47%

21 reviews

Worth It Rating Our index shows the percentage of community members saying this was "Worth it". See cosmetic treatment rankings

Hyaluronidase Cost ≈ $600 average cost

Write a review | Ask a Question

“Hyaluronidase Nightmare - Permanent Damage to Lower Eyelid Tissue?”

tried but failed 804 posts

Comments (90)
Updated 5 Jul 2009
Posted 3 Jul 2009

Not Worth It

Spent: $500 in Australia

10/08 juvederm in tear troughs for eyebags/dark circles (looked great). 04/17/09 restylane in tear troughs (top up). Unhappy with the result. 06/15/09 dissolved with hyaluronidase. All product dissolved. Big mistake! Within hours of the hyaluronidase injections my lower eyelids were terribly swollen (like large bags of water) and black - much worse than original bags.

I used Advantan steroid cream in case it was an allergy to the hyaluronidase. Not much improvement in the swelling. 06/26/09 juvederm ultra put in tear troughs because it looked so bad that I had to do something. Product was placed the same as in Oct 08, but has not had the same effect. In Oct 08 the juvederm corrected the puffiness and bags and felt 'firm' under the skin. This time the puffines and bags are still there despite the juvederm.

The skin feels spongy and there is a layer of jelly-like fluid across both of my lower eyelids, including over the juvederm (I can feel the product beneath the spongy layer). I have used all of the recommended treatments for eyelid edema - ice, cold compress, warm compress, bruise/swelling cream, caffeine lotion etc etc etc. I sleep with my head elevated. Nothing works. The puffiness and swelling remain. My left side is particularly bad.

What should I do to resolve the puffiness and swelling in the lower eyelids? Will it resolve over time? If so, how long should I expect to wait? Or has the hyaluronidase done irreversible damage to the tissue of my lower eyelids and the edema is therefore permanent? There is not much information about hyaluronidase on the internet. I look ghastly. Please help.

This review is the subjective opinion of a RealSelf member and not of RealSelf, Inc.

Vote: 5 members found this review helpful

Comments (90)

Post a Comment

Sort:

tried but failed (804 posts) 4 Jul 2009

Clearly I meant to tick the NOT worth it icon. RealSelf, can you please amend this? Thanks

Tom at RealSelf (Community Manager - 606 posts) 5 Jul 2009

you bet. we made the change. thanks for posting

Chrystal Eckes (621 posts) 9 Aug 2009

Wow, your results to this procedure sounds awful. I am sorry that you are having such awful results. Why did you change from the juvederm to the restylane if the juvederm worked well to begin with (just wondering if the doc suggested the change or if was cost issue?)? Have you gotten a 2nd opinion on what could be done to help the swelling? I do hope you find something or someone that can help you with this problem. Best, Chrystal Eckes

Chrystal Eckes (621 posts) 9 Aug 2009

messed up on that Just Wondering part: I was wondering if the doc suggested the change or if it was a cost issue or savings?

Chrystal Eckes (621 posts) 9 Aug 2009

Hey, under this post: http://www.realself.com/review/Juvederm-hyaluronidase-gave-me-water-balloons-under-my-eyes She said that she took steroids and it helped the swelling. Maybe that is something to look into.

tried but failed (804 posts) 10 Aug 2009

Hi Chrystal - the doctor gave me the Restylane WITHOUT ASKING ME if I wanted to try a different product. I had no idea it was Restylane (and not Juvederm) until I paid the bill! I am no longer concerned about the hyaluronidase nightmare - read my botox review and you will see why. The doctor thought she could 'fix' the swollen appearance under my eyes from the hyaluronidase with botox. I was so depresssed about how I looked that it did not even occur to me to ask the rational question: HOW is botox going to help swelling? Of course paralysing the eye muscles only makes swelling worse because it further diminishes the pump action around the eyes which clears fluid. To make matters worse, my skin had all broken out from the stress of the hyaluronidase fiasco so the doctor put me on antibiotics (tetracycline antibiotics called Doxycycline). I had been taking them for 18 days before the botox and then took them for 7 days after the botox. Tetracycline antibiotics are contraindicated with botox. They increase the physical effect and the side effects of botox. The doctor claimed she 'didn't know' that you are not supposed to administer botox and tetracycline antibiotics at the same time. I found it in THREE SECONDS on the internet. The Allergan literature says that certain antibiotics may potentiate the effect of botox. The physical effect on my face is awful and it was already no good from the hyaluronidase. I am seeing a plastic surgeon next week who has a sub-specialty in facial paralysis to see if he can help me make this horrible disaster on my face recover more quickly. My whole face has dropped like I have had a stroke. I simply cannot see how my poor weakened eye muscle is going to be able to pull all of my facial fat back up my face. It will need some help. The eye muscles are still completely paralysed, so it is going to be a long time before I see any improvement whatsoever.

