There’s one word that no patient wants to hear: botched.
But we often see patients who have had cosmetic procedures that have gone awry (think lumpy lips or puffy cheeks). Read on to discover more about corrective procedures at TLC.
Help! My cosmetic procedure went wrong! What can you do?
This depends on the type of cosmetic procedure you’ve had done. The most common corrective procedure we perform is to dissolve fillers. Fillers can give a cosmetically poor result if they’re not used properly causing them to end up as bumps on the lip or perhaps a bit of extra filler in the tear trough region which can give a puffy-eyed look. Other things we’ve seen include an overfilled jaw, cheeks that don’t look quite right and even a blood vessel blockage.
Firstly, don’t panic if this has happened to you. If your filler is hyaluronic acid-based, we can use the enzyme hyaluronidase which is really effective in breaking down the old filler. This can be more difficult with cheaper fillers or thicker products, as it might just take a few more sessions to get right.
Secondly, what we can do depends on what treatment you had. Some products cannot be broken down within the skin, like silicon which needs to be removed surgically and products like Sculptra can also cause removal issues too. If you’re worried that your treatment has gone wrong, book an initial consultation with us so we can discuss your options.
Is it just swelling or has it gone wrong?
The area that you’ve had the treatment on may feel sore and firm to touch in the first few weeks after the procedure, and if you get sick during this time it may swell up slightly. But if you are healthy and well, the skin should calm down in a few weeks. Often it’s just a matter of patience.
Looking at fillers as an example, a normal reaction can be swelling or bruising. To help with this, we recommend ice or applying Bromelain which is a calming pineapple extract. Adverse reactions we look out for are infections or granulomas which are hard lumps under the skin that don’t ease up after a few weeks. If you have either of these, it’s probably a good idea to see a professional skin care doctor.
How can I avoid a bad cosmetic procedure?
We’re giving you the tough love here, but going to a trained professional is the only way you’re going to minimise your likelihood of having a bad cosmetic procedure. Booking with a beauty therapist who doesn’t have professional training leaves you at risk of having a botched treatment.
How long can I leave it between my correct procedure and getting another treatment?
Dr Sarah Tonks, founder and lead doctor at The Lovely Clinic, recommends leaving at least two weeks between getting your corrective procedure done and going for another treatment (ie getting your filler redone). This gives the skin a chance to bounce back and will avoid problems with your next treatment. For example, for the treatment of bumpy lips from filler, there’s a ‘trap’ within the skin that the filler will have created. So even if we dissolve the filler within this trap, the skin needs a chance to heal or any new filler will simply flow back into the trap. And we definitely don’t want that!
Are some cosmetic procedures irreversible?
Unfortunately, yes. To date, there is no antidote for wrinkle-relaxation, so it’s essential this goes right the first time. How our body reacts to toxin differs from person to person, so we can’t always predict how it will settle within the body. Again seeing a professional will minimise any negative outcomes because they will use their knowledge of the surface anatomy of the skin to work out where the muscles sit and where the best place to use the toxin would be. That’s why it’s best to book a treatment with a doctor rather than a beauty therapist. Beauty therapists may be cheaper but think about the results you’ll get with that lower price tag. No thanks!
Discover more on YouTube
Want to find out more? Our YouTube channel has plenty of videos on treatments and our doctors’ opinions on surgery – like this one on what might go wrong with dermal fillers. Or simply get in touch to book an initial consultation with us.
