{"id":11159,"date":"2019-10-03T09:52:17","date_gmt":"2019-10-03T16:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=11159"},"modified":"2023-10-12T16:23:49","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T23:23:49","slug":"hyaluronidase-dissolve-fillers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/hyaluronidase-dissolve-fillers","title":{"rendered":"What It\u2019s Really Like to Get Fillers Dissolved"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dermal filler is a cure-all for just about every facial concern I have. Chicken pox scar<\/a>? Filler. Atrophic acne mark<\/a>? Filler. Hollows under the eyes<\/a>? Filler. My face is the first place that tends to show weight loss, so the hyaluronic acid–based injections have been a godsend in protecting me against my ultimate aesthetic nightmare: Skeletor.<\/p>

Experimenting with dermal fillers over the years has been a lot of trial and error, with moments of overwhelming joy and occasional regret. The first time I got filler, I was 23 years old. I had just undergone a breast augmentation<\/a>, and Allergan, the maker of my implants<\/a>, was holding a promotion: get one free syringe of Juvéderm<\/a> with the purchase of silicone breast implants. My plastic surgeon’s office had a medical spa where I could redeem my free syringe with purchase, and I decided to use it in my lips<\/a>—well before Kylie Jenner opened the floodgates, thank you very much. I loved the subtle results, and my relationship with filler was off to a great start. “If you aren’t filling, you aren’t winning,” I liked to say. <\/p>

Last August, I was feeling downtrodden after a breakup and a snowballing series of misfortunes. I decided to engage in one of my favorite forms of self-improvement: cosmetic treatments. After a lengthy consultation, I convinced a plastic surgeon to fill my chin<\/a> more than I’d ever been filled in that area before. The goal: to give more definition and projection to my chin and jawline. The outcome? My face was elongated in a way I wasn’t happy with, and it hurt like hell. Once the lidocaine in the filler wore off that evening, I was excruciatingly sore. I could barely open my mouth, let alone chew solid foods.<\/p>

Since hyaluronic acid helps retain 1,000 times its weight in water, my chin felt like a full water balloon after a couple of weeks. I’ve been less than enthused by some of my filler results over the past six years, but this was different. I was angry and upset, and I needed it gone.<\/p>

The good thing about hyaluronic acid–based dermal fillers is that, unlike neurotoxins (Botox<\/a>, Dysport<\/a>, etc.), you can reverse the procedure if you’re unhappy. For complications like overcorrection or formed lumps, an enzyme called hyaluronidase<\/a> can be injected locally to degrade the filler.<\/p>

Related: What’s the Difference Between Botox, Dysport, Xeomin and Jeuveau?<\/a><\/em><\/p>

Dissolving filler was uncharted territory for me though. I was worried about the enzyme migrating and atrophying other parts of my face, making me look like Swiss cheese. After days of researching the treatment, I learned that adjusting fillers is as much of an art form as injecting them in the first place. I went to a plastic surgeon I trust to dissolve my water-balloon chin, and he assured me that “Swiss cheese face” wouldn’t happen. He injected Vitrase, a common brand of hyaluronidase, directly into my chin at three strategically placed sites. From the moment it was injected, the hyaluronidase started to burn. Burning is a normal response to the enzyme reacting with the HA-based filler, but this was next-level pain compared to any injectible or facial procedure I’ve ever had. (I get dental fillings without novocaine, so it’s safe to assume that I have a higher pain threshold than most.) Hyaluronidase works rapidly, and I could see my chin decreasing in size soon after. I felt a burning sensation for the rest of the day, in stages: sometimes warm and tingly, other times red-hot.<\/p>

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The results may look subtle here, but I noticed a satisfying decrease in the size of my chin immediately after the hyaluronidase was injected. Full results show after a week. <\/figcaption><\/figure>

The chin is extremely vascular, so I started to bruise almost immediately. I knew I would look like I’d gone 10 rounds with Floyd Mayweather, so I prepared myself for at-home hibernation. Wrapping an ice pack in a muslin cloth and applying it locally was a no-go; my teeth started to chatter from the cold on my chin and jaw. I like to keep arnica gel in the fridge for aftercare and bruises in general, and I think this helped to speed up the phases of bruising as I turned various shades of purple and yellow. <\/p>

Related: 7 Unexpected Areas Where Filler Injections Can Have a Big Impact<\/a><\/em><\/p>

After two to three days of intense bruising, I was able to conceal the black-and-blues adequately enough with concealer. The payoff was worth it: My chin was back to the way I like it (picture Sailor Moon meets Frozen<\/em>’s Elsa), and I knew never to go too heavy-handed in the region again. As it turns out, too much of a good thing can<\/em> be a bad thing—I only wish I hadn’t spent thousands to learn that lesson. <\/p>

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