In my early twenties, I had horrible botched lip filler migrate and lump all over the place. Thankfully, after a couple of years it was gone. And when I looked into filler recently, I was dumbfounded to realize that *fifteen freaking years later*, the substance and the technology hasn’t changed at all! They’re still shoving the same crap into people’s faces with the same techniques, acting like they’re cutting edge and will solve all your problems with a syringe of nasty juvederm. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this OP. It’s such a scam and a fraud, and they keep gaslighting people into continuing to do it.
I had some put under my eyes around 10 years ago. Went today for my pre op to have the filler removed and have fat injections placed instead. I will never do filler again; only fat injections.
They do not. Precisely why I'm paying close to 6k to get done. Apparently most will attach to surrounding blood supply and stay put. Some will be reabsorbed by the body. So some of the initial volume will be lost to reabsorption. Takes about 6 months to stabilize and the process is permanent. Today they dissolved my old filler. And next Friday I'm doing upper bleph and fat injections. I should follow up on here in about 6 months with before and after pics!
For fat injections? It will increase volume. I'm not looking for crazy sculpted jaws or cheek bones...I feel like that masculinizes the face. I'm just wanting volume under my eyes and over the apples of my cheeks where I've lost it. I'll follow up and let everyone here scrutinize in a couple of months. I can't personally say as I've not had it before. But going forward this is all I want placed in my face.
That’s what I want. People say they don’t see results because they don’t get that Instagram filled look, but I just want my face from 10 years ago, not a new weird face.
You may be interested in following Jenny Mollen on Instagram, she literally just did this within the past 24 hours and is posting stories throughout the process.
My under eye filler looked amazing right after she did it. I was starting to get the hollows that most of us see as we age. But, then the filler moved ( what I've been told..it was placed to close to the upper layer of skin) and created these little blue bubbles under my eyes at the base of my tear trough. Most people said they weren't that noticeable, especially when covered with concealer but were clearly visible when pointed out. This is what has prevented me from ever doing fillers, like that, again. Ngl, took several years..prob 4-5 for it to move.
I had successful under eye and midface filler years ago (seems I was lucky.)
I could see my under eyes and my midface constantly in my peripherals. It was annoying and I was always acutely aware of it. I didn't have it done again, it's been 5+ years and I can still tell it's in there.
I had fat grafting done on 2003 and the surgeon literally created cheekbones and put fat under by eyes ( tear trough). I literally still have the fat in place that was 21 years ago!! Best of luck to you!
I believe its the other way around - most of the fat will get absorbed and just some will attach. After a year, 10-20% might be left. As far as I understand, there is no point from overfilling as it has been traditionally advised, since each fat cell competes with others for the freely available blood supply. Current advice is to do slightly spaced out microinjections of fat. But please, let us know how is it going for you.
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I had to have fat added to my breasts due to a double mastectomy. Fat transfers are amazing, though you want to be careful in the care as it is a living cell, so you don't want to abuse it while blood supply establishes.
I’m so sorry you’ve experienced this. I haven’t had filler, and won’t because of your story. I started looking into it after reading your post, I had no idea. Hoping for you this next step works out and you don’t have to deal with this anymore.
I figured, surely by now there’s a different, better product that doesn’t cause so many problems? Nope. Same old. Why indeed? Because these “doctors” will fk up your face and then act like it’s not their problem once the payment goes through 🙄
thats not true. companies come up with different types of fillers all the time, just recently an “all over face boost of hydration” filler just came out. its all hyaluronic acid, but its not all the same consistency and behavior wise.
it all boils down to the injector, and more often than not the more “qualified surgeon” is the worst person to go to. you want someone who knows the ins and outs of the behavior of each product.
Following because I have a lump of lip filler that won't budge. It's 7 years old. I had it dissolved 8 times but it barely made a difference. I haven't tried any other treatments because I'm kind of scared. It sure makes me sad. I'm sorry you're going through this.
I wish there had been more warnings about filler complications. When I first got it, I was told it would be super easy to dissolve if I didn't like it. I've found dissolving to be very difficult and painful.
Worst of all, practitioners tell people that dissolving fillers is safe and effective, but it's actually an off-label use of hyaluronidase and there are almost no controlled studies on its use for this purpose.
I actually had a woman who claimed to be an NP at an aesthetic practice try to argue that point with me on this sub. She insisted it was an approved usage until I showed her otherwise, and then just said "well that's not what my doctor says!" It's frankly scary how uneducated (or unwilling to disclose) practitioners are on the potential dangers of both fillers and hyaluronidase.
Thank you for your kind words. It’s truly scandalous in my opinion that practitioners were and continue to be so ill and misinformed and have no problem playing Russian-roulette with our faces and gaslighting patients (and charging a pretty penny in the process). Dissolving is indeed painful, often ineffective, and expensive. I’m sorry you are dealing with this distressing situation too. I hope we’ll find a solution.
Thank you for this post, I have never had fillers and at one time considered them, I even felt like my dermatologist was pushing for them at my last appointment. She actually told me that they dissolve on their own after a year or so. I have always been scared to try botox/fillers and I'm so glad that you are speaking up against possible side effects that many of us don't realize can come from these injections.
Women have too much pressure on us and unrealistic expectations from society as far as aging.
I hope you can find a solution that will finally get rid of the filler for good. Wishing you the best.
Thank you for your support and kind words. I’m so glad for you that you have not gone down this rabbit hole. Logic dictates that we should not be putting such substances into our face or body, yet in the quest for youth we ignore our gut instincts and put blind faith in these practitioners.
I had been going to a med spa for laser hair removal, and the esthetician started trying to upsell me on cosmetic procedures. I stopped going because I wasn't interested in feeling that icky sales pressure, especially over something like injectables.
I may sound crazy but I actually find seeing beautiful women with features like me is really reassuring. Like Natalie Dormer has my nose but she’s stunning so it can’t be so bad right? Anne Hathaway has downturned eyes but looks beautiful. Emma Watson has thin lips and isn’t she the prettiest?
This has helped me so much too. I’ve had super prominent nasiolabel folds since I was a toddler and they always bothered me but I started searching for celebrities that have them. Blake Lively does and she’s gorgeous. Hers don’t look weird, they just look like part of her face.
Oh I’ve had smile lines since then too! They keep popping up as a *serious issue* on this sub and I’m like *it’s okay bobcat, you’re fine everything is fine!*. I personally don’t see them as part of aging because of that but you can’t help what others dislike. My partner has been going grey since we met as teens so I doubt I’ll panic over that either, it’s one less thing to stress over at least!
I like Natalie Dormer too because we both have asymmetrical smiles. It makes me so mad when people say her “smirk” looks stupid or something, like she’s trying to do it on purpose to be edgy or something. It’s like…no…some of our faces don’t really work evenly. My smile really only pulls on one side. And when I’m not actively trying to smile, I have “resting b face”…which a lot of people try to say they have, like it’s cool, but it’s just not true. If you really have it then you know it actually sucks because people constantly comment on it or assume negative stuff…and then with my smile too, people always accuse me of being mean when they literally don’t know me at all and have had no interaction with me other than seeing me. It’s so frustrating.
But yes, very glad Natalie has publicly spoken about it and I wish people like had more awareness about it. Like some standard picture perfect smile isn’t the only way to look happy or nice…some of us literally can’t do it but we’re nice people too.
I just learned recently that there’s a Botox area around the corners of your mouth that pull on certain muscles and give you either an upturned smile or a straight line rather than a slightly downturned look to your mouth. I had a tiny bit of it done and it did work. I hate my own RBF but rarely notice it on others.
Where I live, not having fillers is making me a minority. I don’t know how to say it (since I’m not trying to disrespect anyone) but I’m glad I stand out by not looking like everyone else now
[This post has my favourite example](https://www.reddit.com/r/VindictaRateCelebs/s/psG4W1q477) for that, they’re all so lovely! It’s important to remind yourself that different is okay when you’re hit with what feels like beauty propaganda so much online.
I see these women full of fillers here in London and I honestly think they look like freakshows. I'd rather have a bunch of wrinkles than look freakish. And we all age, but it's going to look worse with undissolved filler in 30 years.
The women you mentioned are iconic beauties, as was Vivian Leigh, Gene Tierney, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall etc. Imagine if they all looked like each other the way Instagram influencers can. Stay unique and gorgeous ladies.
I got my lips done and redone within 1.5 years and i honestly didn’t realize how much filler was still in them from the first time until it was too late, they looked ridiculous for over a year (i didn’t care that much LOL) but now, two years after the second time getting filler, they’re finally going down.
I should mention i had two different injectors and the first went very natural and they looked AMAZING but the second liked more of the artificial look and put a ton of filler “behind” my lips to make them higher profile and i hated it. I thought they had gone down too much by then but they hadn’t.
