Celebs Are Getting Their Filler Dissolved, But Is Everyone Else?

Though 2024 seems a distant memory, the years’ top beauty trends — bobs, bold blush and cherry everything — are still dominating. And there was yet another trend that perhaps not even BeautyTok might have seen coming that’s also still going strong: celebs dissolving their filler — and hitting social media to spread the news.

Like the years’ hottest cuts, colors and effects, the process of celebs getting filler dissolved is not new, nor is this the first time stars have opened up about the noninvasive cosmetic treatment. But in 2024 there seemed to be a noticeable uptick in the frequency with which stars were openly reversing course sharing the outcome online.

In March 2024, Tallulah Willis shared that after six years of getting filler injections, she’d gotten it dissolved. The star got candid, telling fans that she’d made the decision after “being very emotionally and psychologically wrapped up in what I thought it gave me.”

The next month, Lisa Rinna responded to criticism of an “overfilled look” sharing that she’d recently tried a filler “was not good” for her and had since dissolved it.

Olivia Culpo shared in May that she had dissolved her lip filler before her wedding to Christian McCaffrey. “I'm really happy [with] the way they look now. Debating filling again but might just keep like this for the wedding,” the then 31 year old told fans at the time.

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Inspiration ranges from correcting results, to a shift in perspective.

When Ellen DeGeneres opened up about starting and stopping filler in her Netflix special that premiered in September, she shared that she no longer got filler (and Botox) after having wasted time worrying about what others thought of her.

In a world where celebs are photographed multiple times a day, it’s no surprise stars might want to come clean about the tweakment. While its effects might not always be obvious to the naked eye on some, on others it’d surely raise eyebrows.

“I know a lot of you make comments about my lips,” Teresa Guidice said in an Instagram video in which she detailed the process of getting her lip filler dissolved. To note, the reality TV star — who hadn’t had her lips filled in years — dissolved the filler that was still in her lips because some of it had migrated, then after a brief pause, she had her lips injected again, this time going for a seemingly more natural look.

Guidice’s approach reflects the trend, as well as what dermatologists and plastic surgeons are seeing.

Related: Khloé Kardashian Reveals She Got Facial Fillers 9 Months After Removing Melanoma Tumor from Her Cheek

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2023 ASPS Procedural Statistics Report revealed that there had been a 7% increase in minimally invasive procedures compared to the previous year, with hyaluronic acid filler treatments up 8% specifically.

With an increased interest in aesthetic health, the treatments’ budget-friendly price, minimal to no downtime and attractive results made it a top draw.

“While filler continues in its popularity, I am seeing that many people are seeking the use of less total volume of filler in order to achieve a more natural look,” explains Board-certified NYC dermatologist and co-founder of TRNR Skin, Dr. Ryan Turner. “Others that have an overfilled look are dissolving filler and starting fresh with a lower volume of well-placed filler or selecting a more appropriate filler type than was previously placed.”

Dermatologist Dr. Anna Karp, who is also New York-based, agrees, “I think people are embracing their natural lip size more and not overdoing filler, so I do see more dissolving than in the past from patients who have gone to other places where they overfilled.” 

Dr. Michael Somenek, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon at Somenek + Pittman MD (which has locations in Washington D.C. and N.Y.C.) that the upshot of using filler composed mostly of hyaluronic acid — something that is already present within our skin — is that “it can be dissolved with the enzyme hyaluronidase.”

However, if fillers such as Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid or PLLA) and Radiesse (Calcium hydroxylapatite) are used, the compounds in those options cannot be dissolved, which is why it is essential that you understand what type of filler is being injected into your skin, cautions Dr. Anna Karp.

You don’t need to swear them off entirely, though, you just need to make sure your professional is using them properly. Explains Dr. Turner, “calcium hydroxylapatite can be used to create sharp angles when performing facial sculpting with dermal fillers and Poly-L-lactic acid can create a natural softer look over time for very thin faces that can not tolerate bulkier types of fillers, so while these fillers cannot be reversed, they have their advantages,” he says.

Whether you’re finished with filler or want a different outcome, the first step is to dissolve what you have. Here’s what you need to know according to these and more top docs.

Related: Woman Says She Told Friend Her Lip Filler Was Noticeable After Being Caught Off-Guard by Question. It Didn't Go Well

PEOPLE: What are dermal fillers? 

Dr. Ryan Turner: “Dermal fillers are substances of varying composition that are injected to help fill in fine lines and wrinkles, to provide volume to the face, to augment or sculpt certain facial features, and to provide a smoother texture to the skin. Dermal fillers can also be used to minimize depressions in the skin such as those from acne scarring.”

PEOPLE: What might make someone a good candidate for filler. What might make someone a bad candidate?

