Juvederm Lawsuit Claims Fillers Caused Facial Scarring, Disfigurement

Lawsuit claims Juvederm label fails to warn injection recipients of the risk of granulomas around the injection sites.

A California woman’s product liability lawsuit alleges she suffered severe medical reactions, scarring, and other side effects after receiving Juvederm cosmetic injections.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by Christina Garcia in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on June 27, naming AbbVie Inc. as the defendant and seeking class action status on behalf of other Juvederm users nationwide.

Juvederm filler injections are cosmetic hyaluronic acid injections placed under the skin to plump wrinkles and fine lines or enhance facial contours. The products are part of a growing cosmetic filler market, with the lawsuit indicating that more than 5.3 million Juvederm and other hyaluronic acid filler injections were administered in 2023 alone, second only to Botox injections.

According to the complaint, fillers have become increasingly popular due to the growth of medispas, easier access to cosmetic injection services and the influence of social media trends. Garcia’s lawsuit notes that many of these procedures are performed on the face, making the risk of permanent lumps, scarring or disfigurement especially important to consumers deciding whether to receive the injections.

Garcia’s lawsuit indicates she received multiple Juvederm injections in her face in 2023, paying thousands of dollars out of pocket for the cosmetic procedures. In June 2026, she allegedly became extremely ill and was hospitalized due to delayed-onset granulomas that developed at the injection sites.

A granuloma is a hard lump that forms when immune cells cluster around a foreign object or area of inflammation. According to the lawsuit, granulomas from facial fillers may cause painful lumps, discoloration, scarring and disfigurement, and may require steroids, surgery or other medical treatment.

Garcia, a licensed pharmacist, claims she carefully reviews warning labels before using medications and cosmetic products. She alleges she would not have received Juvederm injections, or would have paid substantially less for them, if AbbVie had clearly warned about the risk of granulomas and delayed-onset granulomas.

Juvederm Label Allegedly Failed to Warn About Granulomas

The complaint alleges Juvederm’s warning materials mention temporary redness, swelling, firmness, lumps, bumps and discoloration, but fail to clearly warn that users may develop granulomas months or years after treatment.

Garcia claims the Juvederm label downplays the risk by describing nodules and delayed inflammation as generally temporary or responsive to treatment, without warning that granulomas may cause lasting facial scarring or disfigurement.

The lawsuit also points to Juvederm’s consumer-facing website, which Garcia says she reviewed before the injections. According to the complaint, the site listed common side effects but failed to mention granulomas, delayed-onset granulomas, severe disfigurement or nodules in its side effect discussion.

Garcia alleges AbbVie and its Allergan subsidiary knew or should have known about the risk before she received the injections. The lawsuit cites regulatory materials indicating Juvederm studies identified injection-site lumps, bumps and nodules in some users, which Garcia claims should have prompted stronger warnings about delayed inflammatory reactions.

“The complete and utter failure to warn Plaintiff Garcia and Class members of the risks of Juvederm Products is not a mistake – it is a conscious choice taken in light of studies cited above which clearly discuss these risks.”

– Christina Garcia v. Abbvie Inc.

The complaint seeks class action status for U.S. consumers who purchased Juvederm products, as well as a separate class of individuals who allegedly suffered granulomas or delayed-onset granulomas after Juvederm injections.

Garcia raises claims for violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law, violations of California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act, failure to warn under strict liability and negligence theories, and unjust enrichment.

She seeks class certification, statutory damages, compensation for medical costs, restitution, disgorgement of profits, injunctive relief requiring more accurate Juvederm warnings, attorneys’ fees, costs, and pre- and post-judgment interest.