Correcting mistakes from Dr. Amjad: removing biopolymer from lips and correcting their shape

For modern girls who care about beauty, the word “filler” is associated with gels based on hyaluronic acid. These drugs dissolve on their own over time and do not cause rejection by the body. If the procedure for contouring the lips, cheekbones or other areas was carried out incorrectly, if there is an excess of the drug, you can get rid of the gel using hyaluronidase injections. What if the gel is non-absorbable? This is how they were at the dawn of injection contouring. Medical centers and beauty salons used biopolymer (“liquid silicone”) and polyacrylate fillers. The main disadvantage of such injections was the inability to predict how the gel would behave over the years.

Many women come to us with complaints of pain, inflammation and deformation. For most of them, several years or more have passed since the introduction of the biopolymer. We are always ready to help you in restoring the aesthetics of your lips. After all, it is obvious that lips influence the perception of the face as a whole and are the point of attraction for the interlocutor’s gaze.

Reasons for removing biopolymer from lips

Lip augmentation with biopolymer gels has been popular, since the administration of such a drug is simple and quick and provides a visible and long-lasting (even too long) effect. Why is biopolymer dangerous? Unlike hyaluronic acid, which is temporarily distributed throughout the tissues and is completely removed after 3-12 months, biopolymer gel remains under the skin forever. The condition of the tissues changes; due to internal and external factors, the gel can change its location, which leads to unpleasant consequences. This may happen due to:

• regular active facial expressions;
• household mechanical damage;
• cosmetic procedures;
• masticatory muscle activity;
• influence of gravity.

In other words, over time, the biopolymer can deform the area into which it was introduced. Seals and tubercles appear on the lips, blood circulation is disrupted, which can lead to tissue necrosis. Skin color changes.

Why is it necessary to remove biopolymer gel?

The biopolymer, unlike hyaluronic acid, is not completely removed, but remains in the introduced tissues forever. Moreover, it leads to changes in the condition of tissues, and it also migrates to neighboring areas, causing fibrosis. In other words, over time, the gel can deform the area into which it was injected. Lumps and bumps appear on the lips, blood circulation is disrupted, which can lead to changes in skin color and tissue necrosis.

What do patients usually complain about when they come to the clinic with a problem with a previously administered biopolymer gel:

• inflammation in the injection areas
• formation of granulomas, fibrous capsules
• facial expression problems
• “floating”, asymmetrical shape of the face or lips (depending on the injection zone)
• painful sensations
• gel migration, fibrosis
• violation of facial aesthetics in general

We draw the attention of our patients to the fact that removing a biopolymer is a difficult surgical procedure and should be carried out exclusively by a doctor or surgeon. A non-professional can easily hit a nerve or large vessel, which will lead to dire consequences. At the Correct Clinic, this operation is performed by experienced, highly qualified doctors and plastic surgeons (candidates of medical sciences).

What is the reason for visiting the clinic:

• inflammation;
• formation of granulomas, fibrous capsules;
• problems with articulation;
• changed shape and volume of the lips, which led to the appearance of asymmetry;
• painful sensations;
• gel migration – into the chin, nasolabial folds...;
• violation of the aesthetics of the lower third of the face.

Please note that only a surgeon can remove the gel. This is a serious intervention in the body. A non-professional can easily hit a nerve or large vessel. Trust your health care to specialists with higher medical education.

How to restore the volume and shape of the breast after removing polyacrylamide gel?

After breast augmentation with biopolymer gel, the skin in this area stretches to accommodate the new size of the mammary gland: this is why patients experience ptosis after removal of the substance. As a consequence, the desire to have larger and this time stable breasts leads to subsequent breast replacement (3-6 months after removal of the polycrylamide gel).

An implant for augmentation mammoplasty can only be round in shape, and the operation itself is possible only after the final removal of all remnants of the gel, because otherwise displacement of the implant may occur. Also, after removing the polyacrylamide gel, the patient may need a breast lift to give it an aesthetic appearance.

Gel removal methods

The biopolymer is removed surgically in the operating room. Typically, local anesthesia is used. For patients who are afraid of surgery, general anesthesia may be offered.

The surgical method involves a careful incision of the lip from the inside. The incision can be made with a scalpel or laser. Afterwards, the gel fragments are gradually removed from the tissues. It is important to understand that it is not always possible to completely remove the gel in one go. The reason is the ability of the biopolymer gel to grow into tissues and migrate. That is why the doctor warns the patient that repeated intervention will most likely be required over time.

Not all surgeons undertake biopolymer excision. This is a very delicate and painstaking work that should be performed not just by an experienced plastic surgeon, but by a real esthetician. After all, the ultimate goal of the operation is to restore the natural proportions of the lips (it is believed that the optimal ratio between the upper and lower lips is 1:1.5).