Dr. Ryan Turner: “A good candidate for filler has realistic expectations about what filler can and can’t do. Those who may want to correct subtle asymmetries of the face may be a good candidate. Some patients may be better candidates for surgical correction of their concern and may not be good candidates for the limited correction filler can do. Those with allergies to any components of the filler would not be good candidates. Those with certain health conditions should speak to their healthcare providers to determine if they should avoid fillers.”

PEOPLE: Does dissolving filler actually revert your face back to the way it was before?

Dr. Michael Somenek: “If there is a focal area of the face that was previously injected, such as the under-eyes, that someone wants dissolved, the tissues can typically adapt and return back to the baseline that the patient was originally at. However, there are a number of factors that can impact this including the amount of filler, location on the face, amount of time it has been there, and the relative age and amount of laxity of the patient.”

PEOPLE: How soon after you get filler can you get it dissolved?

Dr. Michael Somenek: “While filler can be dissolved immediately, this is not a recommended practice. One of the principles of hyaluronic acid filler is that it attracts water after it is injected. This can lead to transient swelling and minor asymmetries that can take 10-14 days to fully subside. Because of that, my patients are encouraged to wait a minimum of two weeks before reevaluating the area and deciding if anything needs to be done to address a concern, i.e. dissolving the area.”

Dr. Anna Karp: “One instance in which filler would need to be dissolved immediately is if there is a complication and the filler accidentally goes into a blood vessel. Then it would be dissolved right away to avoid any issues.”

PEOPLE: What happens during the filler-dissolving process?

Dr. Ryan Turner: “To dissolve a hyaluronic acid dermal filler, a substance called hyaluronidase is used. This is an enzyme that can break down the hyaluronic acid into smaller components that are absorbed directly into the body. Before injection, often a test spot is performed on the skin to ensure that there is no sign of any immediate allergy to the hyaluronidase. The hyaluronidase is then directly injected into the site of the hyaluronic acid dermal filler, and then the area is massaged. The injector repeats the process until the desired amount of filler is removed or the area may be flooded more liberally with hyaluronidase in order to ensure its complete removal.”

PEOPLE: Will there be any side-effects?

Dr. Anna Karp: “Like with filler injections, you can have swelling and/or bruising that should resolve within a week.”

Related: Woman Credits Lip Filler with ‘Saving My Life’ After Injections Lead to Cancer Diagnosis: ‘Such a Shock’

PEOPLE: Do you need a follow-up appointment?

Dr. Ryan Turner: Typically the person returns in a couple weeks so the final resting result can be observed, and additional treatment to dissolve the filler is performed if needed.

PEOPLE: When can you expect to see results from dermal filler dissolution?

Dr. Michael Somenek: “The filler will begin to break down immediately. However, allowing the dissolved filler to be cleared from the area as well as allowing the skin to adapt to the new volume change can take 7-10 days.”

PEOPLE: Once you have had filler dissolved, can you put filler in that area again? If so, how long should you wait?

Dr. Michael Somenek: “Dermal filler can be injected in an area where it was previously dissolved. My recommendation is to ask the patient to wait a minimum of two weeks to allow the tissues to return to their new baseline. At that point, a new assessment can be performed with additional recommendations.”

PEOPLE: If not addressed above, what do you wish everyone understood about this process?  

Dr. Anna Karp: “This can end up being costly depending on the policy of the office. For instance, if the filler was done by someone else, we usually charge for the [dissolving] product.”

Dr. Michael Somenek: “I think when considering a dermal filler injection, choosing an injector that has extensive experience and an intimate understanding of the science behind the fillers is essential. Equally important are their credentials and board certifications. As someone who manages filler issues from other injectors across the country, I see that there are several factors that lead to a poor outcome. It is a lack of understanding of one or all of the following: facial anatomy, facial proportions for a specific individual shape and ethnicity, poor injection technique or poor choice of filler.”

Dr. Ryan Turner: “When consulting with your injector, speak about your goals and be sure that you are keeping realistic expectations about what filler can and cannot do. An experienced injector will be able to tailor the type of dermal filler that is best for you in order for you to accomplish your goals. It’s important to not overly inject an area that may distort your natural features, and this can help avoid needing to dissolve the filler later on. Even in the most experienced hands, complications can happen, lumps or bumps may appear, filler can migrate over time, particularly under the eyes or around the lips, and there may be the need to dissolve the filler so ask about the process during your consultation in the event it is needed or determine if you are getting a filler that is not reversible.”

Related: Melissa Gilbert Says She Had to 'Escape' Hollywood in 2013 in 'Order to Age': 'Everybody's Always Looking' (Exclusive)

PEOPLE: What do you predict we will see with facial filler usage in 2025?

Dr. Ryan Turner: “Filler isn’t going anywhere! The natural-appearing look is going to continue to trend. In addition to volumization there will be more use of filler for facial sculpting such as building a sharper angle to the jaw or giving more projection to a recessed chin.”

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