How Can Permanent Filler Be Removed From My Face?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am reaching out to find a good doctor who can remove permanent filler done 5 years ago in the Middle East. I don’t know the name of the permenant filler and I can’t reach out to the doctor who did the filler since he is located in Syria at this time. I got treatment locally where they took some tissue from my belly and implanted it into my cheeks but the filler is still in my cheeks and around he eyebrows causing allergic reactions if I put anything on my face such as a mask and has caused a dent that needs to be taken care as well. During my prior treatment they didn’t take out the filler and they said this needs to be done but they did confirm it is not silicon and they couldn’t find out the name of the filler.

Please help us and let us know what is the steps need to be taken? Many thanks for your help and response!

A: Unfortunately there are limited techniques for trying to remove any form of permanent filler in the face. In the cheek area a facelift approach is the only approach to doing so where some of the filler in the subcutaneous space may be able to be removed. Around the eyebrow area access is more limited and it would depend on where exactly the problematic area is. I would need to see pictures taken where the areas of the problematic fillers are marked out on the face.

What you had done perviously was undoubtably fat injections placed into the filler injected facial areas in an effort to dilute their effects by introducing  new tissue cells. This appears to have provided minimal improvement.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana