REMOVAL SILICONE BIOPOLYMER
Silicone and Biopolymers are currently being used all over the world to enhance the size and volume of the face and body. The cost of liquid silicone, PMMA, and Biopolymer injections are often much less than safer Hyaluronic Acid, Sculptra, or Fat Transfer techniques. In a subset of patients receiving Silicone Biopolymers or PMMA, complications may arise that can prompt the need for immediate surgical removal.
In most cases of silicone injections to the face or body, patients are unaware of the long-term complications that silicone can cause. Most cases involve illegal injections that are performed by non-clinicians in the United States, Mexico, or South America.
Complications from silicone biopolymers or PMMA may occur early after injection or as chronic issues years after treatment. Clinicians label these complications as acute or chronic, depending on their onset and permanence.
Los Angeles plastic surgeon Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian is a world expert in silicone biopolymer complications and has a long list of patients who have benefitted from his surgical expertise. He can address longterm issues related to silicone injections in the face or buttock such as prolonged swelling (edema), skin loss, skin changes, itching and burning, infection, granuloma formation, and skin reaction. Many patients will experience symptoms associated with pain and discomfort, especially in the buttocks and hips. If inflammation continues, it can symptomatic pain and discomfort in remote areas such as the legs, thighs, knees, ankles, and torso.
Silicone biopolymers have many different names and may include combinations of substances including hyaluronic acid, acido hialuronica, hydrogel, biogel, PMMA, Artecoll, Artefill, Biopolimero, Biopolymer, silikon, or Silicon. Many of these chemicals release toxins or can incite allergic reactions that can cause autoimmune dysfunction and hyperexcitability. ASIA syndrome may occur in some patients and can cause severe body-wide reactions.
Once you recognize that a foreign material has been injected into the buttocks, soft tissue, or hips, our office can help you identify solutions for your short-term and long-term problems. Dr. Karamanoukian at Kare Plastic Surgery can identify, diagnose, manage, and treat your silicone biopolymer problems in Los Angeles.
Depending on the severity of inflammation, Dr. Karamanoukian will recommend a surgical or non-surgical option to reduce inflammation and remove the material. Silicone biopolymers are not readily removed in most cases and require surgical expertise to minimize scarring and incisions. The goal is to reduce foreign material bulk while maintaining the integrity of the native tissue. This becomes extremely hard in facial silicone biopolymer injections, especially on the lips, nasolabial smile lines, and eyes. In fact, Dr. Karamanoukian has wide experience in removing silicone from the upper and lower eyelids.
TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR SILICONE REMOVAL
Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian is a world-expert in the management of liquid silicone, biopolymer, or PMMA injection removal. The goals of therapy are to remove foreign material burden, decrease inflammation, and plan for reconstruction in order to avoid any deformities of the soft tissue. Dr. Karamanoukian performs both surgical removal and lipectomy-assisted silicone removal which requires minimal incisions. Once the material is removed, additional procedures may include laser therapy, fibrous release, lipectomy, and fat grafting.
Surgical removal may require an incision if there is granulomatous bulky material that has clumped underneath the skin. Surgery is less-commonly required as patients often do well with a less-invasive technique to aspirate the foreign material.
In some cases, fat grafting is employed to reconstruct the area of concern. Dr. Karamanoukian will determine if you are a candidate for reconstruction based on the volume of silicone injection and the degree of inflammation.