Dissolving Filler

Fillers like Restylane and Juvederm are made of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in the body. It is a carbohydrate chain that contributes to the softness of our skin and joint health. In contrast, hyaluronidase is an enzyme that naturally breaks down hyaluronic acid in the body. Both occur naturally. The turnover of hyaluronic acid is perfectly normal and happens in your body everyday. 

Your body will slowly break down hyaluronic acid fillers on its own over the course of several months or a year. However, when hyaluronidase is injected into the filled area, it speeds up this process. Normally, within 48 hours, hyaluronidase has dissolved all of the filler. Some patients may even see some difference immediately after their injections. 

Does It Work For All Fillers?

Unfortunately, hyaluronidase only works for hyaluronic acid based fillers. This includes Juvederm and Restylane products, the most popular dermal fillers. Other longer lasting fillers like Radiesse, Bellafill, and Sculptra have their own antidote or can only be dissolved naturally over time. 

For Radiesse, sodium thiosulfate has shown early signs of working as a dissolving agent for the otherwise undissolvable filler. It works the same way as hyaluronidase to break down Radiesse and is injected into the same filled area. Radiesse is a thicker filler. Therefore, it can be harder to dissolve. Depending on your goals and comfort level, you should consider this before seeking fillers in Bellevue.

For Sculptra or other similar fillers, there is no immediate reversal option. In the hands of a capable and talented injector these fillers provide fantastic results with no complications. If a patient wants to dissolve these types of fillers there are not any guaranteed options. 

In cases where a patient wants their Sculptra dissolved, it requires discussion of the problems and possible treatment options. If a patient only has a localized problem with Sculptra, kenalog injections can help reduce this. 

However, if a patient is overall unhappy with their Sculptra, steroid injections can help break down the filler faster. Along with time, this is usually the best option. In extremely rare cases, fillers can be surgically removed.

 DISSOLVING FILLER VS. WAITING IT OUT

Dermal fillers are temporary. This means that if you don’t like the results, you can wait and the area will eventually go back to normal. Obviously, there are some good reasons to have your filler dissolved over waiting it out. Yet, some patients may find that waiting it out is the better option for them.

When it comes to the advantages of dissolving filler, it allows for re-treatment sooner and can fix botched filler. It also increases the safety of hyaluronic acid fillers because in the rare event of a major complication, an injector can immediately provide hyaluronidase.

When Is Waiting Best?

Waiting for your filler to dissolve naturally is sometimes the best course of action for some patients. For example, hyaluronidase can sometimes cause an allergic reaction for those allergic to bee stings. This reaction is rare. And, according to manufacturers happens in 0.1% or fewer of patients treated with hyaluronidase. If you are concerned about an allergy risk, ask your injector can conduct a patch test. This can determine if you may experience a reaction before performing the injections.

Additionally, hyaluronidase works better for more recent filler. If your filler is older, especially more than a year, the Kirkland hyaluronidase has a risk of not working as well. Often it is still worth a shot, but this is important to discuss with your injector prior to treatment. 

Furthermore, other patients may simply not want more injections to reverse filler. Or, have chosen they no longer want to receive filler injections. Therefore, when the result is not botched and there are no complications, many patients decide to wait. This solution is not right for every patient and we understand all reasons for choosing to dissolve filler.

Can I Only Partially Dissolve Filler?

It depends. Hyaluronidase dissolves hyaluronic acid. Thus, eating away at the filler until dissolved. If under injected, it may not fully dissolve filler. Therefore, using smaller doses and higher dilutions may lead to only partial dissolution. However, in many cases, your injector will recommend completely dissolving your filler to start again. If not, they will recommend the best protocol to improve the look of the filler. 

While it is possible to dissolve part of your lip filler, the hyaluronidase reacts to everyone’s body and metabolism differently. This means that some patients may need follow up injections to fully dissolve the filler. Conversely, others may see their filler disappear virtually overnight.

However, hyaluronidase injections are localized. This means that if you are having tear trough filler dissolved, the hyaluronidase injected there should not affect your lip filler. 

DISSOLVING FILLER START TO FINISH

If you choose to reverse your filler, you and your injector will discuss the options and the best one for you. This includes whether you want to undergo filler again after. As well as what your particular concerns are with your current filler. Depending on your concerns and the filler used, you may have more options than dissolution.  

