Corrective Injections: Dissolving Facial Fillers with Hyaluronidase

Not in love with your filler results?  Dissolving your fillers may be an option. At Mabrie Facial Institute in the San Francisco Bay Area, flexibility is one of our favorite things about dermal fillers. That’s why we use primarily hyaluronic acid-based fillers, which we can reverse with injections of a substance called Hylenex (hyaluronidase).  

When Should You “Un-do” Facial Fillers? 

Most patients at Mabrie Facial Institute are very happy with their filler treatments, and very few require correction. However, we do routinely treat individuals unhappy with filler results from outside injectors. Our skilled injectors are highly trained in corrective work, which often involves dissolving and re-treating the area. And keep in mind, dissolving filler isn’t always an all-or-nothing choice. In some cases, our Injectors can carefully dissolve a few millimeters of filler to make a huge difference in your results.   

Dissolving Fillers in the Lips 

We can correct lips that are overfilled, misshapen (“duck lips”), or where the filler has migrated. 

Dissolving Fillers Under the Eyes 

Our injectors correct visible bumps, increased bags, and/or bluish tint under the eyes (Tyndall effect). 

Dissolving Fillers in the Cheeks & Face 

We help women and men with puffy or unnatural-looking results to achieve smooth, streamlined contours. 

Important Things To Know Before Dissolving Your Filler 

Corrective work, especially when dissolving filler, is a process that can involve dissolving over multiple appointments and retreating, if desired.  It’s important that patients be informed and prepared before deciding on treatment.  A few things to consider: 

Multiple visits – Depending on the treatment area and extent of correction required, be prepared for a minimum of 2 to 3 visits.   

Your results could look worse before looking better – Treatment areas could temporarily appear more sunken after dissolving filler.   

Consider the timing – Since swelling is common after filler treatment, it’s best to wait at least 2 weeks before deciding whether you want your fillers dissolved. 

How Much Does Dissolving Fillers Cost?

Hylenex to dissolve fillers costs start at $1,100, depending on the Injector. For accurate, up-to-date pricing, visit our Fees & Financing page.

Can I Dissolve My Filler?

Hyaluronidase works on HA fillers, including all the products in the JUVÉDERM and Restylane families.

Hyaluronidase injections will not dissolve RADIESSE, Sculptra, or transferred fat. It also has no effect on BOTOX or other neuromodulators.

See how Hylenex works in this video:

How Do You Dissolve Fillers?

Some individuals come to us specifically because they are interested in dissolving facial fillers received elsewhere. In other cases, our skilled Injectors observe poorly placed or problematic filler as part of our Illumination 360° process of examining your face from every angle in extremely bright light. In either case, we will carefully mark your face to indicate where to inject the Hylenex.

Dissolving the filler involves a quick injection into the offending filler, which will break down and subside right away. This involves a little discomfort, but we offer a variety of options to keep you comfortable. The appointment takes 30 to 60 minutes, and we typically schedule a second appointment to evaluate your results and re-treat with filler.

You may experience redness, bruising, and swelling after your corrective injections. These should go away within a day or two. Other side effects may occur, and we’ll be sure to discuss these with you before your treatment.

When Dissolving Filler Is Medically Necessary – Vascular Occlusion

One of the reasons we have Hylenex at our disposal is as a safety precaution. One of the rare risks involved with dermal fillers is a complication called vascular occlusion. This is when an artery or vein is blocked by filler, restricting blood flow to the tissues in the area. This can quickly lead to tissue necrosis (death) if it isn’t recognized and treated quickly. This risk is somewhat higher in non surgical rhinoplasty, or when an injector is not extremely familiar with the vascular anatomy of the treatment area.

At Mabrie Facial Institute, we have the experience and training to generally avoid complications like vascular occlusion. However, that experience and training also enable us to look for and identify signs of vascular occlusion, and immediately dissolve the filler with Hylenex if there is any risk. 

Why Didn’t Fillers (Elsewhere) Work for Me? 

Unfortunately, many providers try to do too much with fillers all at once. This can result in overfilling, and filler that spreads out or pools in the wrong areas. We have all seen people with that “puffed up” look that can happen when fillers aren’t carefully layered in stages.  

At MFI, we take our time over the course of at least 2 appointments, carefully sculpting your contours and allowing plenty of time for swelling to subside in between treatments. This, combined with our extensive training and experience, enables us to create ideal contours, smooth transitions, and balanced results that look amazing but not obvious. 

We’d Love To See You  

Find out why so many women and men choose Mabrie Facial Institute for dissolving facial fillers with Hylenex in the San Francisco Bay Area. Request a consultation online with one of our Injectors, or call us at (415) 445-9513 to schedule your initial appointment. If you’ll be visiting us from outside the area, our Fly in for Your Procedure page was created just for you to help make planning your trip as smooth as possible.

Dissolving Filler FAQs