Massage can encourage the filler to be broken up by the body more quickly. But in practice this still takes a long time (like weeks of daily vigorous massage) to improve the outcome. This may also spread the product over a larger area causing more problems.
So while the body naturally breaks them down over time, there is a way to speed up the process: Injections of hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase is what the body produces naturally to break down fillers, so by injecting more, it allows the lips to regain natural shape quicker, usually going down within 3-4 days.
Although extremely rare, dermal fillers are able to migrate within the skin if consistent and adequate pressure is applied to them. For this reason, we advise patients not to get a facial, massage (on the treated skin), or microdermabrasion for the first two weeks following their filler injections.
Trauma at the Injection Site
The single most common cause of lumps or bumps after filler is the trauma of the injection itself. This is why we recommend waiting for the swollen, bruised skin to heal before beginning to massage it.
The filler can take several weeks to soften and settle into your skin. This means that patients won't see the ultimate results of their treatment immediately. Although individual results will vary, many people achieve the full effect within two weeks after receiving their injections.
Hard and tender lumps suggest that your body might have reacted to the filler. A mild allergic reaction can be sorted out quickly and easily by a prescription of steroids, which our aesthetic medical professional can provide you with. This prescription is available at most pharmacies.
In rare cases, facial fillers like Juvederm can migrate to another site of your face within a few days of your injections. This happens when the filler moves before it has fully bonded with your facial tissue.
Whilst it is somewhat normal to feel small lumps, depending on how thick the filler used was), if they feel one lump in particular, they can gently massage it in between their finger and their thumb, over a period of time, and it will help to “break down” the lump.
We recommend avoiding to have any facials, massages, or lasers/ waxing to the face for 2 weeks after dermal fillers. This is because the product is still settling and activating for 2 weeks after injection and we do not want to disrupt and potentially move the product.
The filler will start to break down and soften immediately, although depending on the location and how much needs to be dissolved, it may take up to two weeks for it to completely dissolve and settle back to natural.
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane, Teosyal and Belotero can be dissolved using an enzyme called Hyaluronidase. This enzyme naturally occurs in our skin but can be injected at higher concentrations in order to rapidly remove unwanted filler.
If the filler is in a location further away from direct blood flow than other locations, then this means that cells that secrete hyaluronidase will not be able to reach the hyaluronic acid gel, and will therefore be unable to dissolve it.
In reality, fillers take up to four weeks to “settle,” according to Healthline. Different types of fillers can settle more quickly, and your lifestyle and similar factors can also affect the amount of time it takes to settle.
Massage can encourage the filler to be broken up by the body more quickly. But in practice this still takes a long time (like weeks of daily vigorous massage) to improve the outcome. This may also spread the product over a larger area causing more problems.
During this two week period, the hyaluronic acid in your filler will settle into your dermal tissues and begin to interact with the water in your skin. This process will hydrate your skin and give you a healthy, youthful appearance.
Generally, any lumps or bumps that appear after fillers will disappear on their own within one to two weeks. Give the treatment a couple of weeks to improve, applying ice regularly.
The Results Improve Over Time
Because these injections stimulate your body's production of collagen and elastin, the final results of treatment won't be seen for several weeks. Even as the hyaluronic acid is processed by your body, healthy collagen and elastin grow at a more significant rate.
"Theoretically, all filler has the ability to migrate," says Dr. Diamond. "That is why it is so imperative that non-surgical injectable services are performed by experts with the anatomical knowledge to prevent this from happening.
Dr. Frank says the best way to deal with migration is to dissolve the filler with hyaluronidase (an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid gels). In just a few hours, hyaluronidase softens the filler and returns the lips to a more natural shape, projection, and size.
Over time, as facial movement increases in areas like the lips or cheeks, it causes the filler to break down and dissolve at a quicker rate. This makes the filler disappear faster in more active areas of the face.
The swelling that can often occur after Lip Fillers can cause the lips to look a little uneven for a short time. This doesn't necessarily mean that anything has gone wrong and it may just take a little time for the product to fully settle and for residual swelling to subside.
Not to worry though, lumps following a filler treatment are completely normal. The lumps you may experience are often caused by swelling and bruising of the treated area.
If you are able to see the lumps, try massaging them out (if recommended by your doctor) and keep an eye on them. If they still do not disappear, it may warrant a call to your medical provider. In some cases an enzyme called Hyaluronidase may be injected to dissolve the filler.
Hyaluronic acid Dermal filler can be dissolved by the injection of Hyaluronidaese enzyme which take 1-2 weeks to work. There are many reasons that the filler has to be dissolve or has been requested to be dissolved for example: Over filled. The filler has moved or spread to other areas.
Different fillers tend to naturally dissolve at different speeds. Most hyaluronic acid fillers used in the lips, jawline, and cheeks, including Juvederm and Restylane, metabolize after 6 months to a year. Sculptra can continue to provide results in the face for up to two years.