Lip filler migration? Do I need to get them dissolved or can they be fixed? (Photo)

Hello Enthusiastic565720, thank you for your question. It does appear as though you could have some minimal migration, especially if you are more than 1 month out from the filler placement. The way to resolve this would be either to wait as it slowly fades (potentially for the length of your lip filler), or dissolve. Practitioners are sometimes able to partially dissolve so as not to lose all of the volume, but it will likely be a process requiring multiple visits. Whether or not the provider will fix it at no additional cost is up to them, but it's absolutely worth asking! We always want our patients to be satisfied with their results. Best of luck, I hope this helped! Genie Alexander, RN BSN for Dr. Anna Petropoulos MD FRCS at Center for Classic Beauty, Danvers & Boston, MA

I’m really glad you trusted your instincts and looked into this—what you’re describing does sound consistent with early filler migration, especially since it was noticeable right after the procedure and didn’t fully settle once the swelling went down.

What lip filler migration is
Migration happens when filler moves outside the natural lip border, often above the vermilion line (the “lip line”). This can create a shelf, puffiness, or a shadow that wasn’t there before. It’s more common with:

Overfilling in one session

Filler placed too superficially

Softer fillers that spread more easily

Lips that already had prior filler

Swelling alone usually improves steadily over 1–2 weeks. Migration, on the other hand, tends to persist and looks the same in photos weeks later—which matches what you’re noticing.

Do they need to be dissolved, or can they be fixed?
That depends on how much migration there is and where the filler is sitting:

Mild migration: Sometimes can be improved with a small amount of targeted dissolver (hyaluronidase) just in the migrated area, then optionally rebalancing later.

Moderate to significant migration: Full or near-full dissolution is usually the cleanest and safest option. Trying to “fix” migrated filler by adding more often worsens the problem and leads to an overfilled look.

There is no reliable way to permanently push migrated filler back into place without dissolving it.

Should your original injector fix this at no cost?
Ethically, many experienced injectors will:

Reassess concerns like this

Offer correction or dissolution at low or no cost, especially if migration was immediate

That said, policies vary by practice. Some offices charge for dissolver, others don’t. From a medical standpoint, your concern is valid, and it’s reasonable to expect a conversation and solution—not dismissal—when migration is present.

Important reassurance
Migration is fixable. Dissolving lip filler is very common, and when done carefully, lips usually return very close to baseline. If you choose to refill later, using:

Smaller amounts

Deeper placement

A firmer filler

Longer intervals between sessions

can significantly reduce the risk of this happening again.

Trust your eye—if it doesn’t look or feel right to you, that matters.

Hi! what you are noticing in the picture is not migration. As you can see from your photos, your lips are still bruised and swollen, indicating the healing process. This can take up to 2 weeks, but sometimes more. The swelling can sometimes create a ledge above the lip, and as the swelling goes down, that will also decrease. It is best to ice as much as you can, and we also recommend the supplement Arnica to help speed up the healing process and decrease bruising/swelling.

Hello! My name is Jessica, I am a physician assistant, and one of the providers at Aesthetic Skin in Winnetka and Chicago. This is a great question. Based on your concerns, I recommend dissolving the migrated filler if you are unsatisfied with your results. I hope this helps and best of luck!

Lip filler treatment can cause bruising and swelling. If after two weeks you still have concerns you can elect to have the filler dissolved using hyaluronidase. You can also leave the filler to be metabolized naturally. You will need to work with your provider regarding cost.

As a rule, the term filler migration does not apply to any area on the face except in the lower eyelid. Fillers do not migrate since they do not have feet. Chances are the filler was placed there, but it also could be the swelling from your lip lift. I’d give it some more time for the swelling to go down and then address the issue if it still bothers you. I hope this helps and good luck from New York City Plastic Surgery

Have you had lip fillers before?
Fillers do not migrate. The concept of fillers migrating is a poor excuse for badly done work.
I’ve been injecting fillers since the 1990s and have never seen fillers migrate.
The results are direct reflection of how the procedure was done. it looks like you’re still pretty swollen from the procedure based on the pictures.
I suggest you give it a couple of weeks to let things settle down.
Each provider will have their own policy for dealing with revision work.
That should’ve been discussed during your consultation.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD