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Silicone Injections
Risks of Silicone Lip Injections
Silicone injections are not FDA approved and represent a potentially dangerous technique for lip augmentation. I have had several patients who have come to our office for correction of free silicone injections. This technique can lead to swelling, pain and chronic inflammation long term.
The problem is that silicone can't be absorbed or broken down by the body. Once it's injected, tissue forms scar-like capsules around it, and the material itself can migrate under the skin and clump into firm lumps called granulomas. These are an immune reaction to a foreign substance, not an infection, so antibiotics won't fix them. What's tricky is timing: this reaction can show up or get worse years after the original injection, so patients sometimes don't connect new lumps or swelling to something done long ago. If you notice firmness, asymmetry, or ongoing inflammation in your lips, it's worth having it evaluated.
Clinical Context
Silicone can't be absorbed or broken down by the body, so tissue reacts by forming scar-like capsules around it. When liquid silicone is injected without any barrier, it can shift under the skin and clump into firm lumps called granulomas. These lumps result from the immune system reacting to a foreign substance, not an infection, so antibiotics won't help. This reaction can appear or worsen years after the original injection.
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