Facial fillers can be dissolved if not happy with the procedure | Columnists

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Facial fillers can be dissolved if not happy with the procedure | Columnists


Dr. Kelly: I want to try using facial fillers like Juvéderm, but what if I don’t like the results? Can they be dissolved?

Response. Actually, these products can be dissolved. The majority of facial fillers are made from Hyaluronic Acid.

This is the same gel that is present in your knee joint. The gel is injected into areas of facial fat loss, acting as a substitute for fat that has been lost through aging. As we get older, this fat loss causes the face to deflate, leading to an aged, collapsed appearance. Typical areas for injections include the temples, tear troughs, cheeks, and jawline. I inject them in patients every day and they look natural. Most fillers will gradually dissolve on their own within 6 months to a year. Patients love the results.

But what if you are injected and don’t like the way the fillers look? They can be dissolved by injecting Hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase (trade name Hylenex) is an enzyme that causes the breakdown of Hyaluronic acid fillers. It can be injected into an area of filler and the filler will go away. The injection of Hylenex can cause bruising and swelling, but that is uncommon. Usually, the filler will go away quickly, within hours to a few days.

Recently, I used Hylenex to dissolve previously injected fillers in a patient who wanted fat grafting during their upcoming face lift. Even though he had a nice result from the fillers in the cheeks, he still needed fat grafting to the temples so he wanted to replace the cheek fillers with fat. This is because fat tends to last longer and he wanted to decrease the frequency of needing injectables in the future. I used the Hylenex a few days before surgery to dissolve the filler, then did fat grafting as part of the facelift to recreate volume. He was subsequently very happy with both the facelift as well as the look and longevity of the fat grafts. In conclusion,

Hyaluronic acid fillers are great products, and naturally dissolve over time, but it is nice to know that if you decide you want to dissolve them sooner, there is a way to do it.


About Dr. Kelly

Dr. Kelly is a board-certified Plastic Surgeon and partner in both Miami Plastic Surgery and MPS MedSpa. He has been in practice over 25 years and has been recognized by his peers both nationally and internationally as one of the best plastic surgeons in the United States. In addition to being an expert on Cosmetic Surgery, his practice encompasses the entire spectrum of non-invasive treatments such as Botox, fillers, CoolSculpting, ultrasound, lasers and radiofrequency.

He also believes in giving back to our community, having served on the Village Council for eight years and volunteering as a coach for our youth sports programs. You can email him questions at mkelly@miamiplasticsurgery.com.



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