Laugh lines worse after filler

Without photos and a bit more history, I can only comment in general terms. However, whenever I hear that laugh lines are worse after the injection of a filler, I am forced to wonder whether the problem resulted from an inexperienced injector injecting the material directly into the smile lines in an attempt to improve them, rather than reshaping and contouring the cheeks above (which more appropriately addresses the way we age--via loss of cheek volume). Treating the cheeks in this more sophisticated manner very often secondarily improves the smile lines without even needing to inject them directly. And if volumization of the cheeks is what was actually required in your case, then volumizing fillers, such as Voluma XC and Radiesse Plus, would have been preferable to the use of an ordinary filler like simple Restylane, which is best reserved for treating fine lines. Moreover, if your injector instead of correctly introducing the material medial to the smile lines, injected the Restylane directly into them, this would be another potential reason for creating the deepening of the lines that you observe. Although tissue swelling may be playing a factor, if the material were injected in the appropriate location, the swelling would actually further lessen the depth of the smile line, instead of deepening it. If after a couple of weeks you are still experiencing this problem, you should certainly contact the injector, who may need to dissolve what was injected, or seek a second opinion from an experienced board certified aesthetic physician. And make certain to ask to see his/her before and after photos before agreeing to proceed. Good luck to you.

It is common to have swelling and some bruising for a couple weeks after fillers, so it's still too soon to tell what your final results will be. If the swelling persists, be sure to return to your physician (or see a cosmetic dermatologist and facial sculpting expert) for a formal evaluation. If you're unhappy with your results, you can often have the filler dissolved with hyaluronidase. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer.

I'm sorry your laugh lines look worse to you after the injection. It would really help to see some before and after photos. I would suggest you return to your injector for an examination and a discussion about your options. They can provide you with b/a photos. I suspect that injection in the cheeks and midface could be a better way to improve your laugh lines, but without photos and an exam, it's just a guess.