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 Dr. Popp |
"It's happened to me twice" between mid-February and early March, says Jeffrey Popp, M.D., a cosmetic surgeon in private practice in Omaha, Neb., and a member of the Cosmetic Surgery Times Editorial Advisory Board.
Allergan officials say they are investigating a "limited" number of such reports, and say the problem could be associated with the filler's viscosity which dictates a different injection technique than doctors may be using.
While some physicians interviewed for this article disagreed about whether Allergan had fixed the problem as of press time, none doubted that the company would soon put the issue behind it. To date, the incidents appear confined to Juvéderm Ultra, sources say."The needle shoots right off the syringe," spilling filler all over the patient's face, Dr. Popp relates. In one case, he reports, "It ran into the patient's eye, and the needle stuck" in the patient's nose.
 Dr. Schlessinger |
 Dr. Beer |
"It's very unsettling," says Kenneth Beer, M.D., director, Palm Beach Esthetic Institute and clinical instructor of dermatology, University of Miami. He reports that in his practice, the problem has occurred approximately five times in six months.
"There have been no injuries," he adds, "but that's just luck."
TEPID RESPONSE? Perhaps more distressing than the problem is Allergan's initial response, says Dr. Popp.
"I can't get the truth," just form letters in response to his incident reports, he explains. Each communication says the company is investigating the problem, says Dr. Popp, "But it's cold and uncaring. They don't even say they're sorry."
 Dr. Carruthers |
However, Dr. Beer says that Juvéderm's smooth flow "makes needle separation more problematic. We are using less force, and it still separates."