Chrystal Eckes (621 posts) 11 Aug 2009

I am so sorry that this has happened to you. You are brave to share your story with the world. Thank you. It just goes to show you that you have to really watch the doctors and ask questions relentlessly. I don't understand why the doctor would change without consulting with you first! This is another unforgivable excuse -- she has caused you harm and what if anything has she offered to do to help with your disaster??? I do hope that you find someone who can help you. Best, chrise.

tried but failed (804 posts) 11 Aug 2009

Oh and by the way, the Restylane was MORE expensive than Juvederm!!

tried but failed (804 posts) 11 Aug 2009

Thanks for your support Chrystal - although I am very angry that Restylane was used instead of Juvederm without my permission, after reading the diabolical reviews of Radiesse and Sculptra (particularly under the eyes) I feel lucky that she didn't decide to use either of these products on me. Please keep us up to date on poor Morgan and how she is doing with her LSL nightmare. I hope the infection clears up soon for her. Best, TbF

Chrystal Eckes (621 posts) 12 Aug 2009

Thank you. I will keep you informed about Morgan. All we know right now that it is a raging infection and she will be on IV antibiotics in the hospital for at least one wee, maybe more. It really is very sad and bad. Best, Chrystal Eckes

tried but failed (804 posts) 13 Aug 2009

Thanks Chrystal - I'll keep an eye out for your updates on Morgan.

Chrystal Eckes (621 posts) 15 Aug 2009

Morgan is still receiving IV antibiotics and is being tested and biopsy (multiple) for other areas. Christana23 Sister is also in the hospital - you can read her post on the last page of my bio. Lets all pray for their speedy recoveries so they can come online here and tell their stories. Get better soon! Chrystal Eckes.

tried but failed (804 posts) 16 Aug 2009

My best wishes to both Morgan and Christana23. Thank you for keeping us updated Chrystal. I will keep looking out for your posts. Cheers, TbF

Hopeitgoesaway (17 posts) 14 Sep 2009

How is your swelling coming along from the Hyaluronidase?

susan19713 (4 posts) 13 Feb 2010

I have the same problem. I had Juvederm in the tear troughs in 4/08, by a opthamalic plastic surgeon. It looked horrible - swollen and blue, so I had the hyalurondase injected several months later. I haven't had anything at all done since then, and I have baggy lower eyelids now, more on the left than right. It looks like I need a lower bleph. I'm not sure if there's anything that can be done other than that. Does anyone know?

tried but failed (804 posts) 14 Feb 2010

I am so sorry to hear that this has been with you for almost two years! I agree that hyaluronidase does permanent damage to natural tissue, but in my case some of the puffiness under my eyes is related to botox. I am not sure how much is hylauronidase and how much is botox, so I am currently waiting out the botox horror to see what damage is left. You have never had botox under your eyes? In answer to your question, I am sad to say that I think that the only thing that will fix the area under your eyes is a lower blepharoplasty. I am looking into this myself for the middle of this year (a full year after the hylaluronidase/botox disasters). I am afraid of surgery so if you find a different option, then I would love to hear it. Cheers

eyeschicago (167 posts) 20 Mar 2010

I'd suggest stopping the botox for awhile and see whether it improves. What I thought was bad filler was actually eye fat pad herniation (sounds gross -- fat that is usually held back by the muscles under and surrounding the eye comes forward because the muscle gets too weak to hold it back).

