They’re the new face of buyer’s remorse.
From celebrities to the average patient, women who regretted filler years after injecting it are now dissolving the cosmetic tweaks, but the process can come with unwanted side effects.
“My cheeks and lips caved in and my under-eyes were left with deep hollows,” 49-year-old Lana Hristovski, the moderator of a facial filler Facebook support group who dissolved her filler almost a decade ago, told the Guardian.
“These celebrities make it sound so wonderful like you’ll look amazing, but it’s really not worth it,” added Hristovskin.
Her sunken features align with findings from a recent study that found 18% of participants experienced facial hollowing after using hyaluronidase, the enzyme that dissolves hyaluronic acid filler.
“Essentially, the collapse of the face can happen after aggressive dissolving — particularly in people who’ve had large amounts, stretching the skin,” said UK-based aesthetics practitioner Dr. Sophie Shotter.
“Unless hyaluronidase is absolutely necessary, we should not be doing it.”
Ashley, a 25-year-old from London who declined to provide her last name, immediately decided to dissolve the facial filler after receiving it, saying she didn’t recognize herself in the mirror despite asking “for something natural.”
She told The Guardian that the texture of her skin changed after dissolving sessions, leaving her with pins and needles sensations and “immense pain” that made her feel “like I’m on fire.”
Experts have criticized the filler industry as the “Wild West,” per the Guardian, claiming that the widespread administration of the injectables has misled consumers to believe the procedure is risk-free.
The warnings come as celebrities fuel filler trends and the use of weight loss drugs, which can result in the dreaded “Ozempic face,” spurs filler frenzies.
“The market has driven the trivialization of these procedures: ‘Have a bit of filler and if you don’t like it, get it dissolved,’” said Dr. Tamara Griffiths, president of the British Association of Dermatologists.
“But it’s not like having your hair cut and letting it grow out; these are invasive procedures. Albeit they’re minimally invasive, but they’re not without risk.”
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