Lumps appearing a few weeks after chin lipolysis injections
k · 7/21/2026🌐 繁中
About 3 months ago, I had fat-dissolving injections in my chin area. I didn't feel any discomfort at the time. About 3 weeks after the injection, I noticed a small lump in my jawline. At first, I thought it was just a swollen lymph node due to stress, so I visited a general practitioner and took anti-inflammatory medication. Since there were no other symptoms, I didn't pay much attention to it. Another month passed, and after things settled down, I realized the lump was still there and had actually grown larger. Because the jawline is near the throat, I’ve also started feeling a sense of pressure. I immediately saw an ENT specialist, had an ultrasound, and underwent a fine-needle aspiration. However, the report could not confirm whether the lump was benign or malignant, so I need to schedule a repeat biopsy using a core needle. Currently, I only have the ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration reports. If this lump was caused by the fat-dissolving injections, what specific characteristics should I look for in the report? How can this be treated? Is this a common complication? Thank you, Doctor.
1 Replies
劉達儒醫師🌐 繁中 Doctor
Hello, based on the timeline you described, the lump appeared gradually about three weeks after your chin lipolysis injection and has not subsided, even showing signs of enlargement. This is indeed highly likely to be fat necrosis and an inflammatory response caused by the lipolysis, eventually forming a fibrotic lump. This type of situation is actually not uncommon in our revision clinic. Lipolysis injections work by destroying fat cells; however, if the local reaction is strong, the medication is unevenly distributed, or the necrotic tissue is not properly absorbed by the body, it can leave behind lumps, nodules, or even cause a sensation of pressure. On ultrasound, we sometimes see irregular hypoechoic or mixed-echo masses within the subcutaneous fat layer, which may be accompanied by fibrosis, liquefaction, or surrounding inflammation. However, these imaging findings are not exclusive to fat necrosis; lymph nodes, salivary gland lesions, infections, or other soft tissue tumors can sometimes look very similar. Therefore, I believe the ENT department's decision to arrange a repeat puncture or even a core needle biopsy is reasonable. Fine-needle aspiration sometimes only retrieves inflammatory cells or necrotic debris, which may not provide a definitive diagnosis. A core needle biopsy can obtain more intact tissue, which is necessary to confirm whether it is simple fat necrosis, chronic inflammation, or another pathology. If the pathology eventually confirms it is a fat necrosis lump formed after lipolysis, and it has persisted for several months, is gradually enlarging, or causing a sensation of pressure, it is usually difficult to resolve with anti-inflammatory medication alone. For tissue that has already undergone necrosis and fibrosis, we typically need to use high-frequency ultrasound to confirm its location, depth, and its relationship with surrounding blood vessels, nerves, and salivary glands before evaluating a minimally invasive approach to remove the lump. When we treat these types of lumps, we aim to use a small incision and ultrasound guidance to precisely remove the necrotic tissue and the lump, while also sending the excised tissue for pathological examination. The most important thing for you right now is to complete the core needle biopsy. Do not assume that it is just a lump caused by the lipolysis injection simply because you had the procedure. It is safer to wait for the pathology results before deciding on the next step. If the sensation of pressure significantly worsens, or if you begin to experience difficulty swallowing, breathing issues, fever, redness, swelling, pain, or if the lump grows rapidly, do not wait—seek immediate attention from your ENT specialist or go to the emergency room.