Migrated lip filler is visibly noticeable and usually presents as lumps, but can also appear as a puffy upper lip, lack of a defined border between lip edge and above and/or below the lip border – think duck lips. If you're prone to lip filler migration, you may be wondering why it keeps happening.
It will almost always be clear to see if your filler has migrated beyond the lips. A plump upper lip and a lack of a definite boundary between the lip edge and the upper or lower region of the lip border are both visual signs of lip filler migration.
"With lip filler, the upper lip border becomes less defined and a mound develops in the skin above the lip, causing the 'duck lip look,' says Dr. Nichols. "In cases of undereye filler, migration is seen as bumps in the lower eyelid and/or upper cheeks areas underneath the eyes."
If you believe that your filler has migrated, then don't panic, as it can be treated. The beauty of modern-day filler is that it is semi-permanent, so over time your body will naturally break down and metabolise the substance.
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.
Poor injection technique can lead to migration – the act of filler spreading to unintended locations – and the emergence of what has come to be known as “duck lips” or a “trout pout”.
It can take two to three years and beyond. I also don't like the idea of injecting good filler on top of bad filler placement because it's hard to camouflage and truly just draws more water into the problem migration area." When you decide to try out lip filler, "there is always a chance" migration will occur, says Dr.
Many of these videos recommend massaging your treatment area immediately following your injection—but this can be harmful. In some cases, we recommend our patients massage their fillers following treatment to smooth them out below the skin; however, too much massage too soon may cause the filler to migrate slightly.
Calcium hydroxylapatite is biosynthetically produced, which means that no animals or animal products are used. This lowers your risk of an allergic reaction and no skin testing is required. This type of dermal filler is known to produce a very natural result, doesn't migrate and side effects are rare.
Tijion Esho, founder of Esho Clinic and ESHO lip products, says true filler migration is actually quite rare. “The face has fixed facial compartments and filler can only move where there is adjacent space,” he says.
Migrated lip filler is visibly noticeable and usually presents as lumps, but can also appear as a puffy upper lip, lack of a defined border between lip edge and above and/or below the lip border – think duck lips.
Will migrated filler go away on its own? In theory, yes, but the reality is a bit more complicated. When we dissolve fillers we inject an enzyme called hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase is naturally occurring in your body and this is the reason that lip fillers will eventually dissolve on their own.
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.
Doing it safely and properly and giving it the appropriate amount of time to heal can also aid in avoiding lip filler migration (via L1P Aesthetics). If it has already occurred, it might be better to take action right away rather than wait for it to dissolve on its own because that could take a long time.
Migrated lip filler can present as lumps, noticeable volume above the top lip, lack of a defined lip edge all over, and sometimes can cause discomfort.
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.
A) Vascular occlusion usually causes some pain or discomfort, but may only manifest itself by the appearance of blanching, bluish discoloration, or mottling of the skin. Anything that seems unusual even hours after dermal filler injection should be reported immediately to your treatment provider.
Bruising may occur if an artery or blood vessel has become blocked due to filler injection. Bruising may range from a blue discoloration to a dusky purple-grey appearance. Swelling is likely to occur in and around the injection site if vascular obstruction is present, and may range from mild to severe.
Swelling and bruising. Redness and tenderness at the site of the injection. Reactivation of cold sores or fever blisters (herpes simplex) of the lips or area surrounding the lips.
Shamban notes, “the best course of action [in the event of lip filler migration] is to have a highly experienced injector introduce hyaluronidase to the area, and it will dissolve any HA-based filler quickly.” (Hyaluronidase is an enzyme that can dissolve hyaluronic acid fillers.)
Filler Massage
d like, massage is always an option. Your treatment provider should be able to use their fingers to gently coerce the product back to where it should be, and teach you how to do it yourself if you need additional spot-massaging in the future.
Answer: Juvederm/Restylane Migration
HA fillers will dissolve in 9-12 months, it can be reversed with an enzyme called hyaluronidase.
How Long Does Lip Filler Migration Last? The good news is fillers are only semi-permeant. Depending on how recently the filler was injected, the migration will last approximately 6-18 months. During that time your body will naturally metabolize and break the filler down over time if left alone.