has cast doubt over the safety of 'polyalkylimide implant gels', or facial fillers as they are commonly known. It states that women who have the implants should be aware of delayed adverse reactions, more than a year after the injections.

Of the 25 patients who were analysed, side effects included swelling, hardening of the area, lumps around the injection entry points, fever, arthritis and dry eyes or mouth.

One plastic surgeon, Nigel Mercer, said many cosmetic surgeons were aware of the problems of using permanent implants as fillers for wrinkles.

He said: 'They have a poor history of causing problems in facial tissue including red lumps that can only be removed surgically which leaves scarring.

'They may be used in some circumstances, but need to be injected deep beneath the skin's surface.'

Tuesday 20 May 2008

Have your say ...

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Isn't it time that people stopped latching onto the latest 'instant fixes'?

We talk about becoming ethical - what is ethical about adding chemicals to our bodies and trying tochnge our normal appearances. Let's try to be happy with what we have and how we age naturally.
Comment by Jennifer Barton on May 20 11:03

I don't like the idea of injecting myself or being injected, but it really should be up to ourselves whether we go for it or not. We aren't stupid, and we all have these little things called brains. Why not let us use them rather than be told what we should or shouldn't do?
Comment by Marta on June 27 11:07