What Are Lip Fillers
Lip fillers are one of a few injectable cosmetic treatments that give more volume, shape, and definition to the lips. Most of them are made from hyaluronic acid products, which occur naturally in the body and may attract and hold onto water, making the skin plumper and more hydrated. In instances of lip fillers, HA gives volume to the lips, hence making them full. The commonly used hyaluronic acid-based fillers in lip augmentation are brands such as Juvederm, Restylane, and Belotero.
The good news, however, is that these fillers generally offer semi-permanent solutions and tend to temporarily improve minor issues such as thin lips, lip asymmetry, or age-related volume losses. Results generally tend to last from six months to two years, depending on the type of filler applied, and other variables that include your metabolism, before the body finally starts breaking down the filler. HA fillers also induce the overproduction of collagen upon injection; this acts as an added advantage in offering even better improvement in lip texture over time.
This is attributed to the fact that lip fillers have become not only appealing, but also versatile in giving subtle enhancements. While others prefer a really dramatic increase in the size of their lips, some just want a subtle enhancement that retains natural-looking features. The lip fillers attract because of immediate results with relatively low downtime, with most people returning to regular activities within a day or two following the treatment. The process usually takes about 15-30 minutes, which positions it well as a “lunch break” cosmetic procedure.
Even though the actual process is minimally invasive, there are several possible risks. These include common side effects such as swelling, bruising, and tenderness at the site of injection. More serious complications, though rare, can include allergic reactions or vascular complications such as vascular occlusion, where the filler inadvertently blocks blood flow to an area of the lip, causing tissue damage if not treated promptly. This risk makes it very important to choose an experienced, medically trained injector who understands facial anatomy.
Why Dissolve Fillers
Dissolving lip fillers might be required due to a few reasons, the most common of which is aesthetic dissatisfaction from the results. Sometimes, patients feel results are not as they expected, whether because the lips look too big, uneven, or they simply do not match their expectations for their facial features. Other patients do it after first attaining a look of high drama but later wanting a more natural look.
In others, there are medical indications to dissolve the fillers. Some people may develop side effects like delayed-onset nodules, lumps, or persistent swellings. This may happen weeks or even months from the date of injection, caused by an immune reaction, infection, or a very poor injection technique. If the placement of fillers is too superficial, this may also lead to an unnatural humping of what has been called a “duck lip” because the upper lip juts out unnaturally.
A more serious but less common complication is vascular occlusion, where the filler has inadvertently blocked a blood vessel, thereby diminishing blood flow to the lip or tissue surrounding it. If this is not treated promptly, the result could be tissue necrosis, or death of the tissue; in such cases, it may be necessary to dissolve the filler with hyaluronidase in order to restore blood flow and prevent permanent damage.
Another indication that may require the dissolution of a filler is the migration of the filler from the site of injection. Migration occurs when the product works its way beyond the injection site to eventually fall into the surrounding tissue or upward toward the nose, creating an unnatural and asymmetrical appearance. This might happen immediately following a procedure or possibly over time, depending on the particular injection technique and type of filler used. Many of these cases require the dissolution of the migrated filler to recreate a natural appearance.
Quite often, individuals may feel their enhanced lips no longer suit their changing personal style or aesthetic preferences. Facial structure and elasticity change with age, which may offer a course of unbalancing or disproportion in the lips over time. Dissolving fillers allows individuals to return back to their natural appearance or opt for a different approach to lip enhancement. Some may even experience after the process, which is why it’s essential to understand how to address these concerns.
How Dissolving Works
It is generally considered that a dissolution of lip fillers necessitates the input of an enzyme known as hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase happens to be a naturally-occurring enzyme that leads to the breakdown of hyaluronic acid, a form in which most lip fillers are composed. If administered topically around the area where the filling has been made, hyaluronidase works really fast in degrading the HA molecules into smaller bits which the body then reabsorbs and metabolizes naturally. This is how the bad effects of the hyaluronic acid-based fillers may be reversed.
Dissolving fillers is normally a quick, straightforward process. First of all, the doctor will visually evaluate the lips and calculate how much filler material needs to be dissolved. Most patients have to go through a patch test first, which ensures they do not have any allergic reactions to hyaluronidase. Though rare, allergic reactions can occur, so this is often a precaution. Now that the injection site has been identified, hyaluronidase injections are given into the lips at the sites where filler material currently resides.
Hyaluronidase begins to take effect almost right away and the results are visible within 24 to 48 hours. Filtration degradation: It continues for a few days. The final effect will most likely surface completely within one week. Where the material filled is rather thick and used in large quantities, there might be a need for more than one session with hyaluronidase in order to dissolve it completely. Even dissolution may be better demanding a more focused approach when cases with migrated filler or lumps are involved.
When talking about effectiveness, hyaluronidase is greatly effective at dissolving fillers. It does, however cause the breaking down of some of your body’s natural hyaluronic acid within surrounding tissue, resulting in temporary loss of volume. This would take longer to replace naturally. However most individuals report that their lips return to their appearance once the hyaluronic acid has dissolved completely.