The time required to perform the operation averages from 30 minutes to 1 hour. After excision, the doctor applies neat sutures, which will subsequently be invisible. The mucous membrane quickly regenerates, which has a beneficial effect on rehabilitation.

The lips look swollen immediately after removing the gel. Swelling is normal and goes away within a few days.

Gel removal: before and after photos

Removing gel from lips is not the most aesthetic process. We never post the process of extracting biopolymer fragments because we believe that only surgeons should see this. But we are always happy to share photos before and after operations - both here on the website and on Instagram.

Recovery period

On average, tissues take a week to recover initially. During this period it is necessary:

• rinse your mouth with the prescribed antiseptic solution;
• eat liquid and soft dietary foods (spicy, salty, hard foods are prohibited).

By prior arrangement with the doctor, you will need to visit the clinic for an examination and removal of stitches. If the doctor's recommendations are followed, recovery is comfortable for the patient.

What should you not do during rehabilitation? It is not recommended to go to the bathhouse, sauna, sunbathe, or visit the solarium.

The final result is visible 2 months after the intervention. After this, repeated surgical correction can be performed.

If, after removing the biopolymer, a certain area lacks volume, a drug based on hyaluronic acid can be injected. It is safe and effective, from an aesthetic point of view.

Stages of the procedure

Removal of the biopolymer is performed under local anesthesia. The duration of the operation to remove biopolymer from the lips is on average 40 minutes. The plastic surgeon makes a small incision on the inner surface of the lip using an ultrasonic scalpel. The location of the incision involves minimal damage to blood vessels and muscles. When the biopolymer is removed, the scar on the lips will not be visible.

After making the incision, the gel is excised, which allows the procedure to remove the biopolymer without any residue. If necessary, the shape of the lips is restored - excess mucous membrane on the upper lip is removed, the shape of the lower lip is corrected in order to restore the disturbed harmony of proportions. The cost of lip biopolymer removal will depend on the complexity and the need for additional correction.

The rehabilitation period lasts up to 14 days, the suture is removed after 7–10 days.

Cost of lip gel removal

How much the surgery will cost depends on the amount of gel removed. The price for surgical removal of the biopolymer is 12,000 rubles. for 1 cm. At the consultation, the plastic surgeon will tell you the exact cost of the operation, and will also tell you whether additional excision will be required in the future.

In our clinic, the procedure for removing non-absorbable gel is carried out by the chief physician, KMN Anzhelika Vladimirovna Nikolaeva-Fedorova. She has many years of experience in restoring the shape, volume, and symmetry of the lips.

You can sign up for a consultation by calling a multidisciplinary specialist or via chat on the website - in the lower right corner of the screen.

Video procedure

Questions and answers

Under what anesthesia is biopolymer gel removed from the lips?

Removal of biopolymer gel from the lips is carried out under local anesthesia with sedation. General anesthesia is not required for this operation.

How long does the surgery to remove biopolymer gel from the lips take?

On average, removing biogel from one lip takes 20–30 minutes. Of the two - 40–60 minutes.

How long are the stitches visible after removing the biopolymer gel from the lips?

The mucous membranes heal very quickly, so after 4–6 weeks there are practically no traces left. Sometimes we resort to laser correction of sutures to speed up rehabilitation.

What happens after the gel is injected into the lips?

Biopolymers were used to increase lip volume several decades ago. It seemed safe and the effect was stunning. In addition, the manipulation was carried out quickly, the result was detected immediately. And the presence of the gel promised to give the lips the desired volume for life. Even now, the introduction of biopolymer compounds into this area is not prohibited; there are women seeking to give themselves such an increase.

But in fact, it has been revealed that contact of the gel with living tissues provokes:

• disruption of the blood supply to the areas into which the substance was introduced;
• the formation and growth as a result of dense fibrous tissue;
• hypertrophied development of the mucous membrane of the lips and internal parts of the mouth;
• the onset of a chronic inflammatory process, causing periodic pain and swelling, a feeling of fullness;
• changing the shape of the lips.

The substance is not distributed evenly in the tissues, giving volume, but is collected in separate islands. They are located randomly. All signs fully appear within 6 to 8 months after the procedure. But even before this time, physical discomfort and visual negative changes are also noted. After several months, the biopolymer gathers into clumps, which does not contribute to the visual appeal and pleasant sensations of its presence.

We recommend reading the article about why balls appear after lip augmentation. You will learn about the causes of balls, methods for correcting this complication, and lip care after the intervention. And here is more information about bruises after augmentation.

Price for polyacrylamide gel removal in our clinic:

1. 1st category - 70,000 rubles (on one side);
2. Category 2 - 80,000 rubles (on one side).

The category of polyacrylamide gel removal surgery (volume of surgical intervention, degree of complexity) is determined during a face-to-face consultation with a surgeon. Additionally, general anesthesia is paid - 27,000 rubles, a day in hospital - 6,500 rubles.

Cost of revision mammoplasty