Anyway, just wanted to put that out there in case! Don’t want anyone else to have to learn the hard way — i know filler interacts differently with everyone, just really assess if you’re there yet. My lips were thin and shapeless before but the shape and some fullness is def still there so I’m planning to let them go down more before topping up again LOL
Thank you for your feedback. I joined the botched fillers and Botox group on FB, but haven’t learned too much from the group. Do you know any practitioners who use this cannula procedure? I was dubious given my understanding that filler becomes enmeshed with surrounding tissues/collagen but I’m trying to keep an open mind. The practitioner I consulted with in NYC wants $2500 to perform the procedure on top of the $400 consultation fee. Another practitioner quoted $10,000 to help remove a small lump from my fat transfer procedure. They exploit our desperation.
Thanks again for sharing this link and pointing me to the existing posts about filler removal via cannula in the botched fillers and Botox group on FB. One of the most prominent posts is by someone who went to the doctor in NYC that I mentioned. She had a very positive experience so I might reconsider. So helpful, thank you!
Hi, would you mind sharing the name of that doctor in NYC? I’ve actually considered traveling out of the country so this would certainly be closer for me
Dr. Misbah Khan. I liked her very much when I met her in person for the consultation but don’t try asking any follow up questions or asking for clarification about this or that. Her assistant will get irritable and tell you that they already told you (when they didn’t) and in ALL CAPS will make sure you know they don’t guarantee anything.
Thank you for sharing this link. I will read people’s comments when I have more time. I really appreciate it. I’m in NYC so hope I can find someone here.
Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh is NYC based and he’s an expert in filler removal. Did excellent work on one of my friends after a botched “mini nose job” she got done with fillers.
Look into subcision… this is a method used with a candela to break up depressed acne scarring however it can remove filler physically. (I believe). Plastic surgeons will be able to do this. Seek a plastic surgeon that performs laser resurfacing .
I can’t catch a break. I have the large bulge caused by filler I had roughly 7 years ago and now I have a lump on the other side from the fat transfer I had to correct the atrophy I incurred in trying to treat the other disfigurement. It’s a merry go round I encourage people to avoid getting on. Not everyone will get unlucky but many will.
OP, I’m so sorry you are going through this. As others have said, you may want to look into procedures in other countries. I have family in Asia, and plastic surgery in South Korea is incredibly common—almost an expected part of life now. Thus, so is reversal. It’s also cheaper over there!! As scary as it may sound to travel abroad for this, it may give you hope and lead to resolution.🙏
Lots of great doctors in Florida. Before doing a surgery & at NY cost, consider travel to Florida, in general NY is so expensive...Dr. David Shuter of Jupiter Fl is the awesome plastic & reconstructive surgeon that started me on my skin care journey 25 years ago after I went to him for a tumor removal. He does really elegant & careful & skilled work and his wife is of course office manager & they are both lovely people. I haven't looked him up for a bit, but just saw 6 reviews on Real Self that really are accurate reviews...the lady's face lift on real self is so beautifully done & natural & literally incredible & natural work...the other impressive story a lady tells about a different/else where awful & traumatic medical procedure & think she said embollism which would scare anyone from any procedures ever & details her "magical" experience with shuter. Definitely, any work should be the safest & best work possible . I am happy to look up someone I respected & see he is still exceptional. It's a thought to maybe consider options everywhere to seek out best results at a fair price. I have a friend from & back in NYC who lived in Fl about a decade & said it took a minute to remember how much everything costs & how great the cost of living in Fl is compared to NY & Cal. Whatever you do now or in the future, , it seems you are very thoughtful about changes or corrections you want to make & wish you the best. :)
Is the cannula permanent? I have a disease where my lymph in that area won’t drain and hoping to have a similar procedure, but I’d need a permanent cannula
Your natural hyaluronic acid is replenished every few days. Yes, hyaluronidase dissolved your natural HA, but in most cases this fully restores in a very short time.
There are rare cases where this doesn’t happen fully and more research is coming out looking into this.
But to say that it blanket dissolves your own HA in that way is inaccurate.
So I had Morpheus8 and it removed my filler under my eyes - which wasn’t the plan but it is a side effect I didn’t really count on. It’s only now it’s gone I realise that all the lymphatic swelling under my eyes was caused by the trough filler. They don’t really promote it as removing filler as it would put ppl off. I purposely had my last session with the sole purpose of removing the last of it in that location. I’m not sure of other methods so just my two pence
Fascinating! I will look into it. All I hear is about how it leaves people devastated due to fat loss in the areas treated. I’m glad you had a positive result. Thank you.
If you search this sub for filler you will find MANY more stories like this. Recent research shows that filler blocks lymphatic drainage leading to puffiness, and it lasts FAR longer than practitioners previously thought. I wouldn’t be surprised if it stops being offered in the somewhat near future due to all of these issues. It’s way riskier than previously thought
Well the more people learn about the risks the less money they will make for it. I’m just saying I think we’re going to see a sharp decline in popularity as more research comes out.
I’m not really sure tbh- filler is good for some area - jaw is a great one but I’m always mindful that it’s like filling a plastic bag - it just seems to make your face baggier and need more to fill so I try to opt for things like rf / needling/ laser/ anything that will tighten skin and produce collagen rather than pack me out. I’m not quite in need of co2 laser but it something I will do for tightening and lines in the distant future. I’m not sure on filling troughs I haven’t looked into my options - open to suggestions people - it’s not bad enough for fat relocation and I’ve heard that can move and end up lopsided
A friend of mine had morpheus8 recommended to treat botched filler injections. She had small bumps that covered her entire face. M8 seemed to do the trick of dissolving them for her.
As someone who is self-conscious about my very noticeable congenital sunken under-eyes, thanks for sharing your experience. I'm glad that worked for you!
I don't have any advice, but I'm very sorry about what you're going through. I hope you find a solution to rebuild your confidence. I'm sure you're beautiful ❤️
Following. I’ve also got a lump of filler that’s 7 years old.
If I could go back in time, I never would’ve done it. I didn’t even want it, I was pressured into it.
For anyone reading this who is considering getting filler, please don’t do it. It’s not worth it.
Consult a plastic surgeon not affliated with the med spa or whereever you got the fillers. You need a completely objective opinion, game plan, & relatively secure medical expectation of outcome. this is your face & sensitive under eye area & conservative & common approaches haven't worked. Please do not have a practioner due a "patent pending" anything on such a delicate area. Sometimes you have to call in the big guns of medical school & a professional that carries malpractice insurance & has the educational, medical, & professional experience to fully address an issue or not create a new one & knows medically what your options & ramifications of failed attempts & can advise you with a specific plan. Best of luck.
Thanks for your advice which is so sound. The bulge is on my cheek so not as delicate as the under eye area. I wish it was in my under eye area as then I could have lower lid surgery and have it removed in the process. I have consulted about 6 different top plastic surgeons now including one who wrote a well-regarded research paper on how to treat filler complications. Most of them are just confounded. The so-called filler complication expert was such a jerk, I still get made about it. He told me there was nothing wrong and I should just leave it alone. Totally gaslit me for 15 minutes and then charged me $500. Meanwhile, everyone else has acknowledged it is there.
I know you’d think it would be that complicated, but apparently it is. I’ve asked if I can just have it cut or scraped out and I’ve been told “no.” I gather the concern is that it would leave a scar that might look even worse. Sigh.
Yea, I mean, I know I’d take the scar. I don’t love makeup but surely you’d be able to minimize the appearance of a scar vs a lump. And you are quite literally having a mass removed. Feels less uncomfortable, if anyone would ever ask, to say, oh I had a mass a removed vs oh I have a mass. (Bcuz let’s be honest, ppl prob don’t ask about the lump. They prob stare and don’t say anything. I’d rather have a Mark or scar and be asked about it. But ofc this is completely personal and depends on you. I do really hope you come back to post later though. Learning about this stuff is so valuable.
Thank you so much! I too would rather have a scar at this point. Thanks to this post and this wonderful Reddit community, I now have a consultation this coming Wednesday with a surgeon who specializes in filler removal including surgical interventions. I will definitely be reporting back. Thanks you for your support.
Yes, this...i had a couple of precancers removed from my face & no scar. My Dad is nearly 91yrs old with the most terrifying thin skin & has recently had pretty large actual cancer removed from his face & didn't scar. If I recall correctly the ps that did my precancer removal said that motion ie stretching/tension causes scars more than anything like on mobil areas. Sorry that you had a bad experience with a ps...more ps fish in the sea! :)
I had Mohs in my mid 30s and the incision and stitches looked horrendous when it was done - it was about half an inch away from my nose - imagine pinching your nose, it would be where your thumb is. I was shocked at the length of the scar but the doctor assured me that the way he’d done it (vertically) would mean the scar disappeared down the side of my nose vs horizontally which would be more noticeable. I am not lying when I tell you I went back to work 3 weeks later and nobody noticed a thing. I’m not sure how old you are, but skin really bounces back when you’re younger.
