Considering Dissolving Your Lip Filler? Read This First

We all want what we don't have, and in the case of thin lips, there may be a desire to plump them. Lip filler is, hands down, the best way to augment the shape and size of the lips and even add symmetry to them. But, like so many other aesthetic treatments, there's the potential risk of ending up with results that you don't like. Luckily, hyaluronic acid-based lip fillers are reversible and dissolvable if you're unhappy with your results. So, if you're ready to undo what's been done and dissolve your lip filler, consider this your ultimate guide on everything you need to know.

What Lip Fillers Do

Hyaluronic acid fillers can be injected into the lips to add volume and create a better definition or an enhanced shape, especially in thin, flat, or aging lips for a more flattering pout. According to Dr. Kim, augmenting the lips with filler can help give the face, overall, a rejuvenated and lifted appearance. Dr. Smith adds that adding fillers to the lips adds volume where needed most while enhancing the existing structure. The results are temporary, and you can expect the augmented fullness to last between six and 12 months, depending on the specific type of hyaluronic acid filler injected.

When Lip Fillers Go Wrong

There are several reasons why lip fillers can look unnatural, leaving someone wanting to undo the effects of their injections. As Dr. Shamban explains, an inadequate understanding of the anatomy of the lips or poor aesthetic judgment can easily lead to overfilling. Also, Dr. Shamban says that inserting filler improperly at or above the vermilion border can cause the lips to appear unnatural.

Dr. Kim says another reason why lip fillers can look artificial is that placing hyaluronic acid fillers too superficially can leave the lips looking and feeling bumpy and lumpy. Unbalanced lips, which arise from injecting too much product into the top or bottom lip (usually the top), can create an unnatural, ducky look. "The goal is to find a provider who injects just the right amount of filler so that the lips look enhanced without anyone knowing they've been injected," he adds.