Hyaluronidase Reviews

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“My Face Has Melted After Excessive Use!”

meltyface

Not Worth It
Spent: $1,000 in united kingdom

Comments (101)

Updated 12 Feb 2010

Posted 11 Feb 2010

Help - 5 month nightmare.. my face has "melted" after excessive use of hyaluronidase. Enormous amount of skin laxity .. natural fat stripped and now replaced with some filler (temples) and cheeks but my lower face which was over corrected have massive troughs.

I am really disfigured .. my 'top' cosmetic practictioners have completely ruined my face. In attempting to resolve their error (pillow face) they have created a far worse one ?? How can i get the collagen / tissue back in these areas naturally - the filler will not take - it just formed hard bumps / lines??

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

Helpful review?

My Doctor: name not provided

This product DOES damage your skin both the areas treated with filler and that which surrounds it - BE VERY CAREFUL !!

Comments (101)

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tried but failed 26 Feb 2010

I too have had a hyaluronidase disaster so I know how you feel. You poor thing! I also believe that hyaluronidase damages natural tissue. Which filler did you have dissolved? Was it Voluma by Allergan? I ask because Voluma seems to be a big cause of 'pillow face'. It is a fairly new addition to the Allergan family of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers and it is generally used on large parts of the face. It is the ‘big sister’ of Juvederm. Some of the marketing here in Australia promotes Voluma as a better alternative to say Sculptra because it is possible to dissolve Voluma with hyaluronidase if you don’t like the result, while collagen stimulators like Sculptra cannot be dissolved. While this claim is true, I believe that there is too little information given and too little known about the dangers of hyaluronidase (allergic/hypersensitivity reaction and possible damage to natural tissue) when it is injected directly into the skin. It is IRRESPONSIBLE and UNETHICAL for doctors to give people confidence to use Juvederm/Voluma/Restylane etc by promoting hyaluronidase as a ‘quick fix’ to any problems with these products. Please read my long (and somewhat angry) rant about how cavalier doctors are with hyaluronidase . It is posted to the review below yours entitled “If you can live with your filler results, don’t go for hyaluronidase” by EyesChicago. The version in brief of my post is: THERE IS NO WAY FOR ANY DOCTOR TO BE COMPLETELY CERTAIN THAT HYALURONIDASE CANNOT CAUSE DAMAGE TO NATURAL HYALURONIC ACID, NATURAL TISSUE AND/OR NATURAL COLLAGEN. In my experience, hyaluronidase does cause damage like volume loss and skin laxity especially when it is used around the eyes (as in my case) or used in large portions of the face (as in your case). What are you considering to try to fix the damage done to your face? You report that additional filler after the hyaluronidase won’t ‘take’ now. How long did you wait after having the hyaluronidase before having more filler? Which filler did you have put back in? Have you considered Radiesse or Sculptra, which are collagen builders instead of more filler? Personally, I have doubts about both of these products – read some of the disaster reviews on RealSelf and you will see why – but maybe collagen stimulation is what is required to correct damage from hyaluronidase? I don't know. I wish I could help you more but there is so little information available and these ‘top doctors’ are just GUESSING. Please let us know what you decide to do. Hang in there and I hope things improve for you. K x

meltyface 27 Feb 2010

yes it was voluma ... this practioner pioneered it in the uk but i think i was having restylane previously with NO problems...they won't admit any liabilty..but i have massive amounts of fluid retention which i can't get rid of ? i had the hylase around the temples and aged 10 years in a few days..i am doing everything possible to stimulate collagen .. eating huge amount of protein, taking loads of supplements, caci facials to get my muscles stronger to 'lift' my face. my face is still really imblanced and the botox they injected to try and restore balance has left me with a wonky 'joker' smile. i am absolutely never having another injection .. i was fine with caci and acupunture now my looks are ruined.

tried but failed 28 Feb 2010

I thought it might be Voluma. Poor you! I know how distressing a face disaster is so I really feel for you. I am assuming this is all quite recent for you? When did all this happen? Voluma was only launched in 2008 so basically everyone receiving it now is somewhat of a test subject. No doctor, regardless of their qualifications, can claim to be an expert with Voluma. It is simply too new. I am therefore assuming that RealSelf will soon receive more reviews about the Voluma 'pillow face' and then more hyaluronidase reviews like yours because of attempts to reverse this effect. This makes me feel sad in advance. Maybe you should also consider writing a separate review about your experience with Voluma? There isn't a seperate section for Voluma on RealSelf yet, but I guess you could put it under the Juvederm section considering they are related products. I know it doesn't help you now but it could warn somebody else about the possible bad aesthetic outcome of Voluma and to be careful about believing that it is 'easily reversible' with hyaluronidase. As to fixing your situation, I think you need a professional opinon from a doctor who is NOT in the injectables industry. Maybe from a surgeon? Maybe the collagen and tissue comes back by itself? I tried to do some research for you on why the replacement filler won't take but I can't find any information. Please let us know what you decide to do and if it gets better. Wishing you the best. K

