Why are celebrities dissolving their fillers? From Cardi B, Khlo Kardashian and Courteney Cox to B

But amid all this, the complete opposite phenomenon is happening at the same time. “Although we still see many men and women getting fillers for a multitude of areas on the face, some people are choosing to dissolve their fillers and start over,” says board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Jerry Chidester, who’s seen a rise in the number of people choosing to reverse some of the surgical enhancements they’ve had done.

Let’s take a closer look at the new celebrity trend of dissolving fillers.

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Why are celebrities dissolving their fillers and starting over?

A few weeks ago, Blac Chyna made headlines when she announced she was getting her fillers dissolved, joining the #dissolvingfiller movement that has individuals going from plumped lips and sharp jawlines to getting back their natural facial features.

On her Instagram account, the model and TV personality shared details of her journey, explaining how she didn’t like the look of her face with fillers any more. “Enough is enough,” she noted. “It all has to come out; it’s as simple as that.”

But Chyna is not the only celebrity going natural. Recently, Cardi B removed fillers from her buttocks and Amy Schumer, Courteney Cox and Khloé Kardashian got the fillers on their cheeks dissolved after reportedly not recognising themselves in the mirror.

So how does the process work? Dissolving fillers involves injecting an enzyme to them down, allowing them to be absorbed by the body over time. “The most common fillers used in the face are made of hyaluronic acid (HA filler) and can be quickly dissolved by hyaluronidase (an enzyme that breaks down HA),” Chidester explains.

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This solution breaks up the bonds between HA molecules, prompting the body to reabsorb them naturally. Once applied, the filler starts softening instantly, but depending on how much of it needs to be dissolved and its placement, it may take up to 15 days for the process to complete.

What are the alternatives to dissolving fillers?

While it’s a somewhat straightforward procedure, Dr. Adrienne O’Connell, medical director and president of Laguna Beach Aesthetics, highlights one of the biggest downsides: “Hyaluronidase does not discriminate against hyaluronic acid from filler and your own natural hyaluronic acid. Therefore it can dissolve your own hyaluronic acid and leave you with less volume than before you started with fillers,” she says.

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But what happens after your fillers dissolve completely? If you’ve had them for many years, some sagging might occur. Many experts say fat grafting or facial fat injections are becoming popular alternatives. “After dissolving fillers, there is no need to replace them with anything if you do not want to. The decision to replace the fillers or not is a personal one and will depend on your individual goals and preferences.” Dr. Randa Jaafar, founder of MedSpa Fild Studio in New York, notes.

If replacing them with something more natural-looking is the patient’s choice, Chidester says volume can be restored “with other agents that build natural collagen over time (PLLA), or with one’s own fat transferred from other areas of the body by means of liposuction”.

O’Connell explains there are also other options to restore your skin’s collagen. “One injectable I use a lot is Sculptra. Unlike filler, it’s a biostimulator and stimulates collagen production, “she says. “You’ll see a gradual and much more natural lifting and plumping effect.”