Yes - atrophy can occur, especially if your doctor is inexperienced at injections, they inject too much, or they don't dilute the cortisone enough. Sometimes even if the doctor is very experienced and careful, atrophy can still occur. I have had several cysts injected, and one atrophied. It looked like a small dimple in my skin, and was only really apparent in overhead light (where you could see a shadow). It competely filled in after about 3 months.
Atrophy is typically temporary (although some people have had permanent atrophy due to botched injections), and the dent should fill in after a few months.
I'm definitely not worried about temporary atrophy. Just dont want something permanent. I have a type of cyst right now that doesnt seem like it will go away on its own and my doctor recommended I come back in in a couple weeks the BP doesnt work (which hasnt so far). I know bad injections can happen but I dont see how hard it can be for someone with adequate knowledge. It doesnt seem like one needs to do a lot of studying and practice to properly perform an injection compared to all of the other medical procedures out there.
I've personally injected restylane on myself in the past and thought I did a pretty good job and I think filler injections require more practice.
Did your atrophy ever fill in from the Kenalog injection? I see this post is from 2013? I have had a very large atrophy from the same injection and have had no luck with all the doctors i have been too. The most i did get, was to massage the area?! Please help!!!!
KBellK26 - I am so sorry to hear about your atrophy. My atrophy filled in completely and yours will too. I spent SO much time worry about stressing out about this big indent on my face and what helped me was two things:
1. First, after reading this article ( called Treatment of local, persistent cutaneous atrophy following corticosteroid injection with normal saline infiltration - you should google it and bring it to your dermatologist), I got Saline injections done about 6 times. Each time, it would get better and then my face would get indented again after the saline wore off. However, I think that the saline helped to break apart the crystals that were left in my skin and ultimately made the indents go away over time.
2. Second, I noticed that I was constantly checking and looking at my indent. I made myself stop doing that because a watched pot never boils - and I knew that I'd never see progress if I was checking it every 5 minutes. So, I stopped doing the saline injections and made a ton of effort to focus on everything in my life but my face indent.
6 months after the indent came, it was gone. I don't even know exactly when it went away because I was busy living my life and not focusing on my indent. It was really hard but it worked.
I wish you a full recovery! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
Warmly,
Inna
Did your atrophy ever fill in from the Kenalog injection? I see this post is from 2013? I have had a very large atrophy from the same injection and have had no luck with all the doctors i have been too. The most i did get, was to massage the area?! Please help!!!!
KBellK26 - I am so sorry to hear about your atrophy. My atrophy filled in completely and yours will too. I spent SO much time worry about stressing out about this big indent on my face and what helped me was two things:
1. First, after reading this article ( called Treatment of local, persistent cutaneous atrophy following corticosteroid injection with normal saline infiltration - you should google it and bring it to your dermatologist), I got Saline injections done about 6 times. Each time, it would get better and then my face would get indented again after the saline wore off. However, I think that the saline helped to break apart the crystals that were left in my skin and ultimately made the indents go away over time.
2. Second, I noticed that I was constantly checking and looking at my indent. I made myself stop doing that because a watched pot never boils - and I knew that I'd never see progress if I was checking it every 5 minutes. So, I stopped doing the saline injections and made a ton of effort to focus on everything in my life but my face indent.
6 months after the indent came, it was gone. I don't even know exactly when it went away because I was busy living my life and not focusing on my indent. It was really hard but it worked.
I wish you a full recovery! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
Warmly,
Inna
Hi!
Same thing happened to me. I had an indent from a kenalog indention that filled in after about 4 months, but I never got saline injections or anything. If I hadn't gotten the cyst injected, it almost DEFINITELY would have turned into a seriously bad scar. I've had several injections for different cysts since them, and I received no more indentions (thankfully). However, I would take a temporary indention in my skin over a permanent scar any day of the week.
I too have cortisone atrophy on my chin. I had two injections for stubborn cysts and they started indenting within a week of the injections. They aren't SO bad... rather small and shallow but still really bother me. Of course it's two spots right next to each other so it looks worse! I'm going in this week for my 3rd saline injection. Hoping this helps clear it out soon. I've seen a bit of progress of the spots filling in but not much. I've had them about 4 weeks now. Please keep updating this! It helps to read stories of others going through the same thing.
