Dissolving hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid fillers have one big advantage: they can be reversed. When the result of an earlier filler is not right — too much volume, an uneven filler, or one that has moved away from the injection site — we can safely reduce it or dissolve it completely with the enzyme hyaluronidase.

Filler dissolving at a glance

• Method: small injections of the enzyme hyaluronidase directly into the treated area
• Anaesthesia: sensitive areas such as the lips are numbed with a cream or a solution containing a local anaesthetic
• Effect: visible within minutes to hours, full effect after a few days
• Back to your normal routine: straight after the treatment
• A new filler: two weeks after dissolving at the earliest

How the treatment works

Hyaluronidase is an enzyme that occurs naturally in the body — in connective tissue, skin and cartilage. It acts specifically on hyaluronic acid: it breaks down its molecules, so the filler is absorbed very quickly. That is why dissolving is a safe and predictable way to adjust or completely remove the result of an earlier hyaluronic acid filler.

Before the injection, the doctor examines the area and decides how much enzyme is needed. The dose determines whether the filler disappears completely or is only reduced and reshaped. More extensive corrections are split into several sessions so that the result can be checked along the way.

After the treatment

Mild swelling or redness may appear at the injection site and usually settles within one to two days. Recovery is minimal and you can go back to work and to sport straight away.

We apply a new filler only once the enzyme has left the tissue — usually two weeks later at the earliest, as residual hyaluronidase would otherwise break down the freshly injected hyaluronic acid too. The doctor sets the exact interval according to the amount of enzyme used. We describe the whole procedure in detail in the article Dissolving hyaluronic acid.