Although 2024 seems like a distant memory, the main beauty trends of the year — bob, bold blush and cherry all — still dominate. There was another trend that maybe even BeautyTok didn’t see coming that’s also still going strong: celebrities are melting off their filler — and taking to social media to spread the word.
Like the hottest cuts, colors and effects in years, the process of dissolving fillers for celebrities is not new, nor is this the first time that stars have spoken openly about the non-invasive cosmetic treatment. But 2024 seems to have seen a noticeable increase in the frequency with which stars openly changed course by sharing the outcome online.
In March 2024, Tallulah Willis stated that after six years of receiving filler injections, it melted away. The star was candid, telling fans she made the decision after “being very emotionally and mentally wrapped up in what I thought it was giving me.”
The following month, Lisa Rinna responded to criticism of her “overstuffed look” by saying she had recently tried filler “it wasn’t good” for her and had since let it go.
Olivia Culpo revealed in May that she melted off her lip filler before her wedding to Christian McCaffrey. “I’m really happy [with] what they look like now. It’s being discussed again, but maybe it will stay like this for the wedding, the 31-year-old told fans at the time.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
A woman receives an injection in her face.
Getty
Inspiration ranges from correcting results to changing perspective.
When Ellen DeGeneres talked about starting and stopping fillers in her Netflix special that premiered in September, she said she stopped getting fillers (and Botox) after wasting time worrying about what others thought of her.
In a world where celebrities are photographed multiple times a day, it’s no surprise that stars might want to acknowledge the change. While its effects may not always be visible to the naked eye on some, it would surely raise eyebrows on others.
“I know a lot of you are commenting on my lips,” Teresa Guidice said in an Instagram video detailing the process of dissolving lip fillers. For the record, the reality TV star — who hasn’t had lip fillers in years — dissolved the filler that was still in her lips because some of it had migrated, then injected her lips again after a short break, 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.
Khloé Kardashian reveals she got facial fillers 9 months after removing a melanoma tumor from her cheek
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2023 ASPS Statistical Report showed that there was a 7% increase in minimally invasive procedures compared to the previous year, with hyaluronic acid treatments increasing by 8%.
With the increased interest in aesthetic health, the affordable treatment price, minimal or no downtime and attractive results have made it a top choice.
“While fillers continue to be popular, I see many people looking to use less overall filler volume to achieve a more natural look,” explains NYC board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of TRNR Skin, MD. Ryan Turner. “Others who have an overfilled appearance dissolve the filler and start over with a smaller volume of well-placed filler or choose a more appropriate type of filler than was previously placed.”
Dermatologist dr. Anna Karp, who also lives in New York, agrees: “I think people are more accepting of their natural lip size and not overdoing it with fillers, so I’m seeing more dissolution than in the past with patients who have gone to other places where they’ve had fillers.” .
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/cosmetic-lip-fillers-010925-235d7d4055904f48b3b0c9b25e24dd40.jpg)
A woman receives an injection in her lips.
Getty
dr. Michael Somenek, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon at Somenek + Pittman MD (which has locations in Washington DC and NYC) says that the result of using fillers that are mostly hyaluronic acid—something that’s already present in our skin—is that it “can dissolve 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 these options cannot dissolve, which is why it is essential that you understand what type of filler is being injected into your skin, warns dr. Anna Karp.
But you don’t have to give them up completely, you just need to make sure your specialist uses them properly. Dr. explains. Turner, “calcium hydroxylapatite can be used to create sharp angles when sculpting the face with dermal fillers, and poly-L-lactic acid can create a naturally softer look over time for very thin faces that cannot tolerate larger types of fillers, so even though these fillers they can’t undo, they have their advantages,” he says.
Whether you’re done with filler or want a different outcome, the first step is to melt away what you have. Here’s what you need to know according to these and other top documents.
The woman says she told a friend her lip filler was noticeable after the question caught her off guard. It didn’t go well
PEOPLE: What are dermal fillers?
dr. Ryan Turner: “Dermal fillers are substances of various compositions that are injected to help fill in fine lines and wrinkles, to add volume to the face, to enhance or sculpt certain facial features, and to provide a smoother skin texture. Dermal fillers can also be used to reduce skin depressions such as those from acne scars.”
PEOPLE: What might make someone a good candidate for a supplement. What makes someone a bad candidate?
dr. Ryan Turner: “A good filler candidate has realistic expectations of what the filler can and cannot do. Those who may wish to correct subtle facial asymmetries 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 that filler can do. Those who are allergic to any filler component would not be good candidates. Those with certain health conditions should talk to their doctor to determine if they should avoid fillers.”
