A Colorado woman has issued a stark warning to those considering facial filler, after a botched procedure caused her to develop a massive tumor-like growth on her chin.
Kaley Birge, a registered dietitian, had to undergo a painful procedure to drain infected fluid from the mass, which continued to ooze pus for more than two weeks.
Doctors identified the “tumor,” which she named “Chimothy,” as an abscess that had developed as a result of an infection at one of the injection sites.
Speaking about the ordeal in a series of TikTok videos, Birge said: “I’m going to cry I’m so upset.” “It is very difficult for me to talk about this because it is very disgusting to me and I feel like I am going to vomit.”
In one clip, she can be seen trying to empty the contents of the mass by squeezing it, forcing blood and pus to come out.
TikToker Kaleysfavs said her dermal filler became infected because she was experiencing an acne breakout when she underwent the cosmetic procedure.
Birge said she covered the infected area with makeup to avoid embarrassment when she went to work.
Birge, who posts videos under the username Kaleysfavs, visited a clinic earlier this month to receive dermal filler in her chin area.
The injections contain gel-like substances, such as hyaluronic acid, that fill in areas of lost volume on the face and smooth wrinkles.
Around the time of the procedure, Birge said she was suffering from “a big (acne) breakout” in the area where the filler was injected, increasing the chances of infection.
The infection developed less than a week after the procedure, Birge said.
The clinic that injected him with the filler told him to come back immediately because ‘they were worried’ and prescribed him antibiotics.
However, his situation worsened and just a day later, Birge returned and doctors “removed a bunch of pus” from the abscess.
When an infection develops, the immune system tries to fight it and white blood cells travel to the infected area and build up, forming an abscess.
The creator was diligently taking antibiotics and painkillers, but pus and a colorless fluid continued to ooze from the open sore.
Two days later, Ms Birge returned once again to the facility and her medical team performed an ultrasound of the area, which they said revealed the swelling “was a huge pocket of pus… they cut me open, drained the pus and then they irrigated it.” ‘
Mrs. Birge left the office with a packing inside the abscess. Packing of an abscess occurs when the abscess cavity is filled with gauze or cotton after it has been cut and drained.
The goal of packing is to prevent the abscess from closing so it can continue to drain, absorb fluid from the abscess, and help prevent bacterial growth and infection.
When an abscess is packed, a small end of the packing is left exposed from the incision so that the patient can remove the gauze or cotton several days after drainage.
The registered dietitian developed an abscess that had to be drained and packed several times.
Birge had to remove the packing, which he called a “dead worm,” from inside his abscess.
Mrs Birge said: ‘I have to take the (packaging) out a bit… I’m going to cry I’m so upset. “It is very difficult for me to talk about this because it is very disgusting to me and I feel like I am going to vomit.”
Several days later, in a video, he showed himself removing the packaging, which he called a “dead worm,” from his “tumor on his chin.”
Mrs Birge was then left with a small round opening in her chin, but only a day later she noticed that her chin was still crooked and said: “there’s still something under there.”
In his next video, which he posted last week, he said: “Something huge and disgusting came out of Chimothy last night and (I don’t know) what to do.”
In a graphic video, Birge showed blood, pus and fluid leaking from the opening of the abscess as he squeezed the area.
Two days later, Birge noticed a lump on the other side of her face, which she called “Chimothy’s little sister…Chimanthia.”
Another two days later, the creator revealed that while she was trying to drain the abscess again, the filler she had injected had come out of the incision.
Birge did not specify what type of doctor administered the facial fillers, but there are many types of providers who are allowed to inject patients under state law.
However, she said she was subsequently treated by a doctor, a physician’s assistant and a nurse and did not blame the clinic for her complications.
Dermal fillers are temporary and should last between six and 18 months, depending on the type and injection area, because the material is broken down and absorbed by the body.
Fillers, which are regulated by the FDA as medical devices, can be used in many parts of the body, including the chin, cheeks, lips, eyebrow lines, jawline, and forehead.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 2.6 million Americans receive injectable facial fillers each year, making them the second most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedure behind Botox injections.
They cost between $740 and $1,100, on average, depending on location and type.
Common side effects of dermal fillers include bruising, redness, pain, itching, rash, and swelling at the injection site.
Rare side effects include loss of function of the injected area, migration of filler across the face or body, chronic inflammation, infections, open or oozing wounds, and tissue necrosis or death.
People may also experience allergic reactions and granulomas, small clumps of white blood cells and other abscess-like tissues.
While the cosmetic procedure is considered safe, one study found 160 of 430 complications reported in patients with dermal fillers between 2003 and 2020 were classified as serious or permanent, including necrosis and vision loss.
The study authors warned that non-permanent fillers were associated with “rare but potentially serious complications” depending on where they are injected and their administration “requires in-depth knowledge of facial anatomy.”