Before

As a general rule, your injector will likely advise you to wait one to two weeks. This allows swelling to go down and the filler to fully settle. While filler offers immediate results, it can look bumpy as swelling subsides and the filler falls into place. Sometimes massaging can promote good results. Many filler patients see optimal results after waiting a couple weeks. 

If it has been two weeks or more, however, you are likely a good candidate for hyaluronidase injections in Kirkland. Before performing the procedure, your injector will want the details of your previous filler injections. For example, what filler you have and how much. Additionally, they may also perform a patch test to make sure you are not allergic to hyaluronidase.

Considering you were likely a good candidate for filler, hyaluronidase is usually a simple and straightforward procedure. 

During

Hyaluronidase injections work just like typical Bellevue filler injections. Your injector may use a topical anesthetic to numb the area if you wish. While you numb, your injector will prepare the injections. Once ready, they will inject the hyaluronidase into the filled area. There may be multiple injection sites to ensure even results or if treating a symmetric area like the cheeks.

The injections usually take no more than ten or fifteen minutes to complete. You should feel little to no pain. Sometimes there may be some slight discomfort from the injections. However, this can be easily treated with numbing gel. 

After

Immediately following hyaluronidase injections, you may see some visible difference within a few minutes. Although, this will vary between patients. The hyaluronidase will continue working after you leave The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery office. Usually, within two days it has achieved dissolving all the filler it will. 

If you want to have the area re-treated with a filler, you should wait at least two weeks to ensure the hyaluronidase is gone. As well as to make sure you do not need any follow up hyaluronidase treatments. 

It is perfectly normal for the treatment area to look a little deflated and possibly be slightly dehydrated. This is because the hyaluronidase can occasionally eat away at natural hyaluronic acid. Typically, your body’s hyaluronic acid regenerates quickly without causing long lasting issues. Swelling and bruising is sometimes seen. Luckily, like with filler injections, it usually resolves within a few days to a week.

BENEFITS AND RISKS

Hyaluronidase has many benefits, especially to patients stressed from filler injections gone wrong. This safe and easy procedure can reverse hyaluronic acid fillers with relatively few side effects or risks. In general, the benefits of hyaluronidase and other filler reversal agents include:

• Make filler treatments safer due to the availability of an instant antidote
• Calms the fears of first time filler patients or those nervous about a bad result
• Quick procedure and results
• Safe
• Substance is found naturally within the body
• Can fix botched filler jobs
• Relatively painless procedure
• Low risk

When it comes to the risks of hyaluronidase injections in Bellevue, there are not many associated risks. Any time you receive an injection, there is a small chance of developing an infection. This is no greater than when you have a routine vaccine. 

Generally, this procedure causes no major complications and has little risk. Usually, the worst that can happen after an injection of hyaluronidase is some bruising and swelling. All of the risks of hyaluronidase are rare and include:

• Extremely small chance of allergic reaction
• Dry or dehydrated skin that lasts for more than a month following injections

Hyaluronidase is widely accepted as a safe and effective procedure for dissolving hyaluronic acid fillers. Outside of dissolving fillers in Seattle, hyaluronidase has other medical uses. These include aiding your body in the absorption of other medications, treating dehydration, and making X-ray results clearer.

THE PREMIER DESTINATION FOR DISSOLVING FILLER IN SEATTLE, BELLEVUE, AND KIRKLAND

At The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery, our world class injectors perform only the best techniques for injecting filler, BOTOX, and hyaluronidase. Experts in their craft, we can help you dissolve old, botched filler. As well as re-inject the best filler in Seattle, Bellevue, and Kirkland. Fixing filler and getting rid of old injections can be a stressful process. This is why board-certified cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jonov and our physician trained injectors offer the gold standard of filler dissolving injections.

Our state accredited facility provides a private comfortable environment for your hyaluronidase in Seattle. We offer amenities such as hot coffee, water, tea, and cookies baked fresh everyday. 

Dr. Craig Jonov has provided premier injectables to the Seattle community for nearly two decades. Selected as an educator for Radiesse, he understands the intricacies of injecting filler and, in turn, hyaluronidase. We rarely need to utilize it for filler injections at The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery. However, keep it on hand for safety purposes and for patients who had filler injected elsewhere. Dr. Jonov and the injectors provide hyaluronidase to patients in the Seattle, Bellevue, and Kirkland areas.

To schedule a consultation at The Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery, call us at 425-775-3561. Or, additionally, contact us online using the form above.