Dermal fillers have become a popular way to combat wrinkles and give you more youthful-looking skin. With your body reducing the amount of collagen it produces from your mid-twenties, this treatment is an easy and effective way to reduce visible signs of ageing, rejuvenating loose skin and filling in lines for a smoother and plumper visage.
Thanks to their ability to restore facial volume, dermal fillers are a widely accepted way to reverse the ageing process and ensure a smooth, healthy and hydrated look. Having a dermal filler administered is considered a safe, minimally-invasive treatment with a low-risk profile and no downtime required — but is this process reversible, and what happens if you do want to go down the route of dissolving filler later on? In this expert guide, we’ll answer all these questions and more.
Dermal filler treatment is known for its remarkable anti-ageing properties, but what is it, exactly? Filler treatments are a type of non-surgical cosmetic procedure in which substances are injected into your face, adding volume to areas such as your lips, cheeks or under-eye area. As well as adding volume, dermal filler may also be used as an anti-wrinkle treatment, to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s also used to contour the face or revitalise the skin — it’s able to do all of this thanks to hyaluronic acid (HA).
HA is a substance that already exists in the body, playing a crucial role in skin moisture. Any cheek filler, tear trough filler or lip filler treatment you receive will typically consist of a synthetic version of this miracle substance, which has been specially formulated to mimic natural hyaluronic acid and provide the same skin-boosting benefits.
When you have a hyaluronic acid dermal filler injected by a healthcare professional, you know you’re receiving a safe and effective cosmetic treatment. Results are quick and minimal downtime is expected. Plus, you can receive treatment in as little as 30 minutes.
Common filler treatments include:
• Forehead filler (to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles)
• Non-surgical jawline reduction
Hyaluronic acid fillers have a lot of benefits. These injections are safe, FDA approved and CE marked, giving patients peace of mind when undergoing aesthetic treatments. Unlike cosmetic surgery, an injectable treatment carries minimal risk and requires no recovery time, allowing you to get back to your day-to-day activities right away.
A hyaluronic acid dermal filler will provide immediate and long-lasting results, with top-ups typically required only once per year. The right dermal filler treatment can also give you a significant confidence boost, improving your appearance in a subtle way to make your skin smoother and facial contours sharper.
The short answer is no. Permanent fillers are not recommended or provided in the UK — instead, we strongly advise softer hyaluronic acid fillers that can be dissolved. Regardless of your reason for dermal filler dissolving, a hyaluronic acid dermal filler gives you the option to change your mind anytime, allowing you to reverse the treatment. One of the main benefits of choosing dermal filler over cosmetic surgery is that it can be reversed with very few side effects, so if you ever decide to dissolve lip fillers, tear trough fillers or any other type of injectable treatment, you can do so knowing that it won’t have a negative impact on your health or appearance.
If you don’t want to have filler dissolving treatment but do want to embrace a fully natural look once more, you also have the option to let your filler dissolve naturally. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule that generally dissolves and is excreted by the body within 18 months, leaving your skin just as it was before any aesthetic treatments.
It’s a fascinating question to consider: why go through the process of having fillers injected, only to decide you no longer want them after a few months?
A patient’s reasons for dermal filler dissolving are entirely their own, but a reversal may be necessary because, under the hand of an inexperienced injector or non-medical practitioner, fillers can be injected unequally, incorrectly or to an excessive amount. Hyaluronidase enables clinicians to correct any mistakes or make fine tweaks to the procedure afterwards.
In a small number of cases, dermal filler dissolving may be sought for medical reasons, to release any excessive pressure to the skin and maintain patency of circulation. In these rare situations, filler dissolving is carried out for your safety. Ensuring your safety is of the utmost importance to us at Harley Street MD, which is why we only use fillers that are dissolvable. We have a team of expert clinicians with experience in injecting and dissolving fillers.
Dissolving your dermal fillers will only be a possibility if you opt for hyaluronic acid-based injectables, as these are non-permanent and able to be dissolved by an enzyme called hyaluronidase. The process of dissolving dermal fillers involves injecting hyaluronidase into the skin with a fine needle — a quick treatment that’s similar to the initial filler procedure.
The hyaluronidase enzyme breaks down the hyaluronic acid that your fillers are made of. The solution works by breaking up the bonds that hold the HA molecules together, encouraging the body to reabsorb these molecules through a completely natural process. This simple yet effective filler dissolving treatment restores your face to its original form and has hardly any side effects — your skin may look slightly red for a few hours, and sometimes mild bruising may occur.
At the hands of medical professionals, the risk of complications with fillers is very low. Nonetheless, it is always advisable to have a backup solution for your safety and your doctors’ peace of mind. It is our expert recommendation that you use only hyaluronic acid-based fillers when undergoing an injectable facial treatment, as other types of fillers such as silicone can be very difficult to reverse.
If you’d like to speak to an expert about dermal filler treatments or get some help figuring out which cosmetic treatment is right for you, our professional team would love to hear from you. Get in touch to book a no-obligation consultation with our aesthetic treatment specialists, who will guide you through your options and help you achieve flawless results.
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