tried but failed 28 Feb 2010

Sorry - I'm tired and my post was a bit unclear. I didn't mean to suggest that you should have surgery! I just meant that the doctors in the injectables industry have a vested interest in saying that hyaluronidase causes no damage, so it might be worthwhile to seek the opinion of a doctor outside this field. I don't know if it will help, but it couldn't hurt. Acupuncture, caci and a good diet seem like a good start too. Have you looked into the dermaroller? I don't have one but I have looked on the website and it claims to stimulate collagen. Just a thought. Again, best of luck in a speedy recovery.

tried but failed 1 Mar 2010

Meltyface - I was doing a bit of research for you today and maybe you could try a silica supplement? Google it and see what you think. I am going to give it a try for a few months and see if it makes any difference to my poor face. Let us know if you make any progress.

eyeschicago 2 Mar 2010

I'm so sorry to hear of this result. It sounds really painful and you may have had some trauma to the skin so it needs a good amount of time to heal. I don't know. It sounds like uneven administration of hyaluronidase. For me hyaluronidase just seemed to create purply creases in my tear trough areas. Other people have reported "dents" where the hyalurnidase was placed. I think the drug damages your own hyaluronic acid. I do think, though, that if you have an uneven administration of hyaluronidase that the filler that remains just makes it look worse, like you have "troughs."

tried but failed 3 Mar 2010

From what I have read, I think your comments are true. But the problem for meltyface is Voluma is used everywhere and it is very thick. It would take a lot of hyaluronidase to get rid of it all. Tough choice! Either live with the uneven dissolving or risk more damage trying to dissolve it all. What a dilemma. Just horrible.

eyeschicago 3 Mar 2010

That's true. Is voluma permanent? If not there's hope it will subside and blend over the coming months. For me, all restylane is gone in a year and a half around the naso-labial folds and almost two years around the eyes ... a long time to wait.

tried but failed 3 Mar 2010

Voluma is a hyauronic acid so it should not be permanent and it should dissolve over time like Restylane and Juvederm. Voluma is really just a thicker version of Juvederm. Voluma is used in large areas of the face to create volume or a 'liquid lift' whereas Juvederm is used to correct discrete issues like naso-labial folds and tear troughs. I agree with you that Restylane and Juvederm can hang around for a long time and I am assuming that Voluma lasts even longer because of the thickness of the product and the amount that it used. Both of us ended up with indentations along the tear troughs from using hyaluronidase to dissolve dermal filler there. By analogy, the hyaluronidase is creating the same type of indentations in meltyface's face but they are more obvious because of the amount of voluma she had and the area it covered. So it would seem that whatever area that had dermal filler in it becomes 'hollow' and indented when the filler is dissolved with hyalauronidase. We are all asking questions - do these hollows ever come good on their own? I will never know because I had the hollow indentation refilled with juvederm. So did you. We are also all asking whether the hyaluronidase affects natural hyaluronic acid, natural tissue and natural collagen. Given that hyaluronidase leaves a hollow or indent where the dermal filler once was, I think the bigger question is what impact does hyaluronic acid dermal filler (restylane/juvederm/voluma) have on natural hyaluronic acid? I think that dermal filler (or the injections to administer it) must also affect natural tissue in some way for the hyaluronidase to cause that effect on dissolving.

eyeschicago 4 Mar 2010

I agree ... the filler itself may be making the skin spongy and lax, so when it is "suddenly" dissolved with hyaluronidase (rather than slowly dissolving over time), the skin doesn't bounce back right away.

tried but failed 5 Mar 2010

eyeschicago - you read my mind. That is EXACTLY what I was trying to say! Let's hope the skin DOES bounce back.

eyeschicago 6 Mar 2010

Yes, I read in one doctor's answer (I think on this site but not sure) that he SLOWLY injects hyaluronidase so he can be sure the skin is "going to bounce back." In the same set of postings, he's advocating its "safety" and effectiveness. But yet he won't give a huge dose of it at once. What does that tell you? If I find that doc's post again I'll note it here.

tried but failed 6 Mar 2010

It tells me that my injector made a monumental error and had absolutely no clue what she was doing!! I have read similar advice about how hyaluronidase should be administered to dissolve filler - ie that the best way to minimise adverse reaction is to administer it very dilute and in a series of small doses with a few weeks in between each dose to let the area 'recover'. I would be interested to hear if anyone has had success/failure with this method, or whether it is just another case of 'blame the injector and not the product/procedure' which seems to be another often-repeated phrase to explain away disasters that occur from injectables.

tried but failed 6 Mar 2010

And I note that the posts from 'swollen eye' would seem to suggest the opposite? Again, it the lack of consensus about this product that really bothers me.