psoldoff (29 posts) 27 Feb 2010

Hi..The pillows under my eyes are still there and mostly the same. Little blobs of the juvaderm van be seen migrating down my skin under my eyes as well. (very good looking!NOT!) Its been 19 months now, I cant find an attorney who will help. I am saving for a lower eye lift to remedy at this point. How are yours coming along? I think both of had our lymph glands injured or tear ducts. ALSO my eyes are dry feeling and uncomfortable much of the time. I am thinking of seeing an ophthamologist. Good luck! Pam S.

tried but failed (804 posts) 28 Feb 2010

Hi Pam - I feel your pain! I have seen your review and was absolutely shocked by your photos. Lots of people on this site have encouraged you to sue your doctor. I am disappointed that you cannot find an attorney to help you but I am not surprised. I am a litigation attorney. I live in Australia. I am not a medical negligence lawyer but I do know that it is very difficult to succeed in these types of claims, no matter where you live. In Australia it generally takes about 3 to 8 years to resolve a personal injury/medical negligence claim and it is a very expensive process especially if it progresses to litigation in Court. The reason why most lawyers won't take 'cosmetic injury' claims is because the amount of money you might get if you win will not even cover the legal costs involved. It is not like you are in a wheelchair or have gone blind or are unable to work because of it etc etc etc. It is very hard to put 'my face is ruined' into dollar terms. This is the reality of the legal process. At the very least I hope you have reported your adverse event to the FDA and manufacturer as well as reported the doctor to the State Medical Board and the relevant consumer complaints office. I think you might call it a Better Business Bureau? Sorry if my terminology is a bit wrong but the government departments and reporting system is different in Australia! I think making these reports is probably the best you can do. This is all I have done even though I am qualified to represent myself in a law suit if I wanted to. Not worth it. Like your doctor, my doctor made a terrible mistake. She should have known that the tetracycline antibiotics she prescribed me would react very badly with the botox. The ineptitude of your doctor almost defies description. I think both of the mistakes made in our cases were well below the standard of care required of a medical practitioner. But how do I put what it has cost me into dollar terms? Refund of the procedures + my face is destroyed + I now need a blepharoplasty (again this would be considered cosmetic) + my confidence, self-esteem, social life is ruined = ??????? I would never bother to sue - most people don't bother unless they are hideously disfigured or disabled by the procedure. Most doctors know this and that is why some doctors can be so cavalier and careless about cosmetic procedures. In any event, you must be running out of time? You say it has been 19 months and you now consider the damage to be permanent. Do you have a statute of limitations for personal injury/medical negligence claims in the US? In Australia, it is two years. So what to do next? I have the money for a lower blepharoplasty but I do not have the courage. I need it but I think it is too early for me because the botox is not even close to wearing off, even after 8 months. Any surgeon would not be looking properly at my face because everything is in the wrong place and the muscles are not working properly. If you are considering a lower blepharoplasty, I would suggest that you let your botox wear off before the procedure. I am also concerned about a blepharoplasty when there are lymphatic drainage problems present. Some of the reviews on RealSelf (and I have read them all!) say that lymphatic drainage problems get WORSE after a blepharoplasty. This is very concerning. I certainly don't see the harm in having a consultation with an ocular plastic surgeon (spend the money and find a good one!) and I intend to consult with one in about July, which will be a full year after the botox disaster. I am actually considering coming to the US and having Dr Blinski from RealSelf look at my eyes and face to give me some advice. I also think I need a cheek lift as well as a lower blepharoplasty because my face has been dropped so badly from the botox error for so long that I don't think it will ever recover on its own. Dr B's comments on this website are unbelievably honest - he actually admits that some procedures don't work! - and he doesn't seem to mind helping to correct the errors of other doctors. I have lost a lot of faith in the medical profession but my gut feel is that he is damned good at his job and he can be trusted to do the right thing by his patients. I don't want to speak for him, but I am confident if he thought some other doctor was better placed to help me, then he would refer me to them rather than take the money for himself. I am not sure where you live but he is in Miami. Might be worth the trip? Let us know how you get on with the opthalmologist. Clearly it is time for those of us with long-term damage from these mistakes to start looking forward and planning how we can get our faces back. Let's take it slowly and not rush into anything. I think if I can look as much like myself as possible by Christmas 2010 then I will be happy. At the moment I am just researching, researching, researching. A massively valuable resource regarding blepharoplasty on RealSelf is Vickisue. She had a shocking upper and lower blepharoplasty about 7 years ago or so. By her posts, she seems to know just about everything and I think it would be worth you sending her an email. I am going to too. Good luck to you too and I look forward to hearing from you. Cheers, K

