What You Should Know Before You Dissolve Your Lip Fillers

We live in an era where getting a little nip and tuck here or there has become par for the course. With so much work being done, from fillers and Botox to full-on procedures, a lot of risks are involved. It often seems normalized, but there's a lot that could go wrong. 

When getting filler, the first step you can take to avoid any mishaps is to thoroughly research the doctor or cosmetic nurse carrying out your procedure. There are also a number of steps you can take to minimize the chance of any bad reaction,s such as avoiding waxing or tanning the area and even avoiding alcohol in the 24 hours leading up to the procedure, per Weiler Plastic Surgery.

However, you still cannot predict the unavoidable likelihood of not liking the results. You could suddenly realize you aren't a fan of how they look, or you could even like them initially but, after some time, grow to hate how your filler looks. Enter: dissolving lip filler. That's right, a procedure exists that can reverse the effects of your lip filler. But when a procedure that reverses work rather than getting work done costs between $150 to $500, you need to know what you're getting yourself into (via Derm Collective). 

Over the past year, beauty fans have begun to notice their favorite celebrities reversing the work they've gotten done and opting for a more natural look, from Kylie Jenner claiming to dissolve her lip fillers to rumors of Khloé Kardashian reversing her BBL, per Capital Xtra. But the procedure of reversing the work you've gotten done isn't a simple off button. The process can be complicated and come with an adjustment period that not many people talk about. 

"Demand for filler dissolving is increasing for two reasons: Sometimes people get filler from inexperienced practitioners and have complications which need correcting," Dr. Kaywaan Khan explains, the founder of Hannah London, told Women's Health Magazine. However, Dr. Khan explains that sometimes it's simply a matter of people wanting to start the process over with a new round of filler. Regardless of your reason, you should understand what dissolving lip filler entails. 

The process of dissolving your lip filler is similar to getting them: it's done by injecting something into your lips called hyaluronidase. "The dissolver is an enzyme called hyaluronidase that dissolves the hyaluronic acid pretty much right on contact," Dr. Doris Day explains, per New Beauty. "It can sting or burn on injection, and then the area is gently massaged to help increase contact with the solution and the hyaluronic acid." 

In fact, many have found that the dissolving process is noticeably more painful than getting them done in the first place. And the process doesn't end at that first injection.

Dissolving your lip fillers isn't as one-and-done as getting filler injected. "It's possible to dissolve lip fillers within one procedure, which can take around 15 minutes. But, I always warn patients that they might need two sessions to actually get the results that they require," Dr. Jonquille Chantrey explained to Women's Health Magazine. Visibly, you can immediately see the impact of your lip filler getting dissolved. Once the hyaluronidase is injected, you'll notice the filler beginning to fade by first expanding, per Healthline. However, it may take a couple of days to notice the actual removal of the filler.

The most important thing you should be prepared for is that it gets worse before it gets good. Swelling is part of the filler process, and it's even more so part of the dissolving process. A common concern once the swelling subsided is that you'll be left with deflated-looking lips, but don't worry. Dr. Marina Peredo explains, "They're not going to be stretched out, but often the natural outcome is so much better than the over-inflated look" (via New Beauty). "However, if lips are not proportionate when you dissolve them, you can get them re-filled but it's the hardest thing to convince patients to take a break in between to see how they settle."

Getting lips dissolved is a more complex process, so it's even more important to find an experienced and qualified injector — almost more important than when going for lip fillers!