I have an uneven top lip because of Articol lip injections over 10 years ago. Will my lip ever go back to the way it was?(photo)

Question

14 years ago I got an Articol upper lip injection. Almost immediately it bubbled to one side and left a large hard bump. I went back to the doctor and she tried to dissolve the Articol but it didn't do much. So I left it alone and I was told it would probably last 10 years. I am scared to get more fillers to try to even the lip out. Is there anything I can do besides fillers to try to "loosen" the Articol up so it eventually dissolves on its own? Anything I can do at home?

Brent Moelleken, MD · Answer

Unfortunately I have seen many patients who had lumps or progressive changes after Artecoll injections.  Artecoll usually cannot be removed completely.  It soaks into tissues like oil, so surgery is designed to reduce the bullies of affected areas in as discreet a fashion as possible.Typically we reduce the Artecoll laden tissues, then use permanent autologous (from the patient's own tissues) grafts to achieve more fullness and symmetry.

Manish H. Shah, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello Oakland7232,Thanks for your question.There is a level of permanence to Artecoll unfortunately.  If the hard lump didn't respond to Kenalog or other steroid injections, surgery is your only option.You can have a very careful debulking of the extra amount of Artecoll using intraoral incisions.Balance can be obtained by adding soft fillers that last only about a year.Other than that, there is little to be done.Good luck,Dr. Shah

Steven F. Weiner, MD · Answer

Waiting will not help this problem. I would try to add HA fillers around it to make it look better. The only way to get rid of it is surgical excision, but you will probably make the lip look worse.

Curtis Perry, MD · Answer

Articol uses permanent materials. At 10 years expect no significant changes. If the firm lump bothers you it can be excised but that will leave a depression in that location that will most likely need filler to improve. Filler could be placed on the other side to help improve the symmetry.

I have an uneven top lip because of Articol lip injections over 10 years ago. Will my lip ever go back to the way it was?(photo)

Answers (4)

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