eyeschicago (167 posts) 2 Mar 2010

I am so sorry to hear about this. I am having the same problem all of a sudden ... horrible dry eye. My eyes have always been a little dry, but now they absolutely ache. I'm looking into a lower bleph. I am in my early forties and was looking into it anyway, but I am even more scared of surgery now that I've seen what can go wrong just with filler. I do think, though, that part of the reason my eyes are "baggy" after hyalorinidase is that SOME of the Restylane still remains. It was just injected too superficially. I had partially fixed this a few weeks back, but the black lines around my eyes are back now. The restylane I had added to cover the black lines the hyaluronidase was only a tiny amount and it is wearing off. I know all this sounds complicated. Your post scares me because it sounds as though this issue either takes forever to resolve or doesn't resolve. I wondered if you could tell me how much hyaluronidase you had injected. Was it just once? How many needle pricks for each treatment? I had the tiniest amount, but in a way I am wondering if it was just enough to make me look awful and not enough to take away the badly placed Restylane, thus leaving me with the worst of both treatments (hyaluronidase black troughs plus "bags" of superficially placed Restylane).

tried but failed (804 posts) 3 Mar 2010

I'm so sorry for your bad result too. Your story is not complicated to me - I totally understand what you are saying because I think the same or similar happened to me. The hyaluronidase injections dissolved the restylane in my tear troughs but left an indent in the skin where the filler used to be. I had two injections on either side - one along the orbital bone quite close to my nose and the other just underneath my tear trough. My review describes the black eyes and swelling I got overnight. It was hideous. And so were the indentation where the dissolved filler used to be. My medical records have mysteriously disappeared so I can't tell you how much I had injected or the concentration. Sorry! I would really love to know this myself!!!! It felt like quite a lot for only four injections in total and it burned like battery acid under the skin during the injections. In my experience, having hyaluronic dermal filler re-injected after dissolving some with hyaluronidase does cause black lines in the tear trough area. I have been very patient in waiting for these black lines to disappear (9 months!) but they haven't gone away. I think re-filling of restylane/juvederm in an area already traumatised by hyaluronidase causes some major damage to the blood vessels there. If I look closely in the mirror then I can see some broken blood vessels under my eyes that were not there before. I also have brownish-rusty coloured hemosiderin/melanin staining in the areas where the hyaluronidase was injected under the tear trough at the top of my cheek bone. It has not gone away either. So many things went wrong for me in such a short space of time (hyluronidase, refill dermal filler, botox) that I thought the only sensible thing to do was to wait it out or I would just continue to make mistakes, primarily from listening to the advice of clueless doctors. It has been a LONG and LONELY 9 months, but I just couldn't see any other way to stop it from getting worse. I have done nothing but wait (and hope) since 10 July 2009. In your case, your hypothesis that there is still some undissolved restylane from the first lot + not enough refill restylane to cover the indentation sounds very reasonable. Swolleneye went back for more hyaluronidase and it helped, but she didn't have the added complication of a re-fill like us. How many injections do you really want to have around your eyes?? What date did you have the vitrase injected and how long did you wait for the refill? I only waited two weeks for the refill and in hindsight it was a mistake. The area was still swollen and traumatised but it looked so bad and I had to keep going to work so I couldn't see any other choice but to have the refill of juvederm to cover up the tear trough indentations. Did you get milia (the tiny white cysts) in the tear trough area after the filler or hyaluronidase? I did. Still have them too. I think the black line discolouration is blood-related and/or from broken vessels either from the hyaluronidase or all the injections. I want to try a vascular laser to try to reduce the discolouration but I can't find the courage. I could not bear to have anything else go wrong. In any event, this will not fix the loose skin or puffy bags under my eyes, which is why I am thinking of a blepharoplasty. Too terrified for that at the moment too because so many things can go wrong. I am frozen with fear of any future disaster. I don't know what to do. When are you thinking of having the blepharoplasty? Have you ever had botox for crows feet or around your eyes? Botox is a big part of the horrible look under my eyes and also some of the reason I am reluctant to have surgery just yet. I want to be sure that it has worn off before I go down that path. Please write back and let us know what you decide to do. Best wishes and best of luck. Cheers, K

psoldoff (29 posts) 7 Mar 2010

Thank you for your response! I didn't know that lower eyelid lifts can make lymphatic drainage worse..yikes.Thats something to check into. What you said makes total sense about attorneys realizing this is NOT a big money case. I haven't really lost work,or damages monetarily, just felt bad being SEEN at work! I spent this morning hot packing then cold packing my eyes like usual. Its sad huh? I am thinking of calling the Dr that did this and saying, "Look, I'm gonna smear your name all over and report you to medical board etc if you don't pay for me to get corrective surgery..." I just don't think I'm brave enough. (maybe in writing...) There is only 2 years to sue in CO and I think I have talked to every medical malpractice atty in the state at this point! Some days, I get excited btw cause my eyes seem to look ALMOST normal, but then next day will be puffy again. I never had the hydro-acid treatment cause I heard horrer stories about it and waas afraid of anything else being injected into the area due to the huge hematoma I got from the first injections. So are your eye problems caused by botox? I get botox but have never experienced problems with it b4. (I get it for "11"s and crows feet) Anyway, thank you so much for your feedback, hope things get better for you!! Keep me informed! Pam S

psoldoff (29 posts) 7 Mar 2010

A second Dr told me that my eyes were also injected too superficially There is a "ridge" that they need to get under he said. I never had the hyaluronidase at all because I didnt trust anyone to inject ANYTHING correctly after the first mishap and hematoma etc. Sounds like you really got a raw deal too. NO attorney wants to take my case. Im still hoping for mine to get better. I heat pack and cold pack and every once in a while I have a "good" day where I feel like my eyes are getting better...then they puff back up! (treatment was July 08) ALSO there are little balls of the juvaderm sliding down my cheekbones now! (extremely attractive! NOT!) I am also thinking bleph at this point...BUT now I was warned in another post that lymph problems can get worse after the surgery. I do think its time to start talking to surgeons. Anyway, keep me informed ok, and good luck to you! Pam

eyeschicago (167 posts) 8 Mar 2010

Hi, K (tried but failed). I made the mistake of listening to the plastic surgeon, who I think was horrified by the vitrase effects (not as much as I was) and said I could "immediately" get filler after the vitrase and filled it on the spot. So it was only about four days between the vitrase and the filler. He put in only tiny amount of Restylane over the lines (that he had created with the Vitrase), and the immediate effect was to REMOVE the black lines, but once the Restylane settled again, the black lines showed through again. I will say, on the plus side, that even with the blackness the skin quality is a lot better now ... the skin itself is not as "spongy" and while the filler is not even the skin itself is smoothed out/healthy. I don't think it was a good idea to do so many things so close together, but the plastic surgeon assured me it was fine to do it so close together. In all honesty he probably didn't know what the vitrase could do. I am a light-skinned brunette of Irish descent with translucent skin, for goodness' sake. Now, the look of my undereye changes -- I have good and bad days, and when I have sinus problems (like today) it's especially bad. That said, I NEVER had blackish eyes before or pigment problems. I wrote before on this post that I thought it was just a shadow, but now from day to day I see it really is a pigment problem in and under the skin. I don't want to do anything right now but wait. I cover it up with yellow concealer and then regular concealer, and that's the only technique that hides it. I have one near-normal eye and one "bad" eye. I am leaving for the doc (oculoplastic surgeon) in an hour. I am not going to get anything "done" and will wait I think another six months to a year for a bleph (which is a shame because time-wise this would be a very good time for me to do it). Will let you know what he says tonight. In particular I'll ask about this dark black line (which I believe is from the vitrase, as I had it IMMEDIATELY following vitrase and it was partly covered by the top-up of Restylane).

tried but failed (804 posts) 10 Mar 2010

I think lots of the same stuff happened to us! I will send you a private email and you can email me your phone number if you want to chat properly. Given the time difference, it will have to be on a weekend. I am sending you a private email now! K

“Hyaluronidase Nightmare - Permanent Damage to Lower Eyelid Tissue?”

Comments (90)

Post a Comment

Read more Hyaluronidase reviews

Related Hyaluronidase Q&A

Q&A with Board Certified Doctors