I’m A Doctor & Here’s Why I’m Dissolving My Filler

What happens when the dermal filler treatments you used to love, don’t make you feel that way anymore? This is what leading aesthetic practitioner Dr Ed Robinson wants you to know about dissolving your filler, because – as he recently shared on his social media – he’s been there and done it himself. Here’s why…

My tweakment journey 

I’m an anaesthetics doctor and founded my clinic, Dr Ed Robinson Aesthetics in Cheshire, in 2022. Most of all, I pride myself on the natural, subtle results I produce for my patients with my focus on evidence-based regenerative treatments. However, I am testament to the fact that when it comes to your own face, sometimes you need to stop and realise you might be about to take things too far.

I first began having cosmetic treatments in 2019 – starting with a non-surgical rhinoplasty to correct a hump in my nose. I was delighted with the result and it improved my confidence a lot. After that positive experience, I subsequently had dermal filler treatments to my cheeks, tear trough, jawline, lips and chin to enhance facial contours or improve symmetry. Every time it was a relatively small volume, but when surrounded by injectors and injectables it is easy to slip into a pattern of having regular small ‘tweaks’.

When I knew I had taken things too far

As part of marketing my business and using my platforms for education, I create a lot of video content. As a result, I scrutinise my appearance a lot, and began feeling progressively more dissatisfied with it. The turning point for me was as my following and subsequent exposure increased, so did negative comments about my appearance.

While unpleasant to read (one really does need a thick skin to do these sorts of things) I was inclined to agree – I realised my face no longer felt like “me”. It wasn’t dramatic, but I could see puffiness and heaviness that softened my natural facial structure, particularly around the mid and lower face.

I realised that I’d gone past the point of optimisation and into overcorrection. So, in April 2025, I made the decision to dissolve all my dermal filler.

Why it’s easy to become overfilled

How filler is used

First, it is important to distinguish the difference between filler procedures for ‘anti-ageing’ purposes and ‘feature enhancement’. Anti-ageing treatments are all about replacing the volume that has been lost with the ageing process and this usually requires very modest volumes (inorder to end up looking more natural). Feature enhancement tends to involve creating contours in the face which never existed to enhance ‘attractiveness’ e.g. masculinisation or feminisation. In my experience, most overfilling is caused by feature-enhancing procedures, which have – in recent times – become more popular.

Perception drift

Perception drift is the concept whereby how you view your own appearance gradually shifts following multiple treatments, so that what starts as a few subtle tweaks can turn into overfilling over time if an injector does not say no. When people have a treatment, they usually feel good, and this association can become reinforced so you crave more.  Each treatment in isolation can look fine, but cumulatively, the balance tips. Add to that how quickly we can adapt to small changes and you stop noticing them, and easily lose perspective. Even as doctors, we’re not immune, even if we can be objective with our patients.

What was it like to dissolve my filler?

Hyaluronic acid fillers are dissolved using a substance called hyaluronidase. It is injected in small amounts into the treated area. Using ultrasound imaging to pinpoint precisely where the filler is improves the precision of the treatment.

Personally, I found it straightforward; a bit of stinging during the injection, but nothing worse than any other injectable. Hyaluronidase also works very quickly, within minutes to hours, and often the results are visible almost straight away. In terms of downtime, swelling is very common, yet usually short-lived.

6 things to remember when dissolving your filler

1. Always see a qualified practitioner

The key is safety. Hyaluronidase is a prescription medication, so treatment must be carried out by a qualified medical professional who understands how to use it and how to manage potential allergic reactions.

2. Don’t reach for antihistamines

As swelling is common, often patients are tempted to reach for antihistamines, but this should be avoided as they can interfere with the mechanism of action of hyalase.

3. Don’t ‘wait it out’

Filler can last much longer in some patients than others, and waiting for it to ‘wear off’ when it doesn’t look how you wish it to, may not be the best course of action. Equally, filler is hydrophilic – it loves water, so, after filler is injected, we see water drawn into the area over time. This is why using sensible volumes is so important and why a bad result can look even worse over time.

4. Be prepared emotionally

Patients often fear dissolving as it represents the return to an ‘unimproved’ appearance and you may look “different” suddenly, especially if you’ve been used to filler for a while. However, remember you may actually be ensuring you don’t end up looking worse post-filler than you did when you first started.

5. Dissolving isn’t the finish line

Dissolving doesn’t have to be the end of the road, in fact, it often creates a reset point. Once swelling has settled, we can start fresh, with more strategic placement, and an emphasis on conservative volumes while respecting natural anatomy.

I have subsequently had minor tweaks in the under-eyes (for anti-ageing) and jawline which is much more respectful to my anatomy and natural proportions. Sometimes patients will even choose to stay with less or even none at all after they see their face without added volume.

6. Just don’t rush back in 

One of my bugbears is seeing same day dissolve and refill appointments being advertised on social media or online, which is completely inappropriate and likely to result in a swollen mess. If you do want to have another treatment after dissolving, you should wait at least two weeks before having another consultation.

How to avoid becoming overfilled in the first place

It starts with open, honest communication. When choosing a practitioner, get a good feel for the way they portray themselves and check the educational content or before and afters they show. Tell your practitioner you want natural, subtle results, and ask them to show you progress at each stage rather than “filling to a plan” in one go. Don’t be afraid to bring older photos to compare, and if you feel you’ve been overfilled, a good practitioner will support dissolving and rethinking the treatment plan rather than pushing for more.

The final word

Don’t get me wrong, fillers are a fantastic tool and essentially the only non-surgical treatment that will replace volume. But I think the big message is that dissolving isn’t a failure. For me this process gave me an excellent insight into the advice I can give my patients. Treatments should enhance how you look, not erase or distort it. And, sometimes the bravest and most impactful tweakment is taking filler away.

Find out more about dermal filler treatments and the practitioners we recommend you see in our dedicated sections on the TTG website.