How to get rid of scar tissue build up from filler? (Photos)

Question

Over the last 2 years I have gotten my lips filled and dissolved a handful of times due to the filler migrating right away or leaving large lumps. I am now left with my lips lookIng like this. My upper lip filler very hard along the lip boarder and half way down my upper lip. I believe this is scar tissue due to filling and dissolving over and over again within a short span of time. I have gotten dissolver and it still has not gone away. How can I get this fixed? These photos were taken 1 month after receiving dissolver.

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

I'm sorry you've had to go through this. Repeated cycles of filling and dissolving can be physically and emotionally frustrating, especially when your lips still don't feel or look the way you expected.

One important point is that firmness after filler is not always scar tissue. Even if you've had hyaluronidase (filler dissolver), there are several possibilities that should be considered:

Residual hyaluronic acid filler that wasn't completely dissolved.
Fibrosis (scar tissue) that developed after repeated injections or inflammation.
A combination of both residual filler and scar tissue.

The fact that your lips remain hard one month after dissolving doesn't automatically mean the filler is gone. Sometimes filler persists despite one or more sessions of hyaluronidase, particularly if it has been present for a long time or is located in areas that are difficult to access.

Before pursuing additional treatment, it's helpful to determine exactly what is causing the firmness. In many practices, high-frequency ultrasound has become an excellent tool for distinguishing residual filler from scar tissue. This can help guide treatment and avoid unnecessary procedures.

If there is still filler present, additional targeted hyaluronidase may be appropriate. If the firmness is primarily due to fibrosis, management is different. Scar tissue often softens gradually over time, and in some cases, gentle massage, conservative intralesional medications, or other therapies may be considered depending on the extent and location of the fibrosis.

I would also recommend allowing the lips adequate time to recover before considering any additional filler. Repeated filling and dissolving over a short period can lead to ongoing inflammation, making it difficult for the tissues to return to their normal state. Giving the lips several months to heal often allows swelling and firmness to improve naturally.

The encouraging news is that true scar tissue in the lips can continue to remodel for many months, so improvement is still possible even if things haven't completely settled after one month.

Going forward, I would be cautious about repeatedly injecting or dissolving the lips unless there is a clear understanding of what remains beneath the surface. Identifying whether you're dealing with residual filler, fibrosis, or both is the key to choosing the most effective treatment and avoiding further irritation of the tissue.

How to get rid of scar tissue build up from filler? (Photos)

Answers (1)

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