Published 25 October 2026 · Reviewed by Dr Sin Yong
Filler dissolving uses hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid filler. It works on hyaluronic acid only: Sculptra, Ellansé and Radiesse do not dissolve. Dr Sin Yong scans the area with ultrasound first, places a small dose into the filler he can see, reviews it, and adds more only where filler remains, to lower the risk of leaving the face hollow.
Short answerHyaluronic acid filler can be dissolved with hyaluronidase, an enzyme injected into the filler. It does not act on collagen stimulators such as poly-L-lactic acid, polycaprolactone or calcium hydroxylapatite, or on fat. Ultrasound shows where the filler sits and whether it is hyaluronic acid. A small first dose is placed into it, reviewed at about 48 hours and titrated to effect, and refilling waits at least two weeks (King 2018; Murray 2021).
The material decides everything. Hyaluronidase breaks down hyaluronic acid and nothing else, so the first question in any filler dissolving consultation is what was injected. The table sets out the common fillers and what is considered for each.
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
Filler
Common examples
Dissolved by hyaluronidase?
What is considered
Hyaluronic acid
Most lip and under-eye fillers; many cheek, chin and nose fillers
Yes
Ultrasound-guided hyaluronidase into the excess
Hyaluronic acid skin boosters
Boosters made of hyaluronic acid
Yes
Usually only needed if a lump forms; ultrasound first
Poly-L-lactic acid
Sculptra
No
Mapping; the Sculpting mode of Time Freeze Laser LCLR® for nodules and migrated product
Silicone, PMMA, often from older or overseas treatments
No
Assessed individually; referral where that suits better
Hyaluronidase digests hyaluronic acid; poly-lactic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite are broken down by the body through other, slower processes, and non-absorbable fillers stay (Wollina 2024). Where a filler cannot be dissolved, the plan is still built around mapping it first. Lumps made of several products are common after years of treatment; see hard lumps after filler.
60-second filler dissolving check
Answer three questions and send them straight to the clinic on WhatsApp. Dr Sin Yong will let you know whether an ultrasound assessment is worthwhile. No obligation.
1 · When was the filler done?
2 · What bothers you most?
3 · Have you had filler dissolved before?
Your answers open in your own WhatsApp app; nothing is stored on this page.
How hyaluronidase injection works
Hyaluronidase is an enzyme that breaks the long chains of hyaluronic acid into small fragments that the body clears. Injected into hyaluronic acid filler, it softens and reduces the gel. It starts working soon after it is placed and keeps acting for a while afterwards, which is why the result is judged at the review rather than on the day. The term is explained in the glossary under hyaluronidase.
Why the dose is not fixed
Hyaluronic acid products differ in how easily the enzyme breaks them down (Landau 2015). Published guidance therefore advises titrating to effect rather than giving a set number of units, with a low dose placed directly into the lump or excess for a non-urgent correction (King 2018; Landau 2015; Kroumpouzos and Treacy 2024).
An emergency is different
A blocked blood vessel after filler is treated with a separate high-dose protocol, not the conservative approach described on this page (Murray 2021). Pale, dusky or mottled skin, or pain that is getting worse after filler, needs urgent care.
“A filler adds volume. It does not lift, and it does not tighten. Asking it to do either is how faces end up over-filled.”
Dr Sin YongOn why faces end up overfilled
Ultrasound-guided hyaluronidase: seeing the filler first
Without imaging, hyaluronidase is placed by feel, by the shape of the area and by the injection record, if there is one. With ultrasound, the filler is seen as a dark, well-defined pocket before anything is injected (Wortsman 2015).
Illustrative image — not a patient.
What the scan shows
How deep the filler sits: under the skin, in the fat, within the muscle or on the bone.
How large it is, and whether there is one pocket or several from different treatments.
Whether it looks like hyaluronic acid or a collagen-stimulating filler.
The blood vessels beside it, which guide the path of the needle.
Under ultrasound guidance, hyaluronidase can be injected directly into the filler deposit (Schelke 2018), and an expert review notes that guidance can make dissolving more effective (Kroumpouzos and Treacy 2024). When treating blocked vessels after filler, an ultrasound-targeted approach used a mean of 122.5 units of hyaluronidase against 1,519.4 for flooding the whole region (Schelke, Aesthet Surg J 2023). Dr Sin Yong performs the scan and the injection himself in the same visit; the step-by-step detail is on ultrasound-guided filler dissolving.
Filler dissolving in Singapore: what happens at the visit
History. The products, areas and dates, and any previous dissolving, as far as you know.
