January 1, 2021
COVID and filler injections, the luxe loungewear I can't live without and my top picks for scenting your space.
Read this if you get filler injections
I’ll be honest… I was initially skeptical about the COVID vaccine for a variety of reasons. I am by no means an anti-vaxxer, and I’m actually a pro-vaxxer (despite my son’s irrational fear of shots and the anxiety I experience whenever I have to take him for one). But once I used the New York Times’ “Find Your Place in the Vaccine Line” tool—and realized that there are 268.7 million people in the United States who are eligible for the vaccine before me, I figured that I have plenty of time for any kinks (or potential risks) to get sorted out.
But just as soon as I got excited to (eventually) roll up my sleeve and put all of this madness behind me, a report came out that the Moderna vaccine may cause facial swelling in those who have had hyaluronic acid-based filler injections within the last six months.
The good news (for me): I haven’t gotten filler injections since November 2019. The bad news (for me and everyone else): We may want to put off any Restylane or Juvéderm appointments until after we get vaccinated.
Let’s break it down: In Moderna’s Phase 3 COVID trial, three people developed facial or lip swelling after receiving the vaccine. Two of those patients got filler injections in their cheeks within six months of their vaccination. The other patient got their lips injected two days after getting the vaccine. (For the record, this patient reported experiencing similar swelling after getting a flu vaccine in the past.) Moderna’s Phase 3 COVID trial included about 30,000 people. However, there’s no way to know how many of these 30,000 people had filler injections within the last six months. (Believe me, I searched and searched to no avail.)
But (of course) I got my hands on Moderna’s official 61-page Emergency Use Authorization Review Memorandum and the facial swelling reactions in these subjects were non-fatal, deemed resolved, and based on the numbers this report says, “the small number of cases does not suggest a causal relationship.”
According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Naana Boakye of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, “Unanticipated side effects of new drugs are common, but it’s important to look at the bigger picture, especially when it comes to COVID vaccines. Hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers have been linked to occasional delayed-onset inflammatory reactions well before these vaccine trials—however the incidence is rare.” Dr. Boakye also adds that the jury is still out about the potential for reactions related to other types of fillers, such as Sculptra and Radiesse.
So as with every aspect of how you have been dealing with COVID and 2020 as a whole, you do you! The chances of experiencing facial swelling if you get injectable fillers before getting the vaccine are very slim—and in the event that it does occur, you totally have the excuse to stay close to home until your face gets back to normal. On the bright side, the mask you should be wearing can camouflage this rare reaction if you have to venture out, but how much running around town and “going out” are we really doing until the majority of the population is vaccinated? (In my world, virtually none, which is just another reason to put off filler injections for a while.)
THIS is the last-minute gift to give this year
If you haven’t finished your holiday shopping, you don’t need me to tell you that it’s down to the wire. BUT, you may still be looking for suggestions and I have one that’s sure to please pretty much any gal you haven’t gotten to yet.
I keep a running “wish list” that I send to my husband before any occasion that calls for a present. (It’s just easier that way—at least for us.) No, I may not get very many surprises, but I am guaranteed to get something I want. Anyway, I had Lunya pajamas on this list for two years before my husband finally bit and got me a gift card for my birthday.
Let’s just say nothing feels fancier than padding around the house or binge-watching Netflix wearing these luxurious silk PJs. I got the Washable Silk Tee Set in black and if I could only wear one thing for the rest of my life, this would be it.
I love this set so much that I got one of my besties a Lunya gift card for our annual “December present” (to celebrate both of our birthdays, Chanukah and Christmas)—and she’s obsessed, too.
So stop searching (and procrastinating), and just finish your shopping already. You’re welcome!
I can't wait to try this at-home peel!
Now that my skin is finally under control (thanks to DIM supplements—which I recently learned are basically a plant-derived form of spironolactone) I can get back to addressing my other concerns, especially my uneven skin tone. I swear I wear sunscreen every day (even if I’m not going anywhere) and a visor when I play tennis, but there’s no doubt these extra hours outdoors aren’t doing my skin any favors.
I got my first professional TCA peel about 10 years ago (before I even needed it, ironically) and I’d totally be down with getting another if we weren’t in the midst of a pandemic. But as luck would have it, one of my favorite dermatologists ever, Dr. Tina Alster, has made one for home use.
The A Method’s AMAZING Peel Kit comes with everything you need to safely perform your own TCA peel, including pre-treatment cleanser, TCA solution, a cream-based TCA booster, soothing moisturizer and single-dose packets of sunscreen (which help ensure you’re applying the right amount).
Similar to professional TCA peels, this DIY version brings uneven pigment up to the skin’s surface so it can shed three to four days later—and nothing says “effective” like seeing fresh, new skin appear before your very eyes. This process also helps improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles, texture and pores so it’s basically a one-and-done fix for all my age-related concerns.
The only thing better would be visiting Dr. Alster in Washington, D.C. for a total post-pandemic overhaul, and now that I think about it, I could actually make that happen when the time is right. Sounds like the perfect way to celebrate being able to travel again, right?
The home fragrance struggle is real
In an ideal world, every square inch of my house would smell the same. Believe me, I’ve tried, but this goal is just too difficult to achieve (unless I spend a few thousand dollars on a scent system that actually works through the central AC—but that’s obviously not happening). Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like my house smells bad or anything… I just want it to smell good all the time.
The mismatching is starting to irk me, even though I absolutely love the Caldrea Sea Salt Neroli and CLEAN Space Rain sprays we have in the bedroom and the Paddywax Ocean Tide & Sea Salt that’s currently in the Pura diffuser in the entryway.
I have Crazy Strong candles in my office and family room (Red Rose & Currant and Fresh Linen, respectively), and reed diffusers in the living room, powder room and cabana bath. Now can you understand why this is driving me nuts?
I suppose I could order a few more Pura Smart Devices and pick one scent throughout the house, yet I don’t really need to control my home fragrance from my phone (although it is fun). Maybe I’ll get lucky and Pura will introduce a new, not-as-smart device that would make this a bit less of an investment. In the meantime, I suppose I’ll just deal with the mish-mosh of scents since they’re all pretty good
Oh, and a big shout out to Ozium, the spray that probably prevented me from getting kicked out of my dorm in college. There’s a bottle in my closet at all times, because, you know…
