The more refined the technique/specialty skill/acute aesthetic judgment, the less the occurrence."
What Is Filler Migration?
“Theoretically, all filler has the ability to migrate,” says Dr. Diamond.
Allure/Channing Smith
Prevention is the best medicine."
“Usually, this is noticed immediately or within days of the injection,” she says.
The area can become swollen and distorted gradually, even occurring years after the filler was initially placed."
Why Does Migration Happen?
“Too much,” she notes, depends on the patient’s individual anatomy.
Dr. Diamond backs this.
It can also be a plane issue, too and we’re not talking turbulence.
“We have different tissue planes,” says Dr. Samolitis.
“Injecting the filler in the wrong layer can also cause the filler to (migrate).
The wrong pop in of filler is also an issue, according to all doctors interviewed for this story.
There are different viscosities of filler.
This gives the filler different lifting abilities.
In medical terms, this is known as “G Prime.”
“We also have to take into consideration the gravitational effect on the anatomical area we are injecting.
“I think it’s just the property of the product itself.
It’s been around forever and a lot of people have a high comfort level with using it.”
She names fillers likeRestylane Refyne,RHA, and evenVolbellaare products she tends to see less migration with.
“When areas are over filled such as the lips, there is often a capacity limit for filler.
If more filler is added, it has to go somewhere,” says Dr. Shafer.
The glass, just like the lips, has a limited capacity.”
How Can You Tell If Your Filler Has Migrated?
“Some fillers are more hydrophilic,” Dr. Samolitis says, meaning it attracts water.
“As the filler particles break down, their properties kind of change.”
How Quickly Will You Notice Filler Migration?
But identifying migration depends on what issue you had.
“If overfilling is the cause, it can appear fairly immediately,” said Dr. Nichols.
“It can cause a chronic and persistent problem that subjects a patient to explore remediation.”
What Are the Options for Fixing Migrated Filler?
(Writer’s note: This is not the same as hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Should you get migrated filler dissolved, you may experience swelling.
Dr. Nichols notes that patients shouldn’t go filler happy if they want a realistic, natural result.
“And people (can) use fake photos.
What Happens If You Don’t Treat Migrated Filler?
While it may not look great, lip filler migration, for instance, rarely leads to serious compilations.
But filler could stay in the skin longer than anticipated, according to Dr. Samolitis.