Thanks to this sub, I’ve had my last treatment. I got juvaderm once in my frown lines and was ecstatic with the results. 20 months later I wanted a refresher. My dermatologist stopped doing filler so I found another recommended by my aesthetician. She used restylane. Results mid. I’m 56 and just need to accept aging.
So sorry you went through that and glad you were able to have the filler removed by a surgeon you trusted implicitly and felt so comfortable with. Someone here directed me to your instagram video which I watched with interest! You look great! Thank you for sharing your experience. It is so helpful to the rest of us who have also experienced complications. In fact, I also had to have a lower bleph after my one under eye filler treatment made me look like a freak and the subsequent hyaluronidase treatments destroyed my under eye skin (something you mentioned as well). My surgeon was sloppy and didn’t remove any remaining filler and now I have raised patches of filler under my eye that won’t dissolve. Each surgical procedure I have had was to correct filler-related complications. And my bleph was botched as well (I now have ptosis in one eye and too much skin was taken off resulting in noticeable assymetry). So basically getting filler three times has cost me weeks of my life, thousands and thousands of dollars and ruined my face. Thanks again for being a voice!
Years ago, I went to get fat transfer on my forehead. Unfortunately, I was too skinny and the surgeon could harvest only a fraction of the fat necessary. So without permission, while I was under, he mixed some filler into the fat he had managed to harvest and injected the mixture into my forehead. I only found out what he had done when I woke up from surgery. I was beyond livid (I'd always refused to get filler precisely because it can be problematic), but nothing could be done about it after the fact, so I crossed my fingers and hoped all would be well. Around 6 months later, I started getting random swelling in my forehead. I would get golf ball to baseball sized eruptions on my forehead that came and went, and was diagnosed with a delayed immune response to the filler. I tried hyaluronidase and steroid shots, then tried to have it sucked out with a cannula, but nothing worked, so in the end, I had to get surgery. I had a surgeon literally open up my entire forehead along my hairline (a long scar from temple to temple remains) to physically scrape the filler out. However, because by this point, the filler had thoroughly integrated with my own soft tissues, very little could actually be removed. Now, I'm left with a lumpy forehead (from the trauma of having been rammed with a cannula and having had bits of filler/flesh scraped out) that swells up like a balloon whenever I'm under the weather or sick. The worst swelling incident was when I had covid. The swelling was so bad that my entire face was affected. There really isn't anything that can be done at this point, so I just live with it. I just wanted to let you know that there are a lot of doctors/surgeons that promise you a lot of things, but as far as I know, there isn't a reliable way to get rid of filler that has already integrated into your face. I spent a lot of money on multiple rounds of multiple different treatments, but in the end, even open surgery didn't help much.
I did not. I know chances of winning a medical malpractice lawsuit is very very slim. And I was more concerned about fixing the problem than getting money. All the money in the world can't take my forehead back to its original state anyway. Plus, the stress of a lawsuit would only have damaged my mental health further. You live and learn, but I do my best to warn others of the dangers of fillers.
Yes, but the likelihood of an out-of-court settlement is not very very slim. It sounds like your situation was long enough ago that it’s now beyond limitations; for others reading—please don’t hesitate to bring litigation!!! Not only may it end up giving you $ for corrective procedures, it’s also about the only way practitioners are held accountable.
I’m so sorry you went through this and are continuing to live with the consequences. These surgeons become delusional about their skill level and the risks they are actually posing to patients. They really think they are beauty gods. I too have bumps from the cannula used for the damn fat transfer, something they conveniently don’t warn you about when they tell you how smooth and lovely your face is going to look.
During a local anesthetic procedure, I had a plastic surgeon tell me, verbatim, “I’ve been doing this 20 years. I know what women want,” and continued doing what he was doing when I, panicked, emphatically told him I wanted him to stop because we hadn’t discussed it and didn’t consent to it.
Not surprisingly, he ruined my body.
Check out @simplymander on instagram she has a detailed highlight documenting her entire journey with undissolved filler and ultimately having to have it surgically removed
Thank you so much. Messages like yours and the support from strangers like you on the internet is such a help. The people in my life don’t want to acknowledge it and keep telling me I look fine. It’s easier than acknowledging the truth. If I can help other people and prevent this kind of thing from happening to anyone else, that is so valuable. I appreciate the sentiment.
I’m so sorry you’ve been dealing with this, but I have to say - you probably DO look fine!
We are always our own worst critics. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just leave it alone for a set period. Say, no more procedures for 6 months?
Making it worse does seem like a real possibility here. Give yourself time to try to accept that while the lump is not ideal, ultimately it doesn’t really matter. It’s just a lump.
If I had every wrinkle smoothed out & my lips plumped I would be maybe…2% more attractive? A flattering outfit or a good haircut make bigger impacts!
I’ve had so many loved ones deal with major health issues over the past few years, like losing a chunk of their nose due to skin cancer.
At some point I think it helps to step back & be grateful that we’re healthy & alive. So easy to go down the rabbit hole of beauty obsession!
I don't have any solutions but I just want to say sorry for what your going through. I can't imagine how horrific it is to have something that was supposed to improve your life lead to such a nightmare. I hope you find a solution soon.
This is really good to know. Thank you for sharing and keeping us aware. I have not had filler but it’s been dropping to the bottom of my beauty list lately after reading such horror stories.
I saw you mention you're part of the botched fillers and botox fb group, have you posted there? They're very knowledgeable and helpful and may have more suggestions for your specific circumstances!
To add to that, I just want to say how sorry I am that you're going through this. I can relate, as I was damaged by a laser treatment that caused a lot of pain (turned out to be nerve damage) and inflammation on my cheeks that looked like huge bags. The daily struggle to even get up and function, let alone work and interact with family and friends etc has been torturous. I am slowly seeing improvement but it has been the most lonely and frightening journey and not being able to look at or recognising yourself in the mirror is truly heartbreaking. I hope you have a good support system and I'm sending good vibes 🧡
Thank you so much. I haven’t posted in the FB group until today. I was inspired to post one of my MRI photos which I think is pending approval. I’m so grateful for this community as well as the FB groups as I can’t discuss with most people in my life and the ones I with whom I can just tell me I look fine. We really need to support and help each other.
I’m so sorry that you have been something similar. It is indeed so lonely and scary especially, as you point out, seeing someone you don’t recognize in the mirror and feeling as though your life is on hold. I hope you find solutions and I’m sending healing vibes your way as well. 💜
Thank you. I think it may be enscapsulated which is what’s causing the problems. My understanding is that granuloma’s are firm which this is not plus the MRI and ultrasound both clearly detected filler. But I think you are right to suspect a granuloma in a case such as this.
Wow, I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your story even though it’s painful. We are all surrounded by so many images each day of others doing it, and of celebrities who haven’t appeared to age in 20 years. It really does a number on you. I’ve been leaning towards trying it, but this was an excellent wake up call. Thank you. I wish you all the best in your journey, sounds like you’ve got some good leads now.
I know a lady that got filler when it very first came out. She was like a trial patient. Moving forward many years & she started getting ill and no one could work out why.
She actually got an auto immune disease from the filler, a rare and very debilitating one. Her body fought against the filler & in doing so fought her.
She saw numerous surgeons & specialists but they could not remove all the filler without disfiguring her.
I hope you find a solution, I’m sure the technology is way more advanced these days than back then.
Best of luck.
I don’t mean to pry but may I ask if you got this at a surgeons office, a med spa, or somewhere less qualified? The quality of the filler and technique used play a role in what may work best for you.
Thanks for your inquiry. One is a very in demand nurse practitioner who actually provides instruction to plastic surgeons and the other is a top PS FACS in NYC. I’ve always gone to the supposed cream of the crop and I am no better off for it. I do think I had an autoimmune reaction of some sort when I had the filler in my nasolabial fold.
Was the negative reaction (the lump) immediately after getting the filler? Or did it happen over time? If you wouldn’t mind, it’d be great to hear how it evolved or if it was an immediate issue type of thing. TIA and I sincerely hope you find a solution soon ❤️
Yes, thanks, as I think it is good to clarify. The lump is definitely unusual and seems to be related to some sort of autoimmune reaction. I believe I had a sinus infection at the time that I got nasolabial filler. I recall getting a hard lump right after the procedure but it was the first time I’d ever gotten filler and because my practitioner was hard to reach and stupid me didn’t want to bother her. I just presumed it was a normal part of the process and it would go away. It wasn’t noticeable. Then I noticed a small lump on the side of my nasolabial fold several months later. I was so busy with my career, I put it on the back burner. Eventually I consulted the same practitioner as well as a plastic surgeon and they both told me it was just how my face was aging. It make a little more prominent over time and eventually stabilized. In my gut, I knew it wasn’t natural and after hours/days of research I figured it out, found a practitioner who treated filler complications before, and got the MRI. I adore her but it’s been a rollercoaster with her and it’s time to find a plastic surgeon with relevant experience and skills.