Examination. At rest and in expression, with photographs for your own comparison.
Allergy check. Previous reactions are asked about, and a skin test is offered where there is any concern.
Ultrasound. Each area is mapped.
A plan in writing. What would be dissolved, what would be left, and what decides the fee.
A small first dose. Hyaluronidase is placed into the mapped filler with a fine needle.
Review. At about 48 hours, with any further dose titrated to what remains.
Before you book
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: non-urgent dissolving is usually deferred.
An infection or a cold sore near the area is settled first.
Bring product names, dates and any clinic notes if you have them. If you do not, the assessment still goes ahead.
Hyaluronidase allergy and the skin test
Allergic reactions to hyaluronidase are uncommon but real. A systematic review of 37 studies describing 106 patients with hyaluronidase allergy found that previous hyaluronidase injections and sensitisation from insect or wasp stings were the main risk factors, that many reactions happened at a second injection, and that the reactions responded to treatment (Guliyeva 2024).
Bee and wasp venom contain a similar enzyme, and guidance lists a history of sting allergy as a reason for extra care (Murray 2021), so previous injections and reactions to stings are asked about. For a planned, non-urgent correction, a small skin test is offered where there is any concern (Murray 2021), and the first dose is kept small. In an emergency, such as a blocked blood vessel, treatment is not delayed for a skin test.
Dissolve, wait or do nothing?
Dissolving is not always the first step.
Recent filler. Early swelling and unevenness often settle on their own, so a review is usually wiser than dissolving straight away, unless there are signs of a blocked vessel.
A small irregularity you can live with. Sometimes the honest advice is to leave it.
Old filler that has built up. Staged dissolving of the excess usually makes more sense than adding filler elsewhere to balance it; see pillow face.
A lump that is red, hot or tender. This can be inflammation or infection, and it is treated medically first.
Dr Sin Yong explains which of these applies and puts the plan in writing, including the option of no treatment. Consensus guidance on filler complications supports this staged, cause-first approach (Signorini 2016; Urdiales-Gálvez 2018).
After filler dissolving: aftercare and refilling
Swelling, redness or bruising at the injection points is common and settles. Avoid massaging the area unless you have been told to, and contact the clinic promptly if swelling increases, itching spreads or the area becomes hot or painful.
When can filler be added again?
Not on the same day. Published guidance recommends waiting at least two weeks after hyaluronidase, until the swelling has settled, before any refilling (Murray 2021). Whether to replace any filler is decided then, not before, and sometimes the answer is to leave the area as it is.
Risks of hyaluronidase injection
Swelling, redness, itch or bruising at the injection site.
Over-correction: dissolving more than intended can leave a hollow, which staged dosing is designed to avoid.
Allergic reaction: uncommon; usually local swelling and itch, rarely more serious.
Breakdown of some of the skin's own hyaluronic acid near the injection site, which the body replaces.
No effect on fillers that are not hyaluronic acid.
Like any medical treatment, dissolving has its own risks and limits, which Dr Sin Yong explains at the assessment alongside the alternatives (Funt and Pavicic 2013).
Filler dissolving by area
Each part of the face behaves differently, so each has its own guide.
Dr Sin Yong examines you, performs the scan and places the enzyme himself. The aim is to dissolve what is in excess, in stages, to reduce the risk of over-correction. You do not need to have been treated here: filler placed elsewhere in Singapore or overseas is assessed in the same way (see filler done overseas), and doctors can refer patients through for GPs. The wider options for filler that looks heavy, puffy or misplaced are on filler correction in Singapore.
Your next step
1. MessageWhatsApp +65 8023 7170 with what is bothering you. A reply comes from the clinic, not a bot.
2. AssessmentDr Sin Yong examines you himself on Orchard Road, with ultrasound where earlier filler is involved.
3. A plan in writingWhat he would do, what he would not, the fee factors, and the option of no treatment.
Every treatment is performed by Dr Sin Yong personally. Singapore Medical Council registered · invited to share his clinical expertise internationally for CLASSYS, DEKA, Fotona, Hironic and Ilooda.
Book a filler dissolving assessment with Dr Sin Yong on Orchard Road. How consultations work.
Filler dissolving is the injection of hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid filler, to reduce filler that is lumpy, puffy, misplaced or simply too much. It works only on hyaluronic acid. Here the filler is mapped with ultrasound first, so the enzyme can be placed into the excess rather than across the whole area.
