THOUSANDS of women with fillers are at risk of painful and disfiguring side effects years later, medics warn.
The treatments can trigger lumps, swelling and facial pain as the immune system attacks the hyaluronic acid used in most injections, a study has found.
The popularity of fillers is booming here and The Sun’s Had Our Fill campaign is pushing for better customer protection.
Dr Spero Theodorou, a plastic surgeon in New York, said skin-plumping jabs can block lymph nodes in the face – a key part of the immune system.
This can cause swelling, cysts, growths called granulomas and pain.
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He said those who had jabs under their eyes were worst affected.
Dr Theodoru, surgical director at Bodysculpt, said: “Expect a storm in the next 12 months as we show that fillers do cause a blockage and they don’t go away.
“The lymphatic system removes all the impurities from your skin so it’s very important.
“The fillers either squish it or the body recognises them as a foreign body and the immune system attacks them.
“I would say the majority of women who have fillers won’t have a problem but it’s still a lot of people, and we don’t know how many will suffer five or 10 years from now.
“I want to stop 25-year-olds from injecting their faces because it’s going to have implications for them in future.
“I don’t use these fillers in my clinic any more.”
Dr Theodoru’s study used a special camera to look under the skin of the faces of women who have had fillers.
Speaking at a conference of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, he said those who had injections under their eyes were worst affected.
Britain does not tightly regulate who can inject fillers and what they can use, with ministers now drawing up plans to crack down on the industry.
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Complaints about side effects and procedures gone wrong have rocketed in recent years as popularity has been boosted by reality TV stars.
Marc Pacifico, president of the BAAPS, said: “This research will help us recognise some of the previously unappreciated biological impacts of these products.
“Even if it’s only a small percentage who are affected, the numbers will be quite high.
“It doesn’t mean that everyone with fillers should panic and go and get them dissolved.
“It does mean if you’re considering getting filler you should at least go to a qualified medical professional.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “We are consulting on a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, including dermal fillers.”