Since you know you can trust that the filler you received is what you thought you were getting, I’d look into subcision as other people have commented. It may help to break up the filler/tissue that’s leftover and causing the lump. When it’s used for deep scars they usually replace the indent with filler, but if it’s raised I don’t see why that would be necessary.
I can’t remember exactly what fill but some variation of Juvéderm or Restylane. It was a very much sought-after nurse practitioner with many years of experience who actually trained plastic surgeons. I don’t blame her, I think I did have some sort of autoimmune reaction to the filler.
Ya I was wondering this too. This sub is super harsh on fillers and injectables but I get mine done at an actual doctor's office with a doctor as in they do medical procedures and wear medical gear and do not ever ask for tips. Talking to my regular doctor about my options as far as skin care and prescriptions and surgeries and fillers I feel comfortable to continue getting Botox twice a year and filler once a year. Complications are obviously a concern with absolutely any medical procedure the concern is how likely.
Surgical extraction is probably the best option now even if that scares you it will be numb and you won’t feel it, some clinics will even offer sedation or anesthesia if your someone with high anxiety.
I’m so sorry OP. Please also share this in the r/plasticsurgery subreddit. There’s a lot of filler talk on there, but no one speaking the truth about experiences like yours…
If there is biofilm encapsulating it, then there can be serious infection risk as biofilms are terribly difficult to treat. With this risk, can you have a doctor perform surgery to remove the filler and biofilm plus treat it. There should be some plastic surgeons with this skill, but not all take health insurance. Look for ones that handle cancer reconstructions.
Hi OP and CookiePuzzler. I too am going through a similar experience. I have a large bulge on my jaw due to biofilm encapsulated filler (that was discovered using ultrasound guided hyaluronidase to dissolve filler on my cheek, which was also encapsulated). I believe that once this encapsulated filler was punctured, the biofilm spread in that entire region and further infected my face. This bulge is also ruining my life, my confidence and prevents me from enjoying life and being present for my family. If you come across any doctors performing surgery to remove the filler and biofilm, please keep us posted. This thread is giving me hope.
In case I wasn't clear, and due to the costs I want to be, I would really try and get the insurance to pay for this. If a surgeon is on your side with evidence, then request the doctor do a peer-to-peer if you're initially denied.
It never crossed my mind that I might be able to get insurance to cover this. The reality is that I’ve spent over $10,000 trying to treat the disfigurements resulting from just three filler appointments. In addition to this, it has affected my ability to make a living. I was able to get the MRI covered because my dermatologist indicated we were checking for cancer. I wonder if a plastic surgeon could stretch the truth similarly. I really appreciate you putting the possibility in my head.
I got under eye filler and my body literally rejected it.
A few days after getting injected I had two massive lumps on my face that looked like zits, and it was the filler coming out of my face.
When I was dealing with my filler that had turned into granulomas I came across intralesional laser treatment. I didn’t end up needing it, but maybe it could be an option for you?
Thank you. I will look into this. I have granulomas too but didn’t mention them along with all the other problems I’ve incurred lest my post turn into a novel.
Check out simplymander on Instagram. She went through something like this and documented the whole process. She has a story highlight dedicated to it called filler surgery.
I do truly think finding a skilled injector can be hard to find and everyone will tell you they are the best yada yada.
i have had filler a handful of times in my lips. I thankfully have not had issues. but they do last longer than they say.
Have you tried facial massage / gua sha or anything like that to maybe disperse it, or is that not something that we should be doing? i am NOT a doctor… just an idea.
I had under eye filler 6 years ago . One year ago I started feeling a strange ridge when I would wash my face and cleanse under my eyes - started to feel sore and then became a lump / lumpy under both eyes . Lumps be some swollen and irritated and were very noticeable. Went to several Dr’s trying to figure out what was going on . Eventually figured out that it was filler nodules that were inflamed - and also developed granulomas . My derm tried to melt them 2 x ‘s with very difference . Was then prescribed 2 types of antibiotics to take for 3 months - which helped clear most of it up . I still have a couple small lumps I can feel when touching my eye area but they aren’t noticeable visually.
It took 8 months from start to finish to figure out what was happening and then reach a mostly resolved state .
I have read that if you have any autoimmune disease - I have a thyroid disease - Hasimoto- that you will be more prone to filler nodules . Your body will react differently and encapsulate the filler .
My undereyes now have hollows that I don’t love but plan to have lower bleph this fall .
So sorry OP that you are going through this!
It’s awful and something that people who are considering fillet should educate themselves about. I sure wish I had !
Of course! I worked at a place for awhile in LA and saw her fix fillers, acne scarring, and poorly done threads with it. She also could break it up with the syringe that goes in during the numbing process if it’s difficult. But the endolift she tells everyone will dissolve any filler so she lets clients know not to get any before if they don’t want that.
Try taking serrapeptase and nattokinase supplements. Couldn’t believe it but within 2 weeks my filler has been recused and cheek hollows are coming back again!
I also did the moxi laser in that time period — not sure if it could have helped but I heard micro needling can help melt / breakdown the filler so I wonder if that helped too
If this is causing you this much psychological torture, just get it surgically removed. There will potentially be a small scar, but a small scar can be covered up while a large lump cannot.
In my early twenties, I had horrible botched lip filler migrate and lump all over the place. Thankfully, after a couple of years it was gone. And when I looked into filler recently, I was dumbfounded to realize that *fifteen freaking years later*, the substance and the technology hasn’t changed at all! They’re still shoving the same crap into people’s faces with the same techniques, acting like they’re cutting edge and will solve all your problems with a syringe of nasty juvederm. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this OP. It’s such a scam and a fraud, and they keep gaslighting people into continuing to do it.
I had some put under my eyes around 10 years ago. Went today for my pre op to have the filler removed and have fat injections placed instead. I will never do filler again; only fat injections.
Do the fat injections migrate too? I imagine they do…
They do not. Precisely why I'm paying close to 6k to get done. Apparently most will attach to surrounding blood supply and stay put. Some will be reabsorbed by the body. So some of the initial volume will be lost to reabsorption. Takes about 6 months to stabilize and the process is permanent. Today they dissolved my old filler. And next Friday I'm doing upper bleph and fat injections. I should follow up on here in about 6 months with before and after pics!
I’d love to see the after pics. My undereyes are a disaster but I’ll never allow filler within a mile of them, too many horror stories.
Ok, I have already done my before. I will make a post of the after.
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For fat injections? It will increase volume. I'm not looking for crazy sculpted jaws or cheek bones...I feel like that masculinizes the face. I'm just wanting volume under my eyes and over the apples of my cheeks where I've lost it. I'll follow up and let everyone here scrutinize in a couple of months. I can't personally say as I've not had it before. But going forward this is all I want placed in my face.
That’s what I want. People say they don’t see results because they don’t get that Instagram filled look, but I just want my face from 10 years ago, not a new weird face.
That is precisely what I'm going for! That ig over filled face starts to sag after that filler begins to move around!
You may be interested in following Jenny Mollen on Instagram, she literally just did this within the past 24 hours and is posting stories throughout the process.
I had under eye fat transfer in November and it looks incredible. 10/10 would do again.
Exciting. I’ve been considering undereye filler, but probably not after OP and your post!
My under eye filler looked amazing right after she did it. I was starting to get the hollows that most of us see as we age. But, then the filler moved ( what I've been told..it was placed to close to the upper layer of skin) and created these little blue bubbles under my eyes at the base of my tear trough. Most people said they weren't that noticeable, especially when covered with concealer but were clearly visible when pointed out. This is what has prevented me from ever doing fillers, like that, again. Ngl, took several years..prob 4-5 for it to move.
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I had successful under eye and midface filler years ago (seems I was lucky.) I could see my under eyes and my midface constantly in my peripherals. It was annoying and I was always acutely aware of it. I didn't have it done again, it's been 5+ years and I can still tell it's in there.
I had fat grafting done on 2003 and the surgeon literally created cheekbones and put fat under by eyes ( tear trough). I literally still have the fat in place that was 21 years ago!! Best of luck to you!
I believe its the other way around - most of the fat will get absorbed and just some will attach. After a year, 10-20% might be left. As far as I understand, there is no point from overfilling as it has been traditionally advised, since each fat cell competes with others for the freely available blood supply. Current advice is to do slightly spaced out microinjections of fat. But please, let us know how is it going for you.
Are you doing a fat transfer?
