Filler That Ends Up Looking Unnatural

Unnatural-looking filler results are common, and they can leave people genuinely unhappy — sometimes even on the receiving end of teasing or gossip. This article covers what causes it, how to prevent it, and what to do if it has already happened.

Most of us have seen it, either in someone we know or in the mirror: a face that looks odd after filler — too full, not quite natural. Several things can cause this, but the main ones are overfilling and poor injection technique.

It starts with the assessment

Getting a natural result begins with a proper facial assessment. Everyone's concerns are different in scale. One person may need several cc; another with only minor concerns may look better after a very small amount. The advice is to have the assessment done by the experienced physician performing the procedure.

At some aesthetic clinics, sales staff carry out the facial assessment instead. That can produce an inaccurate read — or, where there's pressure to close a large sale, lead to the patient receiving far more filler than they needed.

Technique matters just as much

Improper technique is the other half of the problem. Every filler treatment needs to be planned around the face as a whole, not around fixing a single spot. Focusing too narrowly on one concern can leave that area looking out of keeping with the rest of the face. This is why it's worth seeing an experienced doctor who can identify and address the real issue.

If it has already happened

If you're already dealing with an unnatural result, you can consult a doctor about dissolving the filler with hyaluronidase — a reasonably safe procedure when it's performed correctly. After dissolving, you'd typically wait about two weeks before any new filler is placed. And if the result after dissolving is already what you wanted, there's no need to refill at all.

So before having filler, get a proper assessment from an experienced doctor, and talk through both the result you're hoping for and any concerns you have. That's how you get a result that looks good and looks natural.