Our first advice is, “Do not get filler with the view that it can always be dissolved”!
More and more beauticians or people without a medical background are offering to ‘fix the duck lips’ or ‘correct your trout pout’ on social media. The problem is that amateur filler dissolving can be just as dangerous – if not more dangerous – than amateur dermal filler injections.
The substance that dissolves hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers is called hyaluronidase, a prescription-only medication.
Hyaluronidase was never invented to dissolve dermal fillers. For 60 years, it has been used to place a local anaesthetics agent in people during surgery, so it spreads better. In cosmetic medicine, its regulated use treats vascular occlusion – a rare yet severe complication that can happen during filler injection and cause permanent tissue death.
Hyaluronidase can cause delayed allergic reactions that even patch tests don’t detect.
The advancement in the dermal filler manufacturing process means 21st-century fillers have better staying power, making them more resistant to degradation and less responsive to hyaluronidase. This may explain why some patients describe having residual filler years after their dissolving treatment.
There are patients who, after undergoing dissolving treatment with hyaluronidase, are in a worse place than initially. This is because hyaluronidase breaks down your natural HA and the injected HA.
HA in our body has a high affinity to water, and each molecule can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. So when your natural HA is depleted due to the dissolving treatment, your body’s ability to retain fluid diminishes. While most patients recover in 2-3 weeks, that is not the rule.
If we take the lips as an example, this treatment can leave patients with irregularly shaped lips and even cavities if not administered correctly. Filler expands the tissue, so the lips might be left looking stretched and baggy. Significantly, the filler also stimulates the production of scar tissue inside the lips, which can cause permanent thickening and lumps. Many patients are unaware that the results can’t always be fully reversed if they have lip fillers.
You have seen lopsided lip filler jobs in gossip magazines. You have also seen hard, swollen, and lumpy lips on social media. We have seen a proliferation of ‘filler injectors’ in Scotland, with beauticians, pharmacists, podiatrists and even hairdressers offering cut-priced injections for as little as £99. It is alarming that 70% of people choose their ‘practitioners’ from social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, utterly oblivious that lip enhancement filler injection is a medical treatment and should be carried out by a medical professional. Filler correction is, sadly, something we are regularly asked for when clients have been referred to our clinic.
With years of qualification and experience, Dr Bong is an expert in this field. Using a unique 2-step approach, he can eliminate most botched lip filler injections and replace them with natural, age-appropriate ones. This 2-step approach requires two separate visits to our clinic over a few days.
Step 1 – a liquid medication containing a specially formulated enzyme is injected into the lips to selectively and precisely dissolve the excessively or incorrectly placed filler.
Most people require only one treatment to eliminate the unwanted filler entirely. However, depending on the grade and volume of the excess filler we are trying to dissolve, some people need another treatment between 3-5 days later. Please note this will incur further cost.
Step 2 – after a few days – and should you choose to – you will be invited back to have the lip filler injection treatment repeated. Dr Bong will carefully sculpt and contour your top and bottom lips for a natural, balanced lip contour and volume enhancement. Again, we charge separately for this treatment.
How much does reversal/correction of lip filler in Glasgow cost?
This treatment is unique to each individual, depending upon various factors. Dr Bong is one of the few doctors in Scotland with the experience and skills to carry out this procedure. To get an exact costing, please schedule a consultation with Dr Bong to design a bespoke treatment approach and address any concerns you have.
As another practitioner administered your initial dermal filler treatment, there is a consultation charge of £75.00. This is non-refundable, although it is redeemable for your treatment if the filler is dissolved.
We usually charge £300-£350 per session to dissolve the unwanted filler in your lips. However, the exact cost of the procedure will be advised following your consultation.
Essence Medical Cosmetic Clinic’s founder and medical director, Dr Kieren Bong, is United Kingdom’s leading new-generation cosmetic doctor and a global leader in non-surgical facial enhancement techniques.
Dr Bong prides himself on his innovative approach to advanced non-surgical facial treatments. He is well known for his unique methods of achieving beautiful yet natural results with minimal pain and downtime. Such is his passion for delivering results which are both natural and age-appropriate. Patients have flown in from Canada, Monaco and Scandinavia for his unique touch and skills.