Is It Safe
Lip fillers dissolving is, in general, a very safe and effective procedure if it is performed by an appropriate healthcare professional. The enzyme used to dissolve hyaluronic acid fillers, hyaluronidase, has been used for many years: it is both a cosmetic medicine product and a clinical agent used in a number of specialties including ophthalmology and plastic surgery.
Most common side effects are swelling, redness, and tenderness at the site of injection. These are usually mild and resolve within a few hours to two or three days. Allergic reactions to hyaluronidase do occur; therefore, an allergy test should be conducted before the procedure, primarily in sensitive patients.
If the dissolving process is not done optimally, then it will cause unevenness on the lips. Some patients may have slight dimpling or irregularities in that area once the filler is dissolved. It could often be corrected with further treatments, either through additional injections of hyaluronidase or with the application of new filler as required.
Hyaluronidase also degrades some of the body’s natural hyaluronic acid, which help to retain skin hydration and volume. That’s why in some cases, there is transient loss of volume within the patient’s lips following this treatment. But most of the time, their volume will return because the body begins replacing its own hyaluronic acid through regeneration.
A 2021 clinical study, published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, showed the safe and effective dissolution of hyaluronic acid fillers 95% of the time with only minimal complications. The success rate shows the potency of hyaluronidase for filler reversal and also its value in vascular occlusion, one of the rarest complications.
Recovery Time
Generally, recovery after the dissolution of lip fillers is short and uncomplicated. Immediately after the procedure, most people will experience a day or two of mild swelling, redness, or tenderness in the area treated. In most instances, these symptoms remain mild and often clear up on their own without requiring medical attention.
It is advised to avoid activities that may increase swelling or irritation, such as strenuous exercise, heat exposure (like saunas or hot showers), and alcohol intake during the first 24 hours after the procedure. Patients are also counseled not to massage or touch their lips, as this can interfere with the resorption of the filling material and may cause irregularities.
While the visible results of hyaluronidase may appear within 24 to 48 hours, complete recovery and final lip appearance may take up to one week. This is because the lips need more time to completely settle and readjust after the dissolving of the filler, particularly in cases where there was significant swelling or if multiple treatment sessions were necessary.
In some instances, when a larger amount of filler has been dissolved or in cases of highly migrated fillers, patients may feel slight skin irregularities or texture changes in the lips, such as slight dimpling. Usually, this is temporary, and if necessary, it can be treated with follow-up cosmetic procedures like microneedling or laser treatments.
Costs Involved
Prices to dissolve lip fillers can vary greatly depending on geographical location, the amount of filler to be dissolved, and the practitioner’s expertise. On average, the cost ranges from $150 to $500 per session, though prices may be higher in major metropolitan areas or high-end clinics.
Some charge according to the amount of hyaluronidase used, while others offer flat-rate pricing for the procedure. If more than one session is needed to dissolve all of the filler, the total cost will increase accordingly. Additionally, if you plan to have new fillers injected after dissolving the old ones, be aware that the cost of the new filler will be added.
These treatments are generally considered non-essential cosmetic procedures, and dissolving fillers is usually not covered by insurance. However, in rare cases, if the filler needs to be dissolved due to medical complications like vascular occlusion, partial or full coverage may be available under certain insurance plans. It’s advisable to confirm this with your insurance provider in such cases.
Patients should also consider the potential expenses for follow-up treatments in the event of complications from dissolving fillers, such as lumpy texture or loss of volume in the lips. Some patients may opt for skin rejuvenation treatments like microneedling, laser treatments, or even additional dermal fillers to enhance the smooth and even appearance of their lips after dissolution. These additional treatments will add to the overall cost.
Things to Expect
If you are considering dissolving your lip fillers, here are a few important things to consider: it’s a very quick procedure—in most instances, the actual dissolving process will take less than 30 minutes. However, you should allow a few days to a week for the full effects to become apparent, as the hyaluronidase continues to break down the filler.
It is common to have mild swelling, redness, and tenderness post-procedure, similar to the reactions seen after the initial injection of fillers. These symptoms usually settle within a day or two, and most patients can resume their normal activities almost immediately.
Although the majority of people are satisfied with their results after a single hyaluronidase treatment, additional treatments may sometimes be necessary for larger quantities of filler or when there is significant filler migration. The final appearance of the lips might also differ slightly from the pre-filler lips, especially if the fillers have been in place for an extended period of time.
It’s not uncommon for patients to feel apprehensive about how their lips will look after the filler is completely dissolved. Most are pleased when their natural lips revert to their normal size and shape once the dissolution process is complete. If the lips appear smaller than expected, it may be due to the filler having stretched the lip tissue, which will retract with time.
If you plan on getting new fillers injected after dissolving the old ones, it’s important to wait at least two weeks between treatments. This gives the lips enough time to heal and settle completely, ensuring that the results of future filler treatments are even and predictable.
