Cosmetic Question: I had Juvederm in my lips two weeks ago. They still look swollen and feel very chapped. Am I allergic to Juvederm?
Cosmetic Answer:
No, you probably have an outbreak of cold sores. Cold sores are caused by a virus called HSV-1. So common that it is present in more than half the people in the USA today. Typically lying dormant in the tissues around their lips and mouth. However, these outbreaks can occur anywhere on the skin.
It is easily transmitted and the HSV-1 virus does not go away when cold sores subside. Instead it rests happily inside the nucleus of the infected cell, causing no problems. Once thought to settle only in nerve cells, it now appears to settle in the cells of our lips as well. If something irritates that cell, the virus is re-awakened, leaves the nucleus and causes another bout of symptoms.
Filler injections are a common way to re-activate HSV-1 infection. Usually you see no sores , just uncomfortable, swollen lips that feel chapped, but the chapping may last for a long period of time and does not improve with lip balm.
The treatment is the anti-viral drug, Valtrex and it needs to be taken for about 5 days. The anti-viral is needed to suppress the infection. Topical anti-viral creams such as Zovirax, Denavir and Zerese are also used for these outbreaks, but not on the lips because they can cause even more irritation.
So, you probably are not allergic to Juvederm. Especially if five days of Valtrex makes you better, it was a cold sore outbreak.