In short. One is removed in a further operation and the other broken down with an enzyme. Neither is a clean return to the start, and what that means for the decision.
Key points
- One reversal is a decision to have another operation; the other is a decision to have another injection.
- Both are real, and a patient choosing an option because it can be undone should know which of those two they are choosing.
These two options can both be undone, and neither cleanly. Understanding the difference between removing an implant and dissolving a material is what turns reversibility into something a patient can weigh.
Removal of an implant
An implant is removed in a second operation, under an anaesthetic, through an incision that gives access to the pocket it sits in. It is a real operation, with its own recovery and risks, and those risks are added to the ones already taken rather than replacing them. What removal does not do is restore the chin to what it was before the first procedure. The tissue has been operated on, the pocket the implant occupied remains, and the soft tissue has adapted to the projection it was given. A chin after removal is a chin that has had an implant, and it is usually not identical to the chin that had never had one.
Dissolving filler
Filler is broken down with an injected enzyme. The injection is a small procedure, it works over days rather than immediately, and it may need more than one attempt to remove the last of the material. The face afterwards is usually close to what it was before treatment, though not always identical, particularly where material was placed on several occasions. Dissolving addresses the volume rather than every possible complication.
The honest comparison of the two reversals
One reversal is a decision to have another operation; the other is a decision to have another injection. Both are real, and a patient choosing an option because it can be undone should know which of those two they are choosing.
What reversibility is worth
It is worth most to a patient who is uncertain about the change itself. Being able to treat a first correction as a trial, and to remove it without an operation if it is not wanted, is the reason a temporary material is often the right instrument for a first treatment. It is worth less to a patient whose uncertainty is about the material rather than the change, because the temporary option cannot produce a structural correction.
What reversibility does not cover
It does not undo a complication. Dissolving addresses the material, and a vascular event or an infection is treated on its own terms. It does not make the decision costless, since each appointment carries the small risks of an injection. And it does not make filler equivalent to the surgical option for a patient who needs a structural change: being able to undo a correction you did not want is not the same as obtaining the correction you did.
Where the difference decides the choice
- A patient who would need a correction undone if they did not like it, for whom an implant is not a suitable option.
- A patient who cannot accept a result they could not change, whatever the finding suggests.
- A patient whose reason for choosing the temporary option is the material rather than the change, who should reconsider the finding first.
The two reversals are not the same size, and neither is a reset. What the difference should do is tell you which of the two you are willing to undertake if the result is not what you wanted, and that answer belongs in the decision.
Frequently asked questions
How is an implant removed?
In a second operation, through an incision that gives access to the pocket it sits in, under an anaesthetic. It is a real operation with its own recovery and risks, and the chin afterwards is generally not identical to the chin before the first procedure, because the tissue has been operated on and the pocket remains.
How completely does dissolving remove filler?
Largely, and not always entirely on the first attempt. The enzyme is injected and breaks the material down over a period of days, and a further attempt may be needed for what remains. The face afterwards is usually close to what it was before treatment, though not always identical, particularly where the material was placed on more than one occasion.
Should the fact that filler is dissolvable decide my choice?
It should be weighed honestly rather than treated as decisive. It is a real advantage for a patient who needs to be able to change their mind. It is not a reason to choose filler if what you want is a structural change that filler cannot produce, because being able to undo a correction you did not want is not the same as getting the correction you did.
Risks & Limitations
- No result can be guaranteed, and swelling must settle before either result is judged.
- An implant can become infected or move, and is removed only by a further operation.
- Filler is absorbed over months and the result is temporary.
- Neither option makes a chin smaller, and neither treats a bite or airway problem.
When to Seek Care
- Fever, or spreading redness, warmth or discharge around the incision or injection site.
- Severe or increasing pain, or a colour change in the skin of the lip or chin.
- Vision change or eye pain after a facial injection — this is an emergency.
- Worsening numbness or difficulty with the lip that was not there before.
References & Further Reading
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) — facial implant and injectable safety guidance
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, UK) — relevant guidance
- Cochrane Library — systematic reviews on facial volume treatment
- Chinese Medical Association Plastic Surgery Branch — clinical guidance
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and it does not cite individual studies. Discuss your own case with a qualified clinician. To arrange an assessment at Chongqing West District Hospital, see Contact & Consultation.