I’ve had lip filler for almost 2 years and still the same size. Should it have worn off? (Photos)

Question

I naturally have thin lips, and my upper lip already protrudes a little. I also have a slightly long philtrum, so my lips are thin but project forward, which makes them difficult to enhance with filler alone. I honestly felt insecure about my thin lips, so I decided to get lip filler because I wanted a fuller but still natural look. Overall, I like how my lips look from the front when my face is at rest. However, I notice that my side profile looks a bit more protruded than before, and when I smile, it’s more obvious that I have filler. I prefer a very natural look, so that bothers me. From what I’ve read, I feel like someone with my lip anatomy might get the most natural result from a lip lift followed by a small amount of filler. But I’m still young, and I don’t think I’m ready for surgery, so a lip lift isn’t something I want right now. Another thing that’s confusing me is that my filler has lasted almost two years and still looks almost the same. I expected it to wear off within about a year and thought I’d need maintenance injections, but that hasn’t happened. Because of that, I’m wondering whether the filler has migrated or if it has simply lasted much longer than expected. So now I’m not sure what to do. I like my lips more than when they were naturally thin, but I don’t like how they look from the side, and I’m confused about whether I should just leave them alone, dissolve the filler, or do something else.

Lexie Wang, MD · Answer

you definitely have filler migration. It is getting increasingly known that filler can last much longer than a year in some patients so I am not surprised that you are noticing this too -- some are finding filler lasting longer than 10 years. So this is normal.

What I would recommend is to get the filler all dissolved (or if you're not ready to jump that far, then just get the areas dissolved that have clearly migrated). Wait, give your lips time to relax. Then SLOWLY re-fill. Almost always the reason yoou get this kind of migration is that too much volume was injected too quickly in too short of time, so your lips didn't have time to naturally accommodate around the new filler and it just spread outward. Go slow; that should help.

Yasemin Aydinli, MD · Answer

You are right, hyaluronic acid filler often lasts far longer than advertised, sometimes years, especially in the lips. Since the projection on profile bothers you, the filler can be dissolved with hyaluronidase, which is a quick office procedure, and you can then reassess your natural lips. Given your anatomy, a conservative approach after dissolving, with a very small amount of filler placed carefully, may give the natural look you want. A lip lift remains an option for the future and there is no rush to decide now.

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

As a board-certified dermatologist, your experience is more common than you might think.

First, filler lasting close to two years is not typical—but it does happen. Some hyaluronic acid fillers can persist much longer than expected depending on the product used and your individual metabolism. Studies have shown that a significant amount of filler can still be present even at 12–24 months, so what you’re seeing may be real residual product, not just perception.

That said, your concern about migration is valid—especially since you’re noticing more projection from the side and changes when you smile. In patients with naturally thin but forward-projecting lips and a longer philtrum, filler can sometimes accentuate projection rather than create balanced fullness.

Your instinct is also correct: this type of anatomy is often better suited to a lip lift plus conservative filler, but it’s completely reasonable to defer surgery.

At this point, the most logical step is often to dissolve and reassess. This lets you see your true baseline and decide if you want a more conservative, better-placed result.

Bottom line: your results aren’t “wrong”—but they may not match your aesthetic goals anymore, and that’s fixable.

I’ve had lip filler for almost 2 years and still the same size. Should it have worn off? (Photos)

Answers (3)

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