I Dissolved All of My Lip Filler—Here's Every (Surprising) Thing I Learned Along the Way

Unlike some of my close friends, colleagues, and strangers on the internet, I didn't pay much attention to lip fillers (or, subsequently, lip filler dissolver). I never sucked on a shot glass to get Kylie Jenner style lips or overlined my natural Cupid's bow to achieve the Rihanna look. Frankly, I didn't even really want lip filler until an opportunity to get treated by one of New York's top aesthetic practices landed in my inbox more than two years ago. I was a fresh post-grad who couldn't afford to throw $800 metaphorically out the window to injections I didn't even know I would like. So I went, got poked and prodded, and ended up with the lips of my dreams. Sounds good on the surface, right?

The story should have ended there, but after a steady rate of hyaluronic acid lip filler appointments every few months by Instagram-famous doctors, my lips grew lopsided, bumpy, and out of control. After a work trip to South Korea last year where I re-upped my filler in order to correct a few of the flaws I self-consciously pointed out every time I looked in the mirror, I ended up—in my eyes—botched with massively migrated filler.

The experience kick-started months of late-night research sessions in which I decided dissolving my lips was the way to go. Unlike when I got my lips filled, though, I knew taking my time to look up every single step in the dissolving-lip-filler process would be worth it. After months of reading countless Reddit threads and watching hundreds of firsthand testimonials on TikTok and YouTube, I had an idea of what to expect. Let's be honest, though—most people don't have the luxury of developing a hyper-fixation with every brand of hyaluronidase (the chemical compound that reverses the effects of filler—more on that later!) approved by the FDA. So let me be your guinea pig: I got my lips dissolved over the span of a month, and here's everything I learned.

How does lip filler dissolver work?

The most common way to dissolve lip filler (or any kind of hyaluronic acid based filler like Juvéderm or Restylane) is by injecting hyaluronidase in the treatment area. In a nutshell, hyaluronidase is a chemically created enzyme that is found naturally in the body that breaks down hyaluronic acid.

Think of hyaluronidase as a fast-forward button to the way your body would naturally dissolve that filler over the span of several months. "It essentially unzips the strands of filler and allows the body to quickly metabolize the molecules of hyaluronic acid," explains David Shafer, MD, FACS, board-certified celebrity plastic surgeon and founder of the Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue. When doing my research into the best clinics in New York to melt my lips away, Shafer's practice constantly popped up, and after I checked in with our elite team of beauty editors, they affirmed my decision to head over to Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue.

Ahead of my dissolving sessions, I had a consultation with Shafer to determine exactly what I needed and how to mitigate my expectations about treatment, aftercare, and results. According to Shafer, hyaluronidase works for most people who get filler, but it's important to make sure that you have one that's actually meltable—things like silicone-based fillers or Radiesse and Sculptra will be resistant to the enzyme.

How much does it cost to dissolve your lip filler?

Most dissolving sessions will cost you $400 to $1000 per session, depending on the severity of the correction needed. It's also important to note that, depending on how much filler a patient needs dissolved and how long ago it was injected, you may need more than one treatment.

Is lip filler dissolving painful?

After they walked me through the entire process top to bottom, it was time for the treatment.

Just like the internet suggested, it hurt. A lot. While injecting lidocaine in combination with the dissolving agent or applying numbing cream prior to your treatment can help mitigate your pain, the hyaluronidase enzyme comes with a noticeable sting. The majority of the hyaluronidase enzyme was concentrated in my top lip due to the amount of migration I had around the edges of my lips and the unevenness at the corners of my mouth. Shafer told me most patients will want to come in to dissolve only the top while minimally touching their bottom lip.

What can I expect after dissolving my lip filler? How long does lip filler dissolver take to work?

While those with experience with lip filler will know that bruising and swelling are quite common for up to a week post-injection, the immediate effects of hyaluronidase are much more severe. As someone who tends to swell and bruise quite easily, I was shocked at how swollen my lips got while the enzyme began to break down the filler in my lips. Don't be afraid if your lips and philtrum (the skin between your nose and your Cupid's bow) swell to about three or four times their usual size. I briefly panicked for a bit, but thankfully, most of the intense swelling subsided within the next four to six hours, with majority of the swelling gone within 48 hours. You might experience bruising, which may take an additional three to five days to fade.

After the initial swelling subsided, truthfully, I knew I wasn't as happy as I could have been. The lumps and bumps, although significantly reduced, were still apparent—to be expected, given we were dissolving my lips blindly after I got injected with an international, non-FDA-approved filler. Learn from my mistakes: Always know what you're injecting into your lips prior to getting them filled, especially if you're abroad and hoping to save a bit of money. (In my case, it came back around to bite me in the behind!)

Will I need more than one session?

Prior to my first hyaluronidase session, Shafer explained that, more than likely, I'd have to come in twice given the amount of filler I had in my lips. For reference, I had two and a half syringes (or about half a tablespoon) of Restylane Kysse and Juvéderm Ultra injected in my lips over the span of a year and a half—not a small amount by any means.

The ideal candidate is a patient with first-time filler who recently had injections and may be unhappy with how it turned out, Shafer said. Neither of those stipulations applied to me ahead of my treatment, adding to my nerves a bit. Thankfully, though, hyaluronidase is a compounded treatment, meaning the more you add, the more likely it is to "melt" away your filler and give you your desired outcome.

After my second and final treatment, I have to admit my results were much more noticeable when compared to my starting point—especially when I began to go back to my regular makeup routine. My bumpiness and saggy pout were mostly gone, and while there was still a teeny bit of lip filler in my lips, I was overall incredibly pleased with the outcome of the second session.

What are the side effects of lip filler dissolver?

Like any procedure, dissolving your lips comes at a risk, both aesthetically and medically.

While hyaluronidase is generally considered to be pretty safe, there are tons of horror stories out there I stumbled across when researching in forums. I read dozens of firsthand accounts of people saying their lips were incredibly saggy or that they were affected by tissue loss—most likely due to over-injecting hyaluronidase. It's important to find an aesthetic practitioner or doctor who uses a light, targeted hand rather than injecting your lips at random and hoping for the best.

"If a patient had filler originally to fill a deficit or volume deflation, and then they have the filler melted, then they may be left with their original issue after the filler is gone," Shafer explained, referencing the videos of deflated or "wrinkly" lips post-injections. While I didn't have many of these side effects, patients who have had significant amounts of lip filler for longer periods of time may find their lip skin not as elastic as it once was since it was stretched out due to filler volume.

What's the final verdict?

Although dissolving my lips might have been a painful challenge with some learning curves, I can't explain how much better I feel about my overall lip shape and plumpness. In the age of social media, it's not surprising to see celebrities overfill and quickly erase the effects of lip filler every time they step out on the red carpet. Although I swore I would never be the person to get lip filler migration and have a dreaded shadow stache that happens once filler escapes the vermillion border, it happened to me. Frankly, it happens to most people given the amount of rapid injections and unskilled practitioners out there. Knowing the process on how to dissolve your lips is incredibly valuable should you ever decide you'd prefer a subtler look.

At the end of the day, I would 100% do it again (even though my good friends only slightly bullied me once I called them with my sausage lips immediately post-injections). If you're interested in it, go for it! There's nothing like feeling confident about the skin you're in, and if that means making minor tweaks to help you feel and look your best, I'm all for it.

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