eyeschicago 8 Mar 2010

Yes, I noted that. I should probably go back and check, but I think she was only 31. If my own face is anything to go by, my skin was still extremely resilient at that age ... not so much now.

swollen eye 14 Mar 2010

Hey There I've read all of your posts and yes if there is one thing we all agree on its NOT to let fillers anywhere near your eyes! For me its 7 months post my restylane 'cock up'. I have had so much hyaluronidase around my eyes that if it did damage your skin permanently then I sure would be a candidate! however, I guess we all react differently to trauma and these alien substances we allow to be injected into our faces. I am quite the opposite, my skin has dramatically improved around the eye area and my minor tear troughs seem to have plumped back out. I have got swelling around my eyes still though in a kidney shape which is noticable in certain lighting. I am sick to death of practitioners telling me there is nothing there' because beleive me there is! I am debating having more hyaluronidase to see if it is still resty but I'm terrified in case its a lymnphatic drainage prob and more injections would exacerbate it. I am hopeful that time will cure it; i've had manual lymphatic drainage massage but got impatient when it hadn't worked after 2 attempts, though I was told to initially have 8. I am quite frankly sick to death of looking in the mirror wishing I could turn back time as I am sure you all are too........I cannot believe that when I worked into the posh clinic with all the accreditations hung up that I was going to walk out to have 7 months of misery. If I saw the inept gp who did this to me walking accross the road I would find it very hard to avoid her should I be behind the wheel!! Her attitude was a disgrace and she fobbed me off continuously until I had to seek help elsewhere. I hope that all of us return to be happy with our appearances soon and that we can look back and just think 'never again'!! Wishing all the best. Kate

tried but failed 16 Mar 2010

I agree with you, Kate. You know your face best and if something wasn't there before that is now then they should listen to you. What do you have to gain by making it up?? Your experience with hyaluronidase does seem to be quite different from the rest of us, which is interesting. You didn't have botox around your eyes, did you? Maybe that's some of the difference, especially in light of meltyface's most recent post and my experience and chicagoeye's experience. We all had botox around our eyes at the time of filler/hyaluronidase. Do you think the kidney shape is swelling, filler or maybe an fat pad that has come forward? Please let us know if you decide to have more hyaluronidase and how that works out. I too am worried about lymphatic drainage problems now after all the products and injections under my eyes! Your original GP sounds like a complete idiot with filler. If they are going to do these procedures then they should help you when things go wrong. Did the original doctor ever respond to the stern letter she received from the second doctor you went to? I honestly think usage of injectables should be restricted to practitioners who have a specialty in the field. And I agree with you about "never again" also!! Look forward to hearing from you. Cheers, K

swollen eye 16 Mar 2010

I had botox around my eyes a month before the filler so my muscles were paralysed and perhaps this is also a contribution to the unresolves swelling. It is definitely fluid and not fat, it looks like a circle starting from the outer corner or my eye in a semi circular shape to the central point beneath the natural trough. It seems as though its gravitated around my eye socket. I have absolutely no hint of any swelling directly under my eyes just around them! if i push it you can see it move. I have had prob about 6ml of hyalase under each eye in 3 sessions, only one slow injection each time and I think this is maybe why my skin is preserved. I am praying that its still a small amount of resty attracting water, as I had Restylane touch which is not designed for the eye area at all and it migrated into my cheek. I question that should I have had a lymphatic drainage prob why did I drain the intial 3ml of hyalase directly away only to be left with this smaller amount. I really don't know what to do, I'm sick to death of it as I'm sure we all are. As for the original GP, yes I got a cheque back in the post explaining that she had done numerous tear troughs before and had only had satisfied customers, Yeah right!! total crap, as far as i'm concerned the woman is a liability. I will keep you posted as to whether I have more hyalase, the prob is the consultant I see is 3 hours away and the most qualified people don't know how to use hyaluronidase properly, hence I don't want to risk seeing anyone else to end up looking worse than I do now. I saw a consultant plastic surgeon the other day who charged me £110 to tell me in 30 secs that my eyes had sunk in and there was no swelling!!I can guarantee that that is not the case as the swelling is visible looking upwards too, I just wish the stuff could be sucked out as easily as it was stuck in! I sigh and hope for the best.

eyeschicago 17 Mar 2010

Kate, what you describe as a circular shape beneath the eye could be my own description. I had hyaluronidase as well, but this mysterious "shape" didn't go away. It's kind of white-ish compared to the rest of my skin. At first I thought it was filler, then maybe water, but I firmly now believe it is fat. It moves when I touch it. In my case I have herniated fat right under the eyelid as well (on the outer corner) and this is the same flabby consistency. If it is fat it is probably from the botox, in which case if you don't have botox for awhile it might go away ...

