Can lip fillers be removed?

Given the rise in lip filler treatments over recent years, I often get asked the question Can lip fillers be removed. People who have never had lip fillers before and understandably nervous the first time, often about whether having fillers is going to hurt, but also about the final result. One of the main things they want to know is if lip fillers can be removed if they don’t like the result.

The lip and dermal filler industry is growing at an astonishing rate – at an average of 15% per year, every year. Many people have these treatments with as much caution as they show to having their hair done. However, lip fillers are a clinical treatment, and should be seen as such. An issue within the aesthetics industry is that anyone can train in injectables and start their own business, even if they have no medical background at all.

When you are looking to have a clinical treatment such as lip fillers, you should first of all ask about the practitioners’ qualifications and background – just because they are qualified in fillers does not mean they are a medical practitioner. I would also want to ask how long they have been practicing, and what their insurance covers them for.

Given that often people worry about the final result, you should absolutely ask for reviews from their clients (ideally look on their Google My Business page for real testimonials – not sanitised ones on their website) and also go on word of mouth reviews – if a friend has had a good result that is a good start! Before and after pictures can be helpful too – if you know you want a certain look (Russian lips, lots of volume, or just a little bit of plumping and hydration), then check to see that your practitioner specialises in this type of result. If all of their lips look exactly the same, make sure that is the look that you want to end up with!

Make sure you feel listened to – and that they are taking account of what you want your lip fillers to look like. Listen then to their advice – not everyone suits a certain style of filler, and they may recommend something slightly different for a variety of reasons.

Can lip fillers be removed?
Why would you want to remove lip fillers?
The first and probably most important reason to remove lip fillers is if they are blocking a blood vessel. Even with the most experienced practitioner, in very rare instances, filler can end up in a blood vessel, stopping the flow of blood. This can be very painful, and in worst cases can end up with skin tissue dying. This type of problem is known as an occlusion, and an experienced practitioner would know how to treat this safely.

Other reasons to remove lip fillers would be if they were lumpy. Occasionally nodules can form that don’t settle – sometimes lips can feel slightly lumpy after fillers, and can take a few weeks to settle, however if they don’t settle or feel uncomfortable, they can be dissolved.

Finally, someone may want their lip fillers removed if they don’t like how they look. This is getting more common in young women who have had too much lip filler, and their lips look over filled and ‘bee stung’ or looking like the classic ‘trout pout’.

Removing fillers is done by dissolving them, and is a clinical treatment requiring a prescription of a substance called Hyalase to dissolve the hyaluronic acid lip filler. This allows the body to disperse the lip filler, however it can be quite a painful treatment, so would only be done where absolutely necessary.

So in answer to the question can lip fillers be removed, yes they can, but it should not be taken lightly and you should ago for lip fillers with the mind that they are a permanent fixture – at least for as long as the body takes to naturally break them down, which can be between 6 and 12 months.