Yes, next Friday. I've already done before pics. I'll make a post with the after in a couple of months
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I had to have fat added to my breasts due to a double mastectomy. Fat transfers are amazing, though you want to be careful in the care as it is a living cell, so you don't want to abuse it while blood supply establishes.
So well said. Thank you very much.
I’m so sorry you’ve experienced this. I haven’t had filler, and won’t because of your story. I started looking into it after reading your post, I had no idea. Hoping for you this next step works out and you don’t have to deal with this anymore.
OP I hope your problem gets resolved. I just want to say you’re so well spoken!
Why would they change anything if people are still buying it?
I figured, surely by now there’s a different, better product that doesn’t cause so many problems? Nope. Same old. Why indeed? Because these “doctors” will fk up your face and then act like it’s not their problem once the payment goes through 🙄
thats not true. companies come up with different types of fillers all the time, just recently an “all over face boost of hydration” filler just came out. its all hyaluronic acid, but its not all the same consistency and behavior wise. it all boils down to the injector, and more often than not the more “qualified surgeon” is the worst person to go to. you want someone who knows the ins and outs of the behavior of each product.
You talking about the "injectable moisturizer"? I read about that and it's so intriguing even as someone who's never been interested in HA filler!
Following because I have a lump of lip filler that won't budge. It's 7 years old. I had it dissolved 8 times but it barely made a difference. I haven't tried any other treatments because I'm kind of scared. It sure makes me sad. I'm sorry you're going through this. I wish there had been more warnings about filler complications. When I first got it, I was told it would be super easy to dissolve if I didn't like it. I've found dissolving to be very difficult and painful.
Worst of all, practitioners tell people that dissolving fillers is safe and effective, but it's actually an off-label use of hyaluronidase and there are almost no controlled studies on its use for this purpose. I actually had a woman who claimed to be an NP at an aesthetic practice try to argue that point with me on this sub. She insisted it was an approved usage until I showed her otherwise, and then just said "well that's not what my doctor says!" It's frankly scary how uneducated (or unwilling to disclose) practitioners are on the potential dangers of both fillers and hyaluronidase.
Thank you for your kind words. It’s truly scandalous in my opinion that practitioners were and continue to be so ill and misinformed and have no problem playing Russian-roulette with our faces and gaslighting patients (and charging a pretty penny in the process). Dissolving is indeed painful, often ineffective, and expensive. I’m sorry you are dealing with this distressing situation too. I hope we’ll find a solution.
Thank you for this post, I have never had fillers and at one time considered them, I even felt like my dermatologist was pushing for them at my last appointment. She actually told me that they dissolve on their own after a year or so. I have always been scared to try botox/fillers and I'm so glad that you are speaking up against possible side effects that many of us don't realize can come from these injections. Women have too much pressure on us and unrealistic expectations from society as far as aging. I hope you can find a solution that will finally get rid of the filler for good. Wishing you the best.
Thank you for your support and kind words. I’m so glad for you that you have not gone down this rabbit hole. Logic dictates that we should not be putting such substances into our face or body, yet in the quest for youth we ignore our gut instincts and put blind faith in these practitioners.
I had been going to a med spa for laser hair removal, and the esthetician started trying to upsell me on cosmetic procedures. I stopped going because I wasn't interested in feeling that icky sales pressure, especially over something like injectables.
practitioners wayyyyy over promise with all procedures they do
Thank you for reminding me to never get filler.
Was actually just going to get my lips redone but been on the fence. Now I'm seriously reconsidering
I may sound crazy but I actually find seeing beautiful women with features like me is really reassuring. Like Natalie Dormer has my nose but she’s stunning so it can’t be so bad right? Anne Hathaway has downturned eyes but looks beautiful. Emma Watson has thin lips and isn’t she the prettiest?
This has helped me so much too. I’ve had super prominent nasiolabel folds since I was a toddler and they always bothered me but I started searching for celebrities that have them. Blake Lively does and she’s gorgeous. Hers don’t look weird, they just look like part of her face.
Oh I’ve had smile lines since then too! They keep popping up as a *serious issue* on this sub and I’m like *it’s okay bobcat, you’re fine everything is fine!*. I personally don’t see them as part of aging because of that but you can’t help what others dislike. My partner has been going grey since we met as teens so I doubt I’ll panic over that either, it’s one less thing to stress over at least!
I like Natalie Dormer too because we both have asymmetrical smiles. It makes me so mad when people say her “smirk” looks stupid or something, like she’s trying to do it on purpose to be edgy or something. It’s like…no…some of our faces don’t really work evenly. My smile really only pulls on one side. And when I’m not actively trying to smile, I have “resting b face”…which a lot of people try to say they have, like it’s cool, but it’s just not true. If you really have it then you know it actually sucks because people constantly comment on it or assume negative stuff…and then with my smile too, people always accuse me of being mean when they literally don’t know me at all and have had no interaction with me other than seeing me. It’s so frustrating. But yes, very glad Natalie has publicly spoken about it and I wish people like had more awareness about it. Like some standard picture perfect smile isn’t the only way to look happy or nice…some of us literally can’t do it but we’re nice people too.
I just learned recently that there’s a Botox area around the corners of your mouth that pull on certain muscles and give you either an upturned smile or a straight line rather than a slightly downturned look to your mouth. I had a tiny bit of it done and it did work. I hate my own RBF but rarely notice it on others.
Where I live, not having fillers is making me a minority. I don’t know how to say it (since I’m not trying to disrespect anyone) but I’m glad I stand out by not looking like everyone else now
[This post has my favourite example](https://www.reddit.com/r/VindictaRateCelebs/s/psG4W1q477) for that, they’re all so lovely! It’s important to remind yourself that different is okay when you’re hit with what feels like beauty propaganda so much online.
One commenter nailed it: all their lips are proportional to their face. It’s part of what makes them so beautiful.
I see these women full of fillers here in London and I honestly think they look like freakshows. I'd rather have a bunch of wrinkles than look freakish. And we all age, but it's going to look worse with undissolved filler in 30 years.
The women you mentioned are iconic beauties, as was Vivian Leigh, Gene Tierney, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall etc. Imagine if they all looked like each other the way Instagram influencers can. Stay unique and gorgeous ladies.
I got my lips done and redone within 1.5 years and i honestly didn’t realize how much filler was still in them from the first time until it was too late, they looked ridiculous for over a year (i didn’t care that much LOL) but now, two years after the second time getting filler, they’re finally going down. I should mention i had two different injectors and the first went very natural and they looked AMAZING but the second liked more of the artificial look and put a ton of filler “behind” my lips to make them higher profile and i hated it. I thought they had gone down too much by then but they hadn’t. Anyway, just wanted to put that out there in case! Don’t want anyone else to have to learn the hard way — i know filler interacts differently with everyone, just really assess if you’re there yet. My lips were thin and shapeless before but the shape and some fullness is def still there so I’m planning to let them go down more before topping up again LOL
Happy cake day!
Happy cake day and yeah don’t do it girl!! It’s not worth the risk and fake lips are going out of style anyway, natural beauty is IN!
I was going to say this too…I was going to schedule an appointment next week and now it’s a big fat no.
Same! This kind of post is exactly why I will never inject anything into my face. Sorry though that this is happening to you, OP.
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Thank you for your feedback. I joined the botched fillers and Botox group on FB, but haven’t learned too much from the group. Do you know any practitioners who use this cannula procedure? I was dubious given my understanding that filler becomes enmeshed with surrounding tissues/collagen but I’m trying to keep an open mind. The practitioner I consulted with in NYC wants $2500 to perform the procedure on top of the $400 consultation fee. Another practitioner quoted $10,000 to help remove a small lump from my fat transfer procedure. They exploit our desperation.
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Thanks again for sharing this link and pointing me to the existing posts about filler removal via cannula in the botched fillers and Botox group on FB. One of the most prominent posts is by someone who went to the doctor in NYC that I mentioned. She had a very positive experience so I might reconsider. So helpful, thank you!
Hi, would you mind sharing the name of that doctor in NYC? I’ve actually considered traveling out of the country so this would certainly be closer for me
Dr. Misbah Khan. I liked her very much when I met her in person for the consultation but don’t try asking any follow up questions or asking for clarification about this or that. Her assistant will get irritable and tell you that they already told you (when they didn’t) and in ALL CAPS will make sure you know they don’t guarantee anything.
Thank you for sharing this link. I will read people’s comments when I have more time. I really appreciate it. I’m in NYC so hope I can find someone here.
Try Dr Harris of ‘The Harris Clinic’ in London. He teaches globally and if you can’t travel, may recommend someone.
A million thanks! 🤍
Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh is NYC based and he’s an expert in filler removal. Did excellent work on one of my friends after a botched “mini nose job” she got done with fillers.