tried but failed 18 Mar 2010

Kate, I have the circular shape beneath my left eye also. Chicagoeye and I look extremely similar under the eyes (actually we are mirror images) and it is definitely from botox in the crows feet area weakening the muscles under the eyes. I agree that maybe you should hold off on the botox for a few months and see if it improves?

swollen eye 18 Mar 2010

I'm never having any botox or filler again I can assure you :-)I could understand it if I had the botox at the same time but I was fine for a month with just the botox pre filler. Anyway I got soooo sick of it I saw a nurse yesterday who acually took the time to feel all around my eyes. Shes says its not fat as is the wrong shape to just appear (its exact shape of my filler but smaller) there seemed to be a small spongy pocket of filler or whatever still there, anyway I could either walk away and wait for it to go which she assured me it would or have a small amount more of hyaluronidase! Ive opted for the 2nd as I seem to be immune to the stuff anyway. The nurse was suprised at the amount I'd already had)! So here we go again, my poor Mum was with me and she was willing the nurse to say it would go and to leave it alone (she's sick if me going on about it, i'm driving her mental over what she calls a 'minor problem'). So here we go again, more injections and this morning, shock horror! (not) massive puffy red cheeks and donning my glasses again to get out of the house. However, my ever worse eye seems to be going down nicely, the other is bright red and puffy but not hideous (yet). I'll keep you all posted, I spoke to the nurse today and she is convinved that its all prob been down to my natural healing process and that if the hyalase did not take rest of swelling away then I have to wait. My mum had lower eye surgery and had bruises for a year! I will give it a week or so and see how it goes, I'll prob have craters my eyes next week! If i'm still puffy i'm paying upfront for a full course of lymphatic drainage to make sure I make the effort to keep going. Just a thought if you both are convincved you have fat pads under eye have you looked into CO2 therapy? I had it twice to try and rejuvenate crepey skin under my eye that has now smoothed out due to all this trauma (the only good side effect!) anyway it did nothing for my skin as apparently it dissolves fat cells under the eye area and celulite. Its marketed in the UK as Rio Blush, not sure if it actually works but dont think can do any harm. Fingers crossed for all!

eyeschicago 18 Mar 2010

Thanks for your post, Kate. One of my "fat pads" did not herniate for a month, but the white shape beneath the eye was there from the start. So I'm not sure. But hopefully this last round of hyaluronidase took care of it for you. Not sure I could go there again, as I turned really discolored from it and sunken. Thanks for the advice on the CO2 laser. I think I'm too scared to try anything like that at this point, but maybe later ... Chicagoeye (another "Kate")

swollen eye 18 Mar 2010

Another Kate! we must have an unlucky name. The Co2 i was refering to was not laser. Its Carboxy therapy where they pump oxygen under your skin and blow you up, weird eh and prob useless but reads well as all this crap does lol. Thinking about your comments, some of my prob maybe botox related as I had dysport I think and the nurse told me yesterday that I should not have had the filler on the outer edges because of this, I didn't want it there anyway! I guess its because not able to pump the swelling away. I was just convinced it was filler and poss now trauma related as my swelling went all the way around my eye from day one after the dreaded restylane, who knows?? I have some nice bruising coming out and this is definitely a last ditch attempt getting rid. Its funny my skin around my eyes is white too but always has been of last couple of years, avid sunbather and now look like I wear sunglasses full time in summer, thinking about it I prob do! I feel happier on sunny days though as this damn swelling is not noticible. Have you tried exercises or anything to strengthen the muscles? Is your swelling below and to the side of the orbital rim? the lady who did my Lymphatic massage said its common place to hold fluid, in fact she was positive mine would go if I went regularly but its so difficult to fit in with work etc etc. Impulsive as I am hence more hyalse....I'm undecided whether its helping or not yet, doesn't seem to have done any harm though (I pray)

eyeschicago 18 Mar 2010

Oh, I thought CO2 was a laser! Anyway, I have a festoon type of thing going on. It extends to the bottom of the orbital cavity, and it is puffed out fat. I can see veins in it, like it is being stretched from its natural position (which of course it kind of is). I had it from the beginning and it looks horrible. You will soon probably be able to tell if the hyaluronidase helped. I kind of think my awful look following hyaluronidase had to do with the fact that my fat pads were SO herniated from the botox. So the "troughs" was seeing looked especially bizarre because they surrounded herniated fat. This is all so gross and surreal. Right now my under eyes are tingling, like something is going on. Maybe it means the botox is finally wearing off ... Let's hope, Kate! I pray as well for all of us on this site. I am going to the plastic surgeon in a few days and want him to publish a case study on me, photos and all. Hope he will agree to it.

tried but failed 20 Mar 2010

Kate + injectables = disaster. Surreal and gross is the perfect description.

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“My Face Has Melted After Excessive Use!”

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