No. Only hyaluronic acid filler dissolves with hyaluronidase. Poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra), polycaprolactone (Ellansé), calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse), injected collagen, fat and non-absorbable fillers such as silicone do not, and poly-D,L-lactic acid products are managed as collagen stimulators. Ultrasound helps show which material is present before any plan is made.
It depends on how much filler there is, how dense it is and how many areas are involved. Dissolving is deliberately staged: a small first dose, a review at about 48 hours, and further doses only where filler remains. Dr Sin Yong explains the likely plan after the scan, in writing, together with what decides the fee.
It starts acting soon after it is injected and continues for a while afterwards. Because the injections themselves cause some swelling, the result is judged at the review at about 48 hours rather than on the day, and any further dose is decided then, based on what remains.
It has been in medical use since 1949 and is widely used to correct hyaluronic acid filler (Murray 2021). The common effects are local swelling, redness, itch and bruising. Allergic reactions are uncommon, which is why previous reactions and bee or wasp sting allergy are asked about and a skin test is offered where there is concern. Staged dosing avoids dissolving more than intended.
Dissolving removes filler; it does not age the skin. If filler was hiding a hollow or loose skin, that may show again once the excess has gone, which is why the enzyme is aimed at the excess and the result is reviewed. Options for the skin, or a conservative refill, are discussed after the face has settled, not on the same day.
No. Massage, heat, facial devices, supplements and creams do not dissolve hyaluronic acid filler, and some can irritate the area or push the filler elsewhere. Hyaluronic acid fillers do break down in the body over time, but often far more slowly than people expect. If filler is bothering you now, have it assessed rather than trying home methods.
Yes. Hyaluronic acid filler can be dissolved soon after it was placed, and in an emergency such as a blocked blood vessel it should be. For cosmetic concerns, early swelling and unevenness often settle on their own, so a review is usually wiser before dissolving, unless something is clearly wrong.
For hyaluronic acid filler they mean the same thing: the enzyme breaks the filler down and the body clears it. For fillers that cannot be dissolved, removal covers other approaches, such as the Sculpting mode of Time Freeze Laser LCLR® for excess collagen-stimulator material, or a surgical opinion for a discrete nodule. The scan decides which applies.
For a planned, non-urgent correction, the need for a skin test is decided from your history: strong reactions to bee or wasp stings, or earlier hyaluronidase injections, call for careful assessment first, sometimes with an allergy specialist, and a known allergy to hyaluronidase usually rules out planned dissolving (Murray 2021). In an emergency, treatment is not delayed for a test.
Yes, if it is hyaluronic acid. Filler placed in Korea, Bangkok or elsewhere is assessed in the same way, often without records. Ultrasound helps show whether the material looks like hyaluronic acid, how deep it sits and how much there is. Bring any product stickers, receipts or messages from the clinic, and plan your visit through the international patients page if you are travelling.
Each injection is a quick sting from a fine needle, and some people notice brief warmth or itch where the enzyme goes in. Tenderness, swelling or a bruise afterwards is common and settles. Let the clinic know if swelling grows or itching spreads beyond the treated area.
References
The Use of Hyaluronidase in Aesthetic Practice (v2.4). Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2018. source
Guideline for the Safe Use of Hyaluronidase in Aesthetic Medicine, Including Modified High-dose Protocol. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021. source
Hyaluronidase Caveats in Treating Filler Complications. Dermatologic Surgery, 2015. source
Allergic Complications of Hyaluronidase Injection: Risk Factors, Treatment Strategies, and Recommendations for Management. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2024. source
Hyaluronidase for Dermal Filler Complications: Review of Applications and Dosage Recommendations. JMIR Dermatology, 2024. source
Ultrasound to improve the safety of hyaluronic acid filler treatments. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018. source
Identification and Complications of Cosmetic Fillers: Sonography First. Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, 2015. source
Ultrasound-Guided Targeted vs Regional Flooding: A Comparative Study for Improving the Clinical Outcome in Soft Tissue Filler Vascular Adverse Event Management. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2023. source
Spontaneous and induced degradation of dermal fillers: A review. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2024. source
Global Aesthetics Consensus: Avoidance and Management of Complications from Hyaluronic Acid Fillers-Evidence- and Opinion-Based Review and Consensus Recommendations. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2016. source
Dermal fillers in aesthetics: an overview of adverse events and treatment approaches. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2013. source
About this page: written and medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong, MBBS (NUS), MRCS (Edinburgh) · Last reviewed 25 October 2026 · Illustrative images only, not patients · Editorial policy
