Kenalog injection and subcutaneous fat atrophy?

[pinchy68]

In your experience can injection of as little as 0.1 ml of kanalog-40 (i.e. 4 mg) cause lipoatrophy (atrophy of subcutaneous fat)?
For how long can kenalog stay in one's system when injected subcutaneously?
Does such atrophy resolve itself over time?
Thank you.

[Dr. Cruise]

0.1 cc could cause lipoatrophy in areas where there is very thin, sensitive fat such as the fat under eyelid skin. It is unlikely to cause lipoatrophy in thick fat.
It can cause atrophy for up to 4 months after injection.
I have seen lipoatrophy improve with time.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Yes, depending on whether the 0.1 ml was injected in a bolus (ie only in one spot) or fanned out.  Kenalog is a potent drug and if not injected properly, it can induce fat atrophy and even thinning of the skin above the injection.

As Dr. Cruise said, in the long term, steroid-induced fat atrophy can spontaneously improve (this may take a year or two).

Dr Jacobs