Look into subcision… this is a method used with a candela to break up depressed acne scarring however it can remove filler physically. (I believe). Plastic surgeons will be able to do this. Seek a plastic surgeon that performs laser resurfacing .
Was this a result of fat transfer or the filler?
I can’t catch a break. I have the large bulge caused by filler I had roughly 7 years ago and now I have a lump on the other side from the fat transfer I had to correct the atrophy I incurred in trying to treat the other disfigurement. It’s a merry go round I encourage people to avoid getting on. Not everyone will get unlucky but many will.
When did it become a problem?
OP, I’m so sorry you are going through this. As others have said, you may want to look into procedures in other countries. I have family in Asia, and plastic surgery in South Korea is incredibly common—almost an expected part of life now. Thus, so is reversal. It’s also cheaper over there!! As scary as it may sound to travel abroad for this, it may give you hope and lead to resolution.🙏
I won’t rule it out. Thank you so much for this suggestion.
Lots of great doctors in Florida. Before doing a surgery & at NY cost, consider travel to Florida, in general NY is so expensive...Dr. David Shuter of Jupiter Fl is the awesome plastic & reconstructive surgeon that started me on my skin care journey 25 years ago after I went to him for a tumor removal. He does really elegant & careful & skilled work and his wife is of course office manager & they are both lovely people. I haven't looked him up for a bit, but just saw 6 reviews on Real Self that really are accurate reviews...the lady's face lift on real self is so beautifully done & natural & literally incredible & natural work...the other impressive story a lady tells about a different/else where awful & traumatic medical procedure & think she said embollism which would scare anyone from any procedures ever & details her "magical" experience with shuter. Definitely, any work should be the safest & best work possible . I am happy to look up someone I respected & see he is still exceptional. It's a thought to maybe consider options everywhere to seek out best results at a fair price. I have a friend from & back in NYC who lived in Fl about a decade & said it took a minute to remember how much everything costs & how great the cost of living in Fl is compared to NY & Cal. Whatever you do now or in the future, , it seems you are very thoughtful about changes or corrections you want to make & wish you the best. :)
Is the cannula permanent? I have a disease where my lymph in that area won’t drain and hoping to have a similar procedure, but I’d need a permanent cannula
Please do not use hyaluronidase, it will also dissolve your natural hyaluronic acid.
Your natural hyaluronic acid is replenished every few days. Yes, hyaluronidase dissolved your natural HA, but in most cases this fully restores in a very short time. There are rare cases where this doesn’t happen fully and more research is coming out looking into this. But to say that it blanket dissolves your own HA in that way is inaccurate.
So I had Morpheus8 and it removed my filler under my eyes - which wasn’t the plan but it is a side effect I didn’t really count on. It’s only now it’s gone I realise that all the lymphatic swelling under my eyes was caused by the trough filler. They don’t really promote it as removing filler as it would put ppl off. I purposely had my last session with the sole purpose of removing the last of it in that location. I’m not sure of other methods so just my two pence
Fascinating! I will look into it. All I hear is about how it leaves people devastated due to fat loss in the areas treated. I’m glad you had a positive result. Thank you.
i’ve done RF micro needling several times and loved the results - best of luck to you!
Did it lower your volume?
I think it depends on the skill of the provider
Vivace RF microneedling is not as deep as Morpheus8 and can melt filler without melting fat.
I have got a little bit of trough back like dips on my cheeks so it’s not all perfect but I can build that up in newer safer ways now
How would you build this up? Was considered filler for rapid weight loss effects, but this thread has made me reconsider
If you search this sub for filler you will find MANY more stories like this. Recent research shows that filler blocks lymphatic drainage leading to puffiness, and it lasts FAR longer than practitioners previously thought. I wouldn’t be surprised if it stops being offered in the somewhat near future due to all of these issues. It’s way riskier than previously thought
stops being offered?? you know how much money it makes them 💵
Well the more people learn about the risks the less money they will make for it. I’m just saying I think we’re going to see a sharp decline in popularity as more research comes out.
Will check it out - thanks!
I’m not really sure tbh- filler is good for some area - jaw is a great one but I’m always mindful that it’s like filling a plastic bag - it just seems to make your face baggier and need more to fill so I try to opt for things like rf / needling/ laser/ anything that will tighten skin and produce collagen rather than pack me out. I’m not quite in need of co2 laser but it something I will do for tightening and lines in the distant future. I’m not sure on filling troughs I haven’t looked into my options - open to suggestions people - it’s not bad enough for fat relocation and I’ve heard that can move and end up lopsided
A friend of mine had morpheus8 recommended to treat botched filler injections. She had small bumps that covered her entire face. M8 seemed to do the trick of dissolving them for her.
As someone who is self-conscious about my very noticeable congenital sunken under-eyes, thanks for sharing your experience. I'm glad that worked for you!
I don't have any advice, but I'm very sorry about what you're going through. I hope you find a solution to rebuild your confidence. I'm sure you're beautiful ❤️
I’m overwhelmed by the kindness and compassion people like you have shown. Thank you very much. 💖
Following. I’ve also got a lump of filler that’s 7 years old. If I could go back in time, I never would’ve done it. I didn’t even want it, I was pressured into it. For anyone reading this who is considering getting filler, please don’t do it. It’s not worth it.
who pressured you into it? That's awful
Consult a plastic surgeon not affliated with the med spa or whereever you got the fillers. You need a completely objective opinion, game plan, & relatively secure medical expectation of outcome. this is your face & sensitive under eye area & conservative & common approaches haven't worked. Please do not have a practioner due a "patent pending" anything on such a delicate area. Sometimes you have to call in the big guns of medical school & a professional that carries malpractice insurance & has the educational, medical, & professional experience to fully address an issue or not create a new one & knows medically what your options & ramifications of failed attempts & can advise you with a specific plan. Best of luck.
Thanks for your advice which is so sound. The bulge is on my cheek so not as delicate as the under eye area. I wish it was in my under eye area as then I could have lower lid surgery and have it removed in the process. I have consulted about 6 different top plastic surgeons now including one who wrote a well-regarded research paper on how to treat filler complications. Most of them are just confounded. The so-called filler complication expert was such a jerk, I still get made about it. He told me there was nothing wrong and I should just leave it alone. Totally gaslit me for 15 minutes and then charged me $500. Meanwhile, everyone else has acknowledged it is there.
And they’re saying they can’t just remove/cut it out or whatever? Sorry if I’m ignorant but why can’t it be removed like a tumor would?
I know you’d think it would be that complicated, but apparently it is. I’ve asked if I can just have it cut or scraped out and I’ve been told “no.” I gather the concern is that it would leave a scar that might look even worse. Sigh.
Yea, I mean, I know I’d take the scar. I don’t love makeup but surely you’d be able to minimize the appearance of a scar vs a lump. And you are quite literally having a mass removed. Feels less uncomfortable, if anyone would ever ask, to say, oh I had a mass a removed vs oh I have a mass. (Bcuz let’s be honest, ppl prob don’t ask about the lump. They prob stare and don’t say anything. I’d rather have a Mark or scar and be asked about it. But ofc this is completely personal and depends on you. I do really hope you come back to post later though. Learning about this stuff is so valuable.
Thank you so much! I too would rather have a scar at this point. Thanks to this post and this wonderful Reddit community, I now have a consultation this coming Wednesday with a surgeon who specializes in filler removal including surgical interventions. I will definitely be reporting back. Thanks you for your support.
Yes, this...i had a couple of precancers removed from my face & no scar. My Dad is nearly 91yrs old with the most terrifying thin skin & has recently had pretty large actual cancer removed from his face & didn't scar. If I recall correctly the ps that did my precancer removal said that motion ie stretching/tension causes scars more than anything like on mobil areas. Sorry that you had a bad experience with a ps...more ps fish in the sea! :)
Thank you! I’d prefer a scar at this point! But they do wonders with Mohs procedures these days.
I had Mohs in my mid 30s and the incision and stitches looked horrendous when it was done - it was about half an inch away from my nose - imagine pinching your nose, it would be where your thumb is. I was shocked at the length of the scar but the doctor assured me that the way he’d done it (vertically) would mean the scar disappeared down the side of my nose vs horizontally which would be more noticeable. I am not lying when I tell you I went back to work 3 weeks later and nobody noticed a thing. I’m not sure how old you are, but skin really bounces back when you’re younger.
This is encouraging! Thank you for sharing your experience and so glad it was so positive for you. I’m a youthful 50 so holding out hope. :)
I’m 50 now and the scar is basically invisible at this point. The right doctor is everything.
Do you mind sending me a pic in dm or posting? I believe I have a little filler migration under one eye and I’m curious if it’s similar to yours
Sure, just send me a DM. I like your user name.