Im not a doctor so i can't really answer 100% but a I would think it would depend on the dosage and the frequency. A small dose would potentially be less harmful that a large dose, but the truth of the matter is the cortisone should not be used regularly because it is a steroid. It should be a last resort type thing. The reason being is that cortisone injected is the synthetically produced replica of cortisol produced in your body in response to stress. When its released it suppresses the immune system in order to fight the stress. Cortisone injections work the same and by inhibiting the immune system which reduces inflammation.
Short term or very minimal use of the cortisone injections should be fine, but regular use can cause damage and have side effects such as atrophy among others. Its really important to remember that just because you are getting the cortisone injection at a localized place (i.e. pimple), it doesn't mean it doesn't affect the rest of your body. Cortisone enters the blood stream and can affect various parts or the body as a whole.
Its really up to you, you really have to consider the pros and cons. Personally, I would never get a cortisone shot, but thats me.
Hi!
The area which this is, is near my lip -- it looks like I had a cold sore there, so this is kinda bothering me.
I had a cortisone shot injected into a small pimple/cyst. Hours after, the area around it turned dark. I am starting to notice a little atrophy too. But the darkness isn't a shadow or anything.
Do you think this is for sure bruising? Or could this be something more that will last a long time?
I am guessing it will fill in with time though. The area is also very dark right now -- a bruise I hope?
Hey everyone, I had a cortisone shot on Tuesday (And today is Sunday so its been 5 days) and the swelling has gone down but, if I stretch my face, I can still see a slight bump where the cyst was. I'm wondering if this needs a second injection? It's not inflamed right now but I'm wondering if this will go away on its own? Is this normal?
I have never tried the cortisone shot. I've heard of people who have and they said it worked to and extent but a lot of the times it comes back worse.
Try a bag of ice and apply for 5 minute intervals with 10 minute breaks in between. Ibuprofen helps as well
Thanks for the reply, ice will definitely help reduce any leftover inflammation. Have you had a cortisone shot before?
The cortisone shot usually didn't prevent the cyst from becoming inflamed again in my experience, but they didn't usually come back worse than before like the poster above says. In my case, it was usually the less or the same. Unfortunately cortisone shots don't prevent the cyst from coming back as a general rule, but it can help reduce the kind of inflammation that causes scarring.
I've had many cortisone shots. I have great luck with them. I rarely have a problem. Once in awhile I will get what you have, remnants of the cyst. If its not swollen I would leave it alone, eventually rest of the cyst will dissolve. I would not recommend another shot for a month or so because you don't want atrophy. I never had a cyst get worse from a shot. I actually never had a cyst recur either after a shot. Hopefully you will have same luck as me.
I've had many cortisone shots. I have great luck with them. I rarely have a problem. Once in awhile I will get what you have, remnants of the cyst. If its not swollen I would leave it alone, eventually rest of the cyst will dissolve. I would not recommend another shot for a month or so because you don't want atrophy. I never had a cyst get worse from a shot. I actually never had a cyst recur either after a shot. Hopefully you will have same luck as me.
Thanks for your reply. I'm glad to hear that. Would you recommend gently applying ice to keep inflammation away?
Yes. In a zip lock bag of course though. Ice contains lots of bacteria believe it or not. Put a towel or even t shirt around the bag also and apply directly to cyst
I've had many cortisone shots. I have great luck with them. I rarely have a problem. Once in awhile I will get what you have, remnants of the cyst. If its not swollen I would leave it alone, eventually rest of the cyst will dissolve. I would not recommend another shot for a month or so because you don't want atrophy. I never had a cyst get worse from a shot. I actually never had a cyst recur either after a shot. Hopefully you will have same luck as me.
Thanks for your reply. I'm glad to hear that. Would you recommend gently applying ice to keep inflammation away?
Is the cyst actually still swollen, or is it just the "material" left in there? I never had much luck with ice, but that's not to say it won't work. That's just my personal experience. When I've had a shot and remnants remain, I've either waited it out and it would finally dissolve. Sometimes if it wouldn't dissolve and I had an annoying "ball" left in there I would go back to derm. He would either shoot it again, or actually extract the leftover gunk in there. I always like extraction better because most of the time the gunk left in mine was hardish and the cortisone wouldn't dissolve it. If it's bothering you a lot I would go back to your derm and ask him what he think is best. My derm doesn't have a problem shooting a cyst twice, but he does let me know there can be chance of atrophy, he always uses a weaker strength of cortisone. I know when I have a big cyst growing on my face I'm like I don't care if it sinks in. But believe me when it does happen it SUCKS. I've had atrophy happen and its not fun at all.
