CAN LIP INJECTIONS BE REVERSED?

Injections with hyaluronic acid have become very common in recent years. In addition to corrections to the temples, cheeks, cheekbone or chin, “injecting the lips with hyaluronic acid” has become a very common treatment.

Injections with hyaluronic acid usually proceed without complications, but in rare cases problems can occur. Hylase, hyaluronidase, is an enzyme that can dissolve hyaluronic acid. It is supplied in powder form in various concentrations. It is subsequently dissolved with a saline solution. Hylase is a very important product that should always be on hand in case of an emergency, as it is virtually the “insurance policy” for many treatments.

Lip injections should normally be performed with hyaulronic acid. There are countless different manufacturers that produce hyaluronic acid in various concentrations and degrees of cross-linking. If either too much hyaluronic acid was used for lip injections, or the hyaluronic acid did not end up where you would like it to, products from well-known manufacturers can usually be partially or completely dissolved again with hyaluronidase – or hylase for short.

Unfortunately, whether it can be completely reversed depends very much on how often and which product was injected.

HOW IS A HYLASE TREATMENT CARRIED OUT?

A Hylase treatment is performed with a very thin needle, which is injected directly into the hyaluronic acid product, i.e. the enzyme. Within a few hours, the hyaluronic acid dissolves. Depending on the treatment area, the injection may be more or less painful.

HOW MUCH DOES A HYLASE TREATMENT COST?

Hylase is sold in ampoules in powder form. Different concentrations – e.g. 150mg, 300mg or 1,500mg – need to be diluted differently. 150-300mg can be used per treatment. The cost of one treatment is 390€. Experience is very important in the treatment, because Hylase dissolves any hyaluronic acid, including the body’s own. Therefore, the dosage and exact application is especially important.

WHAT SHOULD BE PAID SPECIAL ATTENTION TO?

One issue that is becoming more common is that biopolymers are used in lip injections. The term “biopolymer” can be somewhat misleading in that it sounds like “healthy” or “biological” and is therefore sought after by the patient. However, this is not the case. It is merely a different material for lip injections, a material that consists of a completely different substance than hyaluronic acid. This creates the problem that the biopolymers cannot be dissolved by hylase and as a result the treatment cannot be reversed. From the point of view of our physicians, it is therefore essential that when injections are performed in the face, it is pointed out whether or not the product is hyaluronic acid, which can be dissolved again with hylase.

In addition, it is important to note that Hylase is an enzyme that cannot distinguish whether it is the body’s own naturally occurring hyaluronic acid, or hyaluronic acid that has been injected.  For this reason, the injection of Hylase belongs in practiced hands, since too high a concentration or too high a quantity of the product can have a negative effect, for example in the form of a hole.

Here is a patient example that was treated with Hylase: