I get fillers for my face. Is it safe to get fillers with the COVID vaccine?
Football coaches do it. President-elects do it. Even sciencesavvy senators do it. As cases of the coronavirus continue to surge on a global scale, some of the nation’s most prominent people have begun to double up on masks – a move that researchers say is increasingly being backed up by data.
Double-masking isn’t necessary for everyone. But for people with thin or flimsy face coverings, “if you combine multiple layers, you start achieving pretty high efficiencies” of blocking viruses from exiting and entering the airway, said Linsey
Marr, an expert in virus transmission at Virginia Tech and an author on a recent commentary laying out the science behind mask-wearing.
Of course, there is a trade-off: At some point, “we run the risk of making it too hard to breathe,” she said. But there is plenty of breathing room before mask-wearing approaches that extreme.
A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world looks very different. More than 90 million confirmed coronavirus infections have been documented worldwide, leaving millions dead and countless others with lingering symptoms, amid ongoing economic hardships and shuttered schools and businesses.
New variants of the virus have emerged, carrying genetic changes that appear to enhance their ability to spread from person to person.
And while several vaccines have now cleared
Recent reports have highlighted a possible reaction of delayed facial swelling in a small number of dermal filler patients who got the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
It is believed that this swelling is an immune response to the vaccine, and is fairly easy to treat in most cases. Similar symptoms are known to be side effects after getting vaccines for similar illnesses, like the flu and shingles.
Because of these reports, many people who already have facial fillers or who are considering getting fillers in the future undoubtedly have some questions. Below are some of the most common questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and fillers, and what you should know before your next appointment.
HOW COMMON IS THIS
SIDE EFFECT?
This side effect was not seen in the Pfizer vaccine trials. This side effect only occurred in three out of 30,000 people who have received it in a Moderna vaccine trial. It has not been reported outside of the trials as far as we know. (I spoke to representatives from the filler companies who have been in touch with both Pfizer and Moderna.)
CAN I GET THE COVID VACCINE IF I ALREADY HAVE FILLERS?
Yes, you can still get the vaccine, even if you already have fillers. This facial swelling is a relatively rare occurrence, and the benefits of the COVID vaccine, especially for those in high-risk groups, outweigh the risks of potential delayed swelling from facial fillers.
If you already have fillers and are getting the COVID vaccine, keep an eye out for signs of swelling, contacting your filler provider or family physician if you notice any adverse effects.
Your doctor can prescribe antihistamines, steroids and, in some cases, antibiotics to quell the reaction.
HOW LONG SHOULD I WAIT TO GET FILLERS AFTER THE VACCINE?
We recommend not getting fillers at least two weeks before or after the COVID vaccine. If you are planning to get the COVID vaccine, or any vaccine, let your dermal filler provider know so that he or she can schedule your appointment around this. well.
The best masks remain N95s, which are designed with ultrahigh filtration efficiency. But they remain in short supply for health workers, who need them to safely treat patients.
Layering two less specialized masks on top of each other can provide comparable protection. Marr recommended wearing face-hugging cloth masks over surgical masks, which tend to be made with more filter-friendly materials but fit more loosely. An alternative is to wear a cloth mask with a pocket that can be stuffed with filter material, like the kind found in vacuum bags.
But wearing more than two masks, or layering up on masks that are already very good at filtering, will quickly bring diminishing returns and make it much harder to breathe normally.
Other tweaks can enhance a mask’s fit, such as ties that secure the fabric around the back of the head, instead of relying on ear loops that allow masks to hang and gape. Nose bridges, which can help the top of a mask to fit more snugly, offer a protective boost as well.
Achieving superb fit and filtration “is really simple,” Gandhi said. “It doesn’t need to involve anything fancy.”
No mask is perfect, and wearing one does not obviate other public health measures like physical distancing and good hygiene. “We have to be honest that the best response is one that requires multiple interventions,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, a public health expert at
Johns Hopkins University. (not his real name) is also a member of the Ground Hog Day lunch club but I found his combo so interesting I thought it deserved analysis. Barry has a water-packed sardine sandwich on sprouted grain bread with a slice of non-smoked provolone every day. He spreads a small amount of mayonnaise and olive oil on the bread. His second course is a banana and fat-free Greek yogurt.
This lunch hits many nutritional goals that the public is often missing. The sardine sandwich alone meets the recommended goals for the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA. Heart protection, reducing inflammation, and supporting circulation are just a few of the benefits of essential fatty acids. Other sources of EPA and DHA are fatty fish like salmon, anchovy and herring. Vegetarian sources are algae and seaweed, chia and ground flax seeds.
This lunch is also meeting half his protein for the day and about 60% of calcium. Another standout is vitamin D, which has been getting attention for its possible role in decreasing the severity of COVID-19. The sardine sandwich provides 25% of daily recommended value.
What you eat in a day is what matters. This lunch was low in vitamin A and C. Both are important for a strong immune system. I recommend dark green, yellow and orange vegetables for Barry’s dinner plate. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts and collards would fill both gaps. A dessert of cantaloupe sprinkled with berries would do the same.