PEOPLE: Does Dissolving Filler Actually Restore Your Face?
dr. Michael Somenek: “If there is a focal area of the face that was previously injected, such as under-eye circles, that one wants to dissolve, the tissues can usually be adjusted and brought back to the initial level the patient was at. However, there are a number of factors that can affect this, including the amount of filler, the location on the face, the length of time it has been there, and the patient’s relative age and degree of relaxation.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/Cosmetic-fillers-010925-2-4cd0093e2e314785a377cd6b051994be.jpg)
A woman receives an injection in her face.
Getty
PEOPLE: How soon after you get the filler can you dissolve it?
dr. Michael Somenek: “Although the filler can be dissolved immediately, this is not a recommended practice. One of the principles of hyaluronic acid fillers is that they attract water after injection. This can lead to transient swelling and minor asymmetries that take 10-14 days to completely disappear. Because of this, my patients are encouraged to wait at least two weeks before re-evaluating the area and deciding if anything needs to be done to fix the problem, ie. sacked the area.”
dr. Anna Karp: “One case where the filler should be dissolved immediately is if there is a complication and the filler accidentally enters a blood vessel. Then he would disband immediately to avoid any problems.”
PEOPLE: What happens during the filler dissolution process?
dr. Ryan Turner: “A substance called hyaluronidase is used to dissolve the hyaluronic acid dermal filler. It is an enzyme that can break down hyaluronic acid into smaller components that are absorbed directly into the body. Before the injection, a test spot is often made on the skin to ensure that there are no signs of an immediate allergy to the hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase is then directly injected into the hyaluronic acid dermal filler site and the area is then massaged. The injector repeats the process until the desired amount of filler is removed or the area can be flooded more liberally with hyaluronidase to ensure its complete removal.”
PEOPLE: Will there be side effects?
dr. Anna Karp: “As with filler injections, you may experience swelling and/or bruising that should subside within a week.”
Woman credits lip filler with ‘life saving’ after injections led to cancer diagnosis: ‘What a shock’
PEOPLE: Need a follow-up?
dr. Ryan Turner: Usually the person comes back in a few weeks so that the final result of the rest can be observed, and if necessary, an additional treatment is performed to dissolve the fillers.
PEOPLE: When can you expect the results of dissolving dermal filler?
dr. Michael Somenek: “The filler will start to break down immediately. However, allowing the dissolved filler to clear from the area, as well as allowing the skin to adjust to the new volume change, may take 7-10 days.”
PEOPLE: After your filler dissolves, can you put the filler back in place? If so, how long should you wait?
dr. Michael Somenek: “Dermal filler can be injected into the area where it was previously dissolved. My recommendation is to ask the patient to wait at least two weeks to allow the tissues to return to their new baseline. At that point, a new assessment can be made with additional recommendations.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(708x210:710x212)/lip-filler-010925-60c600be2d604dbab2ca95c72bfa4459.jpg)
A woman receives an injection in her lips.
Getty
PEOPLE: What do you want everyone to understand about getting and/or dissolving fillers?
dr. Anna Karp: “It can be expensive depending on the practice’s policy. For example, if the charging was done by someone else, we usually charge [dissolving] product.”
dr. Michael Somenek: “I think that when considering a dermal filler injection, choosing an injector who has extensive experience and an intimate understanding of the science behind fillers is key. Equally important are their credentials and board certifications. As someone who troubleshoots other injectors around the country, I can see that there are several factors that lead to a bad outcome. It is a lack of understanding of one or all of the following: facial anatomy, facial proportions for a particular individual shape and ethnicity, poor injection technique or poor choice of filler.”
dr. Ryan Turner: “When consulting with your injector, discuss your goals and make sure you have realistic expectations of what the filler can and cannot do. An experienced injector will be able to customize the type of dermal filler that is best for you so that you can achieve your goals. It’s important not to inject too much into an area that could distort your natural features, and this can help avoid the need to dissolve fillers later. Complications can happen even in the most experienced hands, lumps or bumps can appear, filler can migrate over time, especially under the eyes or around the lips, and there may be a need to dissolve the filler so ask about the process during your consultation in case you need or determine are you getting a filler that cannot be reversed.”
Melissa Gilbert Says She Had to ‘Escape’ Hollywood in 2013 in ‘Order to Age’: ‘Everybody’s Always Looking’ (Exclusive)
PEOPLE: What do you suggest to those who dissolve filler and don’t want to get it again, but want a relaxation solution?
dr. Anna Karp: “For relaxation after fillers, options include Sofwave or Ultherapy for ultrasonic skin tightening.”
PEOPLE: What do you predict we’ll see with the use of facial fillers in 2025?
dr. Ryan Turner: “Filler isn’t going anywhere! The natural look will continue to be in trend. Along with increasing volume, fillers will be used more for facial contouring, such as building a sharper jaw angle or giving more projection to a sunken chin.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education