Over time, as facial movement increases in areas like the lips or cheeks, it causes the filler to break down and dissolve at a quicker rate. This makes the filler disappear faster in more active areas of the face.
Like most things in life, dermal fillers do not last forever. You can keep your post-filler appearance by sticking to a regular touch-up schedule, but your filler will eventually disappear if left alone.
How long do the results typically last? Just like any other skincare procedure, individual results will vary. “Some dermal fillers can last for 6 to 12 months, while other dermal fillers can last 2 to 5 years,” says Dr. Sapna Palep of Spring Street Dermatology.
Only hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, like Juvederm, Restylane, and Belotero, can be dissolved.
Yes, your filler can be dissolved if it lasts longer than 1 year, but it needs to be a hyaluronic acid filler. Hyaluronic Acid based filler can be dissolved at anytime with Hyaluronidase.
There's a shift in the world of fillers right now, with more patients dissolving their fillers and, then (sometimes), refilling the area. Chalk it up to filler fatigue, poorly done fillers, migrating product, or a desire not to look so overtly plump—there's no denying the uptick in dissolution.
The effects of the fillers will wear off after months or years, but the treated area is likely to return to its original state. The benefits of both Botox and fillers will be gone and you'll notice that those lines and volume loss will come back.
As well as stretching of the skin, excessive use of fillers can result in longer term damage including wrinkling of the lip and disturbance of the attachment of the facial fat pads and some degree of irregularity and ageing of the skin, he explains.
When you have had too much filler, then you may appear to have a bulging forehead, an overly pointy and sharp chin, and overly protruding cheekbones. Furthermore, the filler can stretch and weigh down your skin over time, which is known as filler fatigue.
So while the body naturally breaks them down over time, there is a way to speed up the process: Injections of hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase is what the body produces naturally to break down fillers, so by injecting more, it allows the lips to regain natural shape quicker, usually going down within 3-4 days.
Massage can encourage the filler to be broken up by the body more quickly. But in practice this still takes a long time (like weeks of daily vigorous massage) to improve the outcome. This may also spread the product over a larger area causing more problems.
If you're big into exercise, your fillers may metabolize faster than those with a more sedentary lifestyle. This shouldn't deter you from an active life or lip fillers though. Dermal fillers dissolve as your body metabolizes them, so patients with an increased metabolism may notice their fillers disappearing sooner.
"Theoretically, all filler has the ability to migrate," says Dr. Diamond. "That is why it is so imperative that non-surgical injectable services are performed by experts with the anatomical knowledge to prevent this from happening.
In addition, Voluma is a solid filler which gives it the advantage of not migrating to the surrounding tissues. For patients who want more dramatic changes, Voluma allows for more product to be placed with less risk of displacement.
Dr. Frank says the best way to deal with migration is to dissolve the filler with hyaluronidase (an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid gels). In just a few hours, hyaluronidase softens the filler and returns the lips to a more natural shape, projection, and size.
Dissolving filler is a very simple and quick treatment. It involves no more than 1-4 injections of hyaluronidase into the area that the filler needs to be dissolved, meaning the treatment time takes up to only 10 minutes.
The filler will start to break down and soften immediately, although depending on the location and how much needs to be dissolved, it may take up to two weeks for it to completely dissolve and settle back to natural.
Intense heat on the skin can make your filler break down more quickly or produce less effective results. Ideally, you should avoid exposure to intense heat for at least 12 to 24 hours after your appointment.
I suggest leaving the filler alone. Don't squeeze it. The product should settle given more time. If after a few days there is no improvement, follow up with your injector.
While it is possible for fillers to migrate, this side effect is extremely rare and can be avoided by choosing a qualified injector. Though filler migration is very uncommon, its likelihood increases when fillers are performed by an inexperienced or underqualified injector.
When too much filler is injected into one area it's too much for the lips to hold and it migrates. Lip filler migrating can also be caused by injections placed too close together. If they aren't spaced properly, it can cause the skin to be filled too quickly, forcing it to migrate.
Pillow face is a condition that occurs as a result of a person getting over-injected with dermal fillers in their face. This leads to an overstuffed look, which causes the checks and other areas of the face to puff out.
Excessive use of fillers distorts natural face features, causing an aged appearance. When the face becomes distorted this makes you look unnatural. And an unnatural look will make you look disproportioned. A hallmark of beauty is proportions.
Con: Potential Side Effects
Patients usually experience minor bruising for 24 hours to several days. Other symptoms include rashes, swelling, and potential infection. Over time, patients may feel the filler moving away from the desired area, or, although extremely rare, develop lumps under the skin.