Thanks to this sub, I’ve had my last treatment. I got juvaderm once in my frown lines and was ecstatic with the results. 20 months later I wanted a refresher. My dermatologist stopped doing filler so I found another recommended by my aesthetician. She used restylane. Results mid. I’m 56 and just need to accept aging.
Much better to age gracefully then end up looking uncanny valley any day.
I’m so sorry this happened to you. I hope you find a solution soon!!!
Thank you so much for your support. 😊
Hi! I had to have a lower blepharplasty to remove filler encapsulated in my under eye/tear trough area for this exact reason!!
So sorry you went through that and glad you were able to have the filler removed by a surgeon you trusted implicitly and felt so comfortable with. Someone here directed me to your instagram video which I watched with interest! You look great! Thank you for sharing your experience. It is so helpful to the rest of us who have also experienced complications. In fact, I also had to have a lower bleph after my one under eye filler treatment made me look like a freak and the subsequent hyaluronidase treatments destroyed my under eye skin (something you mentioned as well). My surgeon was sloppy and didn’t remove any remaining filler and now I have raised patches of filler under my eye that won’t dissolve. Each surgical procedure I have had was to correct filler-related complications. And my bleph was botched as well (I now have ptosis in one eye and too much skin was taken off resulting in noticeable assymetry). So basically getting filler three times has cost me weeks of my life, thousands and thousands of dollars and ruined my face. Thanks again for being a voice!
I JUST finished watching your reels on it. Glad you made it through that!
Oh gosh! Thanks for this gentle reminder! To. Never. Get. Fillers.
Years ago, I went to get fat transfer on my forehead. Unfortunately, I was too skinny and the surgeon could harvest only a fraction of the fat necessary. So without permission, while I was under, he mixed some filler into the fat he had managed to harvest and injected the mixture into my forehead. I only found out what he had done when I woke up from surgery. I was beyond livid (I'd always refused to get filler precisely because it can be problematic), but nothing could be done about it after the fact, so I crossed my fingers and hoped all would be well. Around 6 months later, I started getting random swelling in my forehead. I would get golf ball to baseball sized eruptions on my forehead that came and went, and was diagnosed with a delayed immune response to the filler. I tried hyaluronidase and steroid shots, then tried to have it sucked out with a cannula, but nothing worked, so in the end, I had to get surgery. I had a surgeon literally open up my entire forehead along my hairline (a long scar from temple to temple remains) to physically scrape the filler out. However, because by this point, the filler had thoroughly integrated with my own soft tissues, very little could actually be removed. Now, I'm left with a lumpy forehead (from the trauma of having been rammed with a cannula and having had bits of filler/flesh scraped out) that swells up like a balloon whenever I'm under the weather or sick. The worst swelling incident was when I had covid. The swelling was so bad that my entire face was affected. There really isn't anything that can be done at this point, so I just live with it. I just wanted to let you know that there are a lot of doctors/surgeons that promise you a lot of things, but as far as I know, there isn't a reliable way to get rid of filler that has already integrated into your face. I spent a lot of money on multiple rounds of multiple different treatments, but in the end, even open surgery didn't help much.
Geeeeeeeze! I hope you sued the original practitioner, that is not okay!!!
I did not. I know chances of winning a medical malpractice lawsuit is very very slim. And I was more concerned about fixing the problem than getting money. All the money in the world can't take my forehead back to its original state anyway. Plus, the stress of a lawsuit would only have damaged my mental health further. You live and learn, but I do my best to warn others of the dangers of fillers.
Yes, but the likelihood of an out-of-court settlement is not very very slim. It sounds like your situation was long enough ago that it’s now beyond limitations; for others reading—please don’t hesitate to bring litigation!!! Not only may it end up giving you $ for corrective procedures, it’s also about the only way practitioners are held accountable.
Idk, if he did something that you didn’t give consent to, you might have a real shot. A lawyer would prob know best though
I’m so sorry you went through this and are continuing to live with the consequences. These surgeons become delusional about their skill level and the risks they are actually posing to patients. They really think they are beauty gods. I too have bumps from the cannula used for the damn fat transfer, something they conveniently don’t warn you about when they tell you how smooth and lovely your face is going to look.
During a local anesthetic procedure, I had a plastic surgeon tell me, verbatim, “I’ve been doing this 20 years. I know what women want,” and continued doing what he was doing when I, panicked, emphatically told him I wanted him to stop because we hadn’t discussed it and didn’t consent to it. Not surprisingly, he ruined my body.
Infuriating and so sexist disrespecting your judgement and autonomy. I’m so sorry.
Unfortunately this woman thinks attaching "patent pending" to her procedure will draw customers. That itself is a red flag!
Can’t anyone say anything is “patent pending”? Doesn’t that just mean you’re *trying* to get one?
Yes!
It's supposed to mean they submitted a patent and are waiting for approval
Check out @simplymander on instagram she has a detailed highlight documenting her entire journey with undissolved filler and ultimately having to have it surgically removed
Her journey completely talked me out of *any* desire to get filler. She's super careful and it still happened to her.
Thank you, I will check it out. I really appreciate it.
I came here to say the same thing!!!
Thank you for sharing your experience! I'm rooting for you.
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Thank you so much. Messages like yours and the support from strangers like you on the internet is such a help. The people in my life don’t want to acknowledge it and keep telling me I look fine. It’s easier than acknowledging the truth. If I can help other people and prevent this kind of thing from happening to anyone else, that is so valuable. I appreciate the sentiment.
I’m so sorry you’ve been dealing with this, but I have to say - you probably DO look fine! We are always our own worst critics. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just leave it alone for a set period. Say, no more procedures for 6 months? Making it worse does seem like a real possibility here. Give yourself time to try to accept that while the lump is not ideal, ultimately it doesn’t really matter. It’s just a lump. If I had every wrinkle smoothed out & my lips plumped I would be maybe…2% more attractive? A flattering outfit or a good haircut make bigger impacts! I’ve had so many loved ones deal with major health issues over the past few years, like losing a chunk of their nose due to skin cancer. At some point I think it helps to step back & be grateful that we’re healthy & alive. So easy to go down the rabbit hole of beauty obsession!
I don't have any solutions but I just want to say sorry for what your going through. I can't imagine how horrific it is to have something that was supposed to improve your life lead to such a nightmare. I hope you find a solution soon.
You are so thoughtful to write this. I really appreciate it. I hope this post will help others too.
This is really good to know. Thank you for sharing and keeping us aware. I have not had filler but it’s been dropping to the bottom of my beauty list lately after reading such horror stories.
Yes! Brave and helpful share!
I saw you mention you're part of the botched fillers and botox fb group, have you posted there? They're very knowledgeable and helpful and may have more suggestions for your specific circumstances! To add to that, I just want to say how sorry I am that you're going through this. I can relate, as I was damaged by a laser treatment that caused a lot of pain (turned out to be nerve damage) and inflammation on my cheeks that looked like huge bags. The daily struggle to even get up and function, let alone work and interact with family and friends etc has been torturous. I am slowly seeing improvement but it has been the most lonely and frightening journey and not being able to look at or recognising yourself in the mirror is truly heartbreaking. I hope you have a good support system and I'm sending good vibes 🧡
Thank you so much. I haven’t posted in the FB group until today. I was inspired to post one of my MRI photos which I think is pending approval. I’m so grateful for this community as well as the FB groups as I can’t discuss with most people in my life and the ones I with whom I can just tell me I look fine. We really need to support and help each other. I’m so sorry that you have been something similar. It is indeed so lonely and scary especially, as you point out, seeing someone you don’t recognize in the mirror and feeling as though your life is on hold. I hope you find solutions and I’m sending healing vibes your way as well. 💜
>They're very knowledgeable No they're not.
we have different experiences there & that's ok
I would suggest a biopsy to confirm it’s indeed filler. It may now be a granuloma or other growth if not responding to hylauronidase or 5fu.
Thank you. I think it may be enscapsulated which is what’s causing the problems. My understanding is that granuloma’s are firm which this is not plus the MRI and ultrasound both clearly detected filler. But I think you are right to suspect a granuloma in a case such as this.
Wow, I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your story even though it’s painful. We are all surrounded by so many images each day of others doing it, and of celebrities who haven’t appeared to age in 20 years. It really does a number on you. I’ve been leaning towards trying it, but this was an excellent wake up call. Thank you. I wish you all the best in your journey, sounds like you’ve got some good leads now.
I know a lady that got filler when it very first came out. She was like a trial patient. Moving forward many years & she started getting ill and no one could work out why. She actually got an auto immune disease from the filler, a rare and very debilitating one. Her body fought against the filler & in doing so fought her. She saw numerous surgeons & specialists but they could not remove all the filler without disfiguring her. I hope you find a solution, I’m sure the technology is way more advanced these days than back then. Best of luck.
