Doctors were puzzled by Skeel-Gerehardt’s swollen lips after she spent the day playing at the beach. They theorized that perhaps five hours in the hot summer sun had affected her lip fillers.
Isabella Skeel-Gerhardt wasn’t feeling well after a day of fun on the beach in Marbella, Spain. She asked her friend to check it out and couldn’t forget the expression on her friend’s face: “I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I looked in the mirror. My lips were getting bigger and bigger,” she recalled.
The content creator living in Copenhagen, Denmark was then injected with antibiotics for a 7-10 day course to help the swelling disappear. This unpleasant experience left the girl with countless more questions, especially why this happened nearly 20 months after she injected 0.7 mm of filler into her lips.
According to the magazine Elle, hyaluronic acid is a natural substance found in the skin that helps keep it plump and hydrated. However, the most common filler is injectable hyaluronic acid. When injected into the dermis, fillers help treat problems like wrinkles, thin lips, loss of volume under the eyes and on the back of the hands, nasolabial folds… Results and duration of effectiveness varies depending on injection site and patient characteristics but according to American Society for Dermatologic SurgeryResults usually last 6 – 12 months.
Although injectable hyaluronic acid works just like the body’s natural hyaluronic acid, there are some notable differences, according to Dr. Jennifer Lee, board-certified dermatologist and medical director of REN Dermatology. tell. Dermal fillers use hyaluronic acid that is chemically modified to last longer in the body.
“When exposed to direct sunlight, UVA rays and some UVB rays can penetrate the dermis and if exposed enough will break down natural stores of hyaluronic acid. With the popularity of fillers contains hyaluronic acid, it can be inferred that prolonged exposure to sunlight may cause dermal fillers to dissolve faster,” said Dr. Jessie Cheung, a board-certified dermatologist. in Chicago and New York (USA) explains.
Although Journal of Skin and Aesthetic Surgery published an article highlighting the complications of sun exposure for fillers in 2018 but the issue has yet to gain consensus among dermatologists and surgeons Beauty.
UV exposure often degrades collagen, elasticity and hyaluronic acid, but how much? How many hours of intense sun exposure is needed to make a difference? “There is no specific duration of sun exposure that can cause the breakdown of hyaluronic acid. It varies from person to person,” says Dr. Rahi Sarbaziha, an integrative medicine physician and esthetician. others. However, excessive UV exposure, especially from sources such as tanning beds, can accelerate filler breakdown.”
In addition to sun exposure, degeneration can also come from smoking habits, exercise frequency, weight loss, certain medications and the patient’s metabolism. In addition, there is a lack of clinical research on the effects of sunlight on fillers.
However, most patients are advised to limit sun exposure during the first few weeks after filler treatment. Some facial injections can cause bruising and swelling, which can cause infection if exposed to sunlight too early. Sunlight negatively affects the wound healing process and increases the risk of complications.
In addition, experts also advise patients to use sunscreen with a high SPF index to prevent skin damage, reduce inflammation and help maintain the longevity of fillers. So even if there’s no definitive answer, it’s always helpful to stay out of the sun and take appropriate precautions.