What If You Don't Like Your Filler? Here's Exactly What Happens

Hyaluronic acid fillers (Juvederm, Restylane, Belotero, and most other mainstream brands) can be dissolved with an enzyme called hyaluronidase. This enzyme breaks down hyaluronic acid — the same substance that makes up the filler — into smaller molecules that your body absorbs naturally. It's injected into the same area as the filler and begins working within 24 to 48 hours. Most cases show significant reduction or complete dissolution within 48 hours; a follow-up at one week confirms the result.

Hyaluronidase is used both for cosmetic reversal (when a patient isn't happy with a result) and in emergencies (when filler is placed in or near a blood vessel and needs to be dissolved quickly). It's a well-established medication with a long safety record in aesthetic medicine. The primary side effects are temporary: redness, swelling, and tenderness at the injection sites for a few days.

After filler is dissolved, you return to approximately your pre-filler baseline — which means the concerns that existed before you had filler will be visible again. Depending on how long the filler was in place and your own biology, there can be a brief period of looking slightly more hollow than your true baseline as swelling from the hyaluronidase injection resolves. This typically settles within a week or two.

Waiting period before retreating varies by provider. Most recommend waiting at least two to four weeks after dissolution before considering new filler — the tissue needs time to settle and for any residual hyaluronidase activity to dissipate. This window is also useful for reflection: thinking about what you did want from the treatment and discussing it more specifically with your provider before retreating.

The best strategy for avoiding filler you don't like is a conservative first treatment with an experienced provider who listens carefully during the consultation. Under-treating is intentional in good aesthetic practice: it's far easier to add at a follow-up than to dissolve and start over. Be suspicious of any provider who insists on a large volume at the first appointment before you've seen how your face responds.

Not all fillers are dissolvable. Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite), Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid), and silicone are not reversible with hyaluronidase. These products have their own appropriate use cases but require more certainty before treatment. If reversibility is important to you — and it's a reasonable priority — ask specifically whether the proposed filler is a hyaluronic acid product before proceeding.