Lip filler nodules - Can face filler be dissolved if it’s in my lips? (Photo)

Question

Five years ago, I used a hyaluronic pen and injected myself with filler I purchased online with a “hyaluronic acid” label that was intended for both the lips and the face. It was a horrible decision and I deeply regret it. Since stopping and getting real filler injected by real medical professionals, I have asymmetry and hard nodules in my lips. I can see them distinctly in the mirror, they look like balls. I went to get it dissolved today but the nodules are not dissolving. There was also a time where my entire lips swelled up extremely large, then went away but I never knew what caused that. I’ve been treated with hyalenex before and the size does go down slightly, but the asymmetry always persists and I always get the same clumping in the middle. What do I do? Can face filler be dissolved if it’s in my lips?

Falguni Patel, MD, FACOG · Answer

Thank you for sharing your experience, this sounds incredibly frustrating. To answer your question thoroughly, Yes, if the filler is made of hyaluronic acid, it can typically be dissolved using hyaluronidase (brands include Hylenex). However, there are important caveats, especially in your case, if the HA is crosslinked it can be resistant to dissolving. Also if you have multiple syringes in your lips this can require a higher dose of hylenex then was provided. Final thought some providers have ultrasound technoglogy present which can help in more precise dissolving, it is worth looking up in your area

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

Yes, facial filler can be dissolved even if it's in the lips, provided it is made of hyaluronic acid. The dissolving agent, typically hyaluronidase (such as Hylenex, Vitrase, or Liporase), works specifically on hyaluronic acid-based fillers—regardless of where they were injected.

However, based on your history, there are a few important factors to consider:

Unregulated product: Since the original filler was self-injected using a hyaluronic pen with an online-purchased product, there is a real possibility that the substance may not have been pure hyaluronic acid, or may have contained other components not easily broken down by hyaluronidase.

Persistent nodules and asymmetry: This could be due to scarring, capsule formation, or granulomas—not just filler product alone. These types of tissue reactions don’t always respond to dissolving agents.

Repeated swelling episodes: Suggests possible delayed inflammatory responses, hypersensitivity reactions, or even vascular issues from past injections.

You’ve already done the right thing by seeking treatment with a medical professional, and it’s worth knowing that multiple sessions of dissolving may be necessary—especially when the filler is dense, encapsulated, or improperly placed.

For stubborn nodules or asymmetry, other options may be considered:

Steroid injections (if inflammation or granulomas are suspected)

Ultrasound-guided dissolving (to target deeper or encapsulated filler more precisely)

In rare cases, surgical excision of non-resolving nodules

Ultimately, while hyaluronic acid fillers in the lips can be dissolved, your specific case may require more targeted or multi-modal management due to the use of unregulated product and the duration since injection.

Please be cautious about further filler treatments until full resolution is achieved.

Lip filler nodules - Can face filler be dissolved if it’s in my lips? (Photo)

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Everything you need to know about Lip Fillers

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Lip filler nodules - Can face filler be dissolved if it’s in my lips? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Lip Fillers

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.