Metro: How long does it take for fillers to dissolve, what are they made of and are they dangerous?

(Picture: Metro.co.uk)

Following the ‘news’ that Kylie Jenner will be returning to her natural lip shape, we’ve got a lot of questions about fillers.

Plastic surgery has been on everyone’s minds recently, what with the surgery shaming of Megan from Love Island, increasingly popular TV adverts for surgery and now Kylie’s announcement.

But what actually are fillers? And how long does it take to get rid of them? Because it sounds a bit like having glue pumped into your face…

‘Fillers’ is an expression used when hylaronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the human body, (according to SmilePod.co.uk we lose 1% of our HA by the time we turn 30) is injected with a fine needle into the skin. No glue or anything like that, just a chemical which is already inside you (though in much smaller doses).

(Picture: Getty; Shutterstock)

Dr Nick Milojevic, who runs the Milo Clinic, explains: ‘Hyaluronic fillers can take 6 to 12 months to dissolve on their own, this is down to an enzyme in the body called Hyaluronidases which are a family of enzymes that catalyse the degradation of hyaluronic acid , the main filler ingredient used by many clinics. I suspect Kylie has had hyaluronic acid fillers and has skipped a few sessions meaning her pout as gone down naturally.

However, if you have the fillers and then decide that you hate them, they can be reversed by injecting an enzyme called hyaluronidase. This is just like GSCE Biology right? Dr Nick explains:If the patient wants a quicker way to remove their lip filler they can have Hyaluronidase injected directly into the lips, and they will go down within 3 – 4 days, however there is a very small risk of an allergic reaction, and this must be considered by the patient and doctor before undoing the procedure. I advise my patients to let their lips go down naturally to avoid any risks.”

After you have fillers they tend to last around 6-12 months according to SmilePod.co.uk. The hylaronic acid is broken down by your body, so if you like the look you’ll have to have it topped up.

So if they’re reversible, does that mean that fillers are safe?

Not exactly. The NHS explains the risks:

General risks of dermal fillers include:

  • rashes, swelling, itching and bruising
  • an infection
  • the filler moving away from the intended treatment area over time
  • (in rare cases) the filler forming lumps under the skin – this may need to be treated with surgery or medication
  • (in rare cases) the filler blocking a blood vessel – this can lead to tissue death, permanent blindness or a pulmonary embolism

Rare or not, lumps, blindness and heart attacks aren’t all that tempting…

If you do want to get fillers it’s extremely important that you get them done by a qualified professional, not someone who bought the jabs off the internet and is operating out of their friend’s salon.

11, July, 2018neekmilo_x186r333