Woman Left with Hole in Face After Getting Cosmetic Fillers

It’s not uncommon for people to invest in things that enhance their looks, particularly as they age. Options range from makeup to spa treatments to cosmetic fillers and plastic surgery. However, there are always possible dangers associated with certain treatment options. Oddly, one woman found this out four years after her procedure.

Desperation from Questionable Cosmetic Fillers

In 2022, Gina Anderson, a neurologist, appeared on Season 7, Episode 16 of the popular reality show “Botched”. The series follows a team of plastic surgeons who help patients who have previously undergone treatments or surgery and had undesirable outcomes. Gina came to them after having five unsuccessful surgeries to fix an adverse reaction to cosmetic fillers. Just after celebrating her 40th birthday, Gina decided she wanted to “look better.” As a result, she opted for cosmetic fillers.

Four years after having what she thought was cosmetic fillers injected into her cheeks, she had a horrible reaction that came on “suddenly”. “It just went boom, and there’s just huge granulomas,” she explained. “A colleague offered to do filler for me. I was like I’m in my 40s, I’m going to look a little bit better. I thought I was getting restylane or juvederm, but it was silicone.” She was shocked to learn that the cosmetic fillers were actually made of silicone, which has been shown to cause severe health problems down the road.

In only a matter of days, she noticed a large granuloma below her right eye. It swelled up so severely that it caused “constant pain.” “I had to close [my practice],” she shared. “You can’t sleep, and you’re in constant pain. It’s hard to think on your feet all the time. This isn’t just me looking slightly pretty. I’m in agony, I don’t sleep, my hair started thinning kind of like a hair loss. And I just started feeling kind of weak and fatigued. It’s been a nightmare.”

Read More: Dangers of Lip Fillers: Mother Ends Up in Hospital After At-Home Treatment

Working to Find a Solution

Although five surgeries had made the hole in her cheek disappear, she was still unhappy with the results and turned to doctors Dr Paul Nassif and Dr Terry Dubrow. Many factors in Gina’s story left the medical professionals astounded, including the fact that Gina is a doctor herself and that it took so long for the negative effects of the fillers to appear. “When you get a granuloma which is foreign body inflammatory action it typically happens within four months to a year.” Explained Dr. Dubrow. “The fact that Gina didn’t start to develop them until way later shows it’s a very slow smoldering inflammatory chronic response that could be difficult to treat.”

Gina underwent two more procedures at the hands of the “Botched” doctors, taking some fat from other parts of her body and adding it to her cheek. Although the reaction to the supposed cosmetic fillers was incredibly terrible, and possibly a little bizarre, Dr. Nassif disclosed that he found “unusual things” such as something resembling a “piece of gauze” from her face during the first procedure.

Dr. Nassif explained the second procedure was necessary because of “recurrent seromas.” “For some reason, Gina’s body is constantly making fluid in her cheek following her first surgery. Why is this happening? I don’t know.” He said. “This just goes to show you that you can never predict what’s going to happen in regards to healing after you operate on a face that has had silicone injected into it.”

Moving Forward

Gina has since moved passed the cosmetic fillers disaster, and thanks to help of Dr. Nassif and Dr. Dubrow, her pain has gone away. “I’m just really grateful now that I have a chance to reclaim my life because things were starting to look dismal. This is the best I’ve felt in a long time, so I’m just really crossing my fingers that this is really the end of my personal hell. My energy level is increasing, and actually, my mood has gotten better.” She shared. “My hair loss has stopped, and actually, my hair is starting to grow back. My thought process is actually getting faster. I mean, it’s just a miracle. It’s just life changing.”

Alternatives to Cosmetic Fillers

While it’s important to love ourselves and our bodies, it’s not unusual that people start to notice wrinkles, extra flab, and other side effects of aging. Therefore, depending on one’s budget, some people go to great lengths to keep up with the latest beauty trends. However, as previously mentioned, many have serious warnings about possible adverse reactions. Luckily there are some safer alternatives to try, before getting cosmetic fillers. Some options include regular facials or chemical peels. Or the use of products containing things like Hyaluronic acid and Retinol. Overall health starts with a healthy digestive system so a diet the is rich in vitamins and nutrients, focusing on collagen production, is also a great way to boost healthy, vibrant skin.

Furthermore, always be sure that you thoroughly research products and only seek advice or treatment from professionals in that specific field.

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