Fillers are a popular choice for those looking to enhance their appearance, but do they ever fully dissolve? While the fill itself doesn't stay in your system, its effects last a lifetime. Hyaluronic acid, on the other hand, is not permanent. Composed of a sugar molecule that also occurs naturally in the body, it usually dissolves and is excreted by the body within six to nine months. It's a common misconception that because dermal fillers are metabolized by the body over time, if you simply stop receiving the injections, the filler will eventually dissolve on its own.
However, this is not true. Studies have shown that filler debris can remain in the body for up to five years. It is true that part of what is injected dissolves and is thrown away by the body, but it is not true that the body completely dissolves the entire filling. Different fillers tend to dissolve naturally at different rates. Most hyaluronic acid fillers used on the lips, jaw and cheeks, including Juvederm and Restylane, are metabolized after six months to a year. Sculptra can continue to work on the face for up to two years.
The filling usually lasts six to 24 months, depending on the area. New York dermatologist Melissa Levin, MD, says that in areas such as the posterior line of the jaw, cheekbones and temples, it can last much longer, but in areas that are more dynamic, such as the lips or perioral region, it could dissolve faster. In theory, yes, but the reality is a little more complicated. When we dissolve the fillers, we inject an enzyme called hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase occurs naturally in the body and this is why lip fillers eventually dissolve on their own.
If migration occurs and the dermal filler is in the wrong compartment, if your lips, this may take several months or years to degrade sufficiently to allow a clear lip border to be seen again. This is why, in some cases, we suggest actively dissolving existing lip fillers before injecting more. With this in mind, you can consider simply waiting for your filler to naturally dissolve over time or opt for it anyway and replenish any lost volume with smaller amounts of dermal filler in the area. With the rise in popularity of dermal filler treatment and the growing number of clinics offering “reduced price” dermal treatments with poor injection technique, people receive too much filler injected into a particular area, such as the lips, leading to a duck-like bump. In the past year, Dr. Gavin Chan has discovered something about dermal fillers that has “surprised” him with regard to their longevity. If you search online or ask other aesthetic doctors who regularly inject fillers and then ask patients how long they last, you will usually get an answer of six to eighteen months.
Because bleeding from the filler can occur when too much is applied to a particular area, it is vitally important that you tell your doctor if and when fillers have been previously applied to you. So what does the filling dissolution process entail? “The fillers dissolve by injecting Vitrase medication into the area where the filling was placed” says Dr. Hyaluronic acid fillers were detected on ultrasound scans of patients who received fillers up to two years ago. This pioneering research began when it became aware of patients who had undergone treatment with tear dermal filler a few years ago who were returning from follow-up treatments with dermal filler. The great thing about injectable fillers is that your professional will have full control over the exact amount of filler applied to each area of your lips to achieve the desired look. There is also evidence that patients who received hyaluronic acid fillers a decade ago and who haven't injected since still have some of the filler present in their bodies. Although there is no scientific determination as to how long it takes for the body to dissolve all of it, I hypothesize that most dissolution occurs within two to four weeks after injection. Over time as facial movement increases in areas such as lips or cheeks it causes the filler to break down and dissolve at a faster rate.
When patients return after three weeks of receiving a dermal lip filler treatment and say that it's “gone” I now know it hasn't dissolved. Lip filler migration commonly occurs as a result of injecting too much filler into one area and “bleeding” elsewhere. Lip fillers are a very popular treatment and possibly one of the most popular uses for dermal fillers currently available which hit tear canal and cheeks when running.