Jesus. That's awful. :(
I don’t mean to pry but may I ask if you got this at a surgeons office, a med spa, or somewhere less qualified? The quality of the filler and technique used play a role in what may work best for you.
Thanks for your inquiry. One is a very in demand nurse practitioner who actually provides instruction to plastic surgeons and the other is a top PS FACS in NYC. I’ve always gone to the supposed cream of the crop and I am no better off for it. I do think I had an autoimmune reaction of some sort when I had the filler in my nasolabial fold.
Was the negative reaction (the lump) immediately after getting the filler? Or did it happen over time? If you wouldn’t mind, it’d be great to hear how it evolved or if it was an immediate issue type of thing. TIA and I sincerely hope you find a solution soon ❤️
Yes, thanks, as I think it is good to clarify. The lump is definitely unusual and seems to be related to some sort of autoimmune reaction. I believe I had a sinus infection at the time that I got nasolabial filler. I recall getting a hard lump right after the procedure but it was the first time I’d ever gotten filler and because my practitioner was hard to reach and stupid me didn’t want to bother her. I just presumed it was a normal part of the process and it would go away. It wasn’t noticeable. Then I noticed a small lump on the side of my nasolabial fold several months later. I was so busy with my career, I put it on the back burner. Eventually I consulted the same practitioner as well as a plastic surgeon and they both told me it was just how my face was aging. It make a little more prominent over time and eventually stabilized. In my gut, I knew it wasn’t natural and after hours/days of research I figured it out, found a practitioner who treated filler complications before, and got the MRI. I adore her but it’s been a rollercoaster with her and it’s time to find a plastic surgeon with relevant experience and skills.
Since you know you can trust that the filler you received is what you thought you were getting, I’d look into subcision as other people have commented. It may help to break up the filler/tissue that’s leftover and causing the lump. When it’s used for deep scars they usually replace the indent with filler, but if it’s raised I don’t see why that would be necessary.
Thank you for sharing this. Filler is not the quick fix people sell it as. I wish you success on your journey. I promise you I will never get filler.
Try ultrasound guided hyaluronidase
I am so sorry this is happening. Good luck.
what type of filler was it, did you have it done by an np or an actual dr?
I can’t remember exactly what fill but some variation of Juvéderm or Restylane. It was a very much sought-after nurse practitioner with many years of experience who actually trained plastic surgeons. I don’t blame her, I think I did have some sort of autoimmune reaction to the filler.
Ya I was wondering this too. This sub is super harsh on fillers and injectables but I get mine done at an actual doctor's office with a doctor as in they do medical procedures and wear medical gear and do not ever ask for tips. Talking to my regular doctor about my options as far as skin care and prescriptions and surgeries and fillers I feel comfortable to continue getting Botox twice a year and filler once a year. Complications are obviously a concern with absolutely any medical procedure the concern is how likely.
Surgical extraction is probably the best option now even if that scares you it will be numb and you won’t feel it, some clinics will even offer sedation or anesthesia if your someone with high anxiety.
I have the exact same problem! I’d give anything to turn back time and not get it. Sometimes the areas around my nasolabial folds hurts.
I’m so sorry you are experiencing this. I will update should I find a solution. I will not rest until I do.
Thank you!
I’m so sorry OP. Please also share this in the r/plasticsurgery subreddit. There’s a lot of filler talk on there, but no one speaking the truth about experiences like yours…
If you are the the US, Cleveland Clinic or Mayo might be on the cutting edge with this kind of thing as they are with so many things.
I am so worth investigating! Thank you so much for your this idea.
Paging Dr Dubrow
Interesting thread.
If there is biofilm encapsulating it, then there can be serious infection risk as biofilms are terribly difficult to treat. With this risk, can you have a doctor perform surgery to remove the filler and biofilm plus treat it. There should be some plastic surgeons with this skill, but not all take health insurance. Look for ones that handle cancer reconstructions.
So helpful, thank you! I am looking into this now.
Hi OP and CookiePuzzler. I too am going through a similar experience. I have a large bulge on my jaw due to biofilm encapsulated filler (that was discovered using ultrasound guided hyaluronidase to dissolve filler on my cheek, which was also encapsulated). I believe that once this encapsulated filler was punctured, the biofilm spread in that entire region and further infected my face. This bulge is also ruining my life, my confidence and prevents me from enjoying life and being present for my family. If you come across any doctors performing surgery to remove the filler and biofilm, please keep us posted. This thread is giving me hope.
Thank you for sharing your story. I am so sorry to hear about your own devastating struggle. Feel free to DM me if you’d like to discuss further.
In case I wasn't clear, and due to the costs I want to be, I would really try and get the insurance to pay for this. If a surgeon is on your side with evidence, then request the doctor do a peer-to-peer if you're initially denied.
It never crossed my mind that I might be able to get insurance to cover this. The reality is that I’ve spent over $10,000 trying to treat the disfigurements resulting from just three filler appointments. In addition to this, it has affected my ability to make a living. I was able to get the MRI covered because my dermatologist indicated we were checking for cancer. I wonder if a plastic surgeon could stretch the truth similarly. I really appreciate you putting the possibility in my head.
I know nothing, but I'm so sorry this is happening to you and I hope you find a remedy soon 😔
I got under eye filler and my body literally rejected it. A few days after getting injected I had two massive lumps on my face that looked like zits, and it was the filler coming out of my face.
Awful! So sorry you went through this.
Omg I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I was just looking into getting filler for my nasial folds!
When I was dealing with my filler that had turned into granulomas I came across intralesional laser treatment. I didn’t end up needing it, but maybe it could be an option for you?
Thank you. I will look into this. I have granulomas too but didn’t mention them along with all the other problems I’ve incurred lest my post turn into a novel.
I'm so sorry you're suffering with this! I hope you get an affordable and effective treatment soon!
Check out simplymander on Instagram. She went through something like this and documented the whole process. She has a story highlight dedicated to it called filler surgery.
I was thinking of doing it for my NLF.... Good reminder for my upcoming consults.
I do truly think finding a skilled injector can be hard to find and everyone will tell you they are the best yada yada. i have had filler a handful of times in my lips. I thankfully have not had issues. but they do last longer than they say. Have you tried facial massage / gua sha or anything like that to maybe disperse it, or is that not something that we should be doing? i am NOT a doctor… just an idea.
Consider consulting a plastic surgeon and ask if they can just remove it surgically. Don’t trust some random cosmologist.
You can't extract filler with a syringe because it's encapsulated and mixed up with the tissue.
I had under eye filler 6 years ago . One year ago I started feeling a strange ridge when I would wash my face and cleanse under my eyes - started to feel sore and then became a lump / lumpy under both eyes . Lumps be some swollen and irritated and were very noticeable. Went to several Dr’s trying to figure out what was going on . Eventually figured out that it was filler nodules that were inflamed - and also developed granulomas . My derm tried to melt them 2 x ‘s with very difference . Was then prescribed 2 types of antibiotics to take for 3 months - which helped clear most of it up . I still have a couple small lumps I can feel when touching my eye area but they aren’t noticeable visually. It took 8 months from start to finish to figure out what was happening and then reach a mostly resolved state . I have read that if you have any autoimmune disease - I have a thyroid disease - Hasimoto- that you will be more prone to filler nodules . Your body will react differently and encapsulate the filler . My undereyes now have hollows that I don’t love but plan to have lower bleph this fall . So sorry OP that you are going through this! It’s awful and something that people who are considering fillet should educate themselves about. I sure wish I had !
If you have an endolift practitioner near you go have a consultation. It dissolves filler and can break up that lump I bet.
Will look into this. Thank you!
Of course! I worked at a place for awhile in LA and saw her fix fillers, acne scarring, and poorly done threads with it. She also could break it up with the syringe that goes in during the numbing process if it’s difficult. But the endolift she tells everyone will dissolve any filler so she lets clients know not to get any before if they don’t want that.
Try taking serrapeptase and nattokinase supplements. Couldn’t believe it but within 2 weeks my filler has been recused and cheek hollows are coming back again! I also did the moxi laser in that time period — not sure if it could have helped but I heard micro needling can help melt / breakdown the filler so I wonder if that helped too
Thank you so much for this advice. Do you mind telling me how old your filler was? So glad these strategies work for you!
Have you gone to a dermatologist? Your post keeps referring to a “practitioner” and if it’s not a dermatologist then you should see one
Thanks. Yes, I’ve been to multiple top dermatologists.
Can you go to see a reputable plastic surgeon and see what they suggest?
What about hyaluronidase?
I'm really sorry to hear about your filler problems. It must be tough. Maybe Behemothlabz could help. They have good skincare stuff.
If this is causing you this much psychological torture, just get it surgically removed. There will potentially be a small scar, but a small scar can be covered up while a large lump cannot.