In my early twenties, when I first booked in for a lip filler appointment, I didn’t totally understand the implications of having it done by someone who wasn't medically trained and didn’t have years of knowledge or experience. Nor did I think it would still be coming back to bite me over half a decade later.

‘It’ll dissolve before you know it, then you’ll be wanting more!’ is a phrase you often hear, but that isn’t completely true. Five years after having my lips done, I still had these little lumps of product tucked under my top lip as a constant reminder of my rookie error of going to an under-qualified practitioner.

With neighbourhood salons offering aesthetics treatments on every corner and hearing other people’s experiences, it seemed like the norm to just visit a place with a crude certificate on the wall, book an appointment online, have no consultation, and be in and out within 10 minutes not having a clue what product had just been pumped into your face.

Despite me now being in my late twenties, and far more aware of how damaging this can be, the effects of getting even just a small amount of filler injected by someone who wasn’t fully trained have stuck with me. A somewhat lopsided smile. Uneven, lumpy deposits on the underside of my lip - subtle enough that you wouldn’t really notice if I hadn’t mentioned, but prominent enough for me to pick at it in the mirror every morning.

2026 05 20 Harley Lips Before 1 — **My lopsided lips caused by uneven filler from years prior** Credit: Confidentials

2026 05 20 Harley Lips Before 2 — **My lopsided lips caused by uneven filler from years prior** Credit: Confidentials

Somewhat put off by the whole experience and fearful of going down the dissolving route after hearing horror stories about the pain online, I’d come to terms with the fact that I would probably be stuck with wonky lips for life.

That is until I spoke with Dr Hennessy, an aesthetics expert with over 20 years of experience in non-surgical cosmetic facial rejuvenation - performed at both his high-spec clinic in Preston and beautiful city centre clinic, MyAesthetics. Part way through my routine botox appointment, I felt comfortable enough to bring up the filler I’d decided to get elsewhere over half a decade ago and how it was still bothering me over half a decade later.

Free from judgement, Dr Hennessy reassured me that this is a common issue he sees amongst new clients and, after assessing the problem, he confirmed that a corrective procedure would be possible to fix my wonky pout.

The first step was a consultation appointment, where he listened to my concerns and we discussed the desired outcome; an even, natural yet full-looking appearance, adding balance and subtly enhancing them without overshadowing the rest of my facial features.

The next step, and the step I’d actually been super nervous about, was the dissolving stage. I’d heard so many things online about this being excruciatingly painful and seen videos of people’s lips ballooning in size and taking ages to go down.

Luckily, this wasn’t the case at all. Dr Hennessy started by administering a tiny amount of the dissolving fluid into my arm and waiting 20 minutes to check for any signs of allergic reaction. The dissolver contains hyaluronidase - a naturally occurring enzyme that our bodies produce - in a concentrated format designed to safely break down and hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler.

After the full 20 minutes, I wasn’t showing any signs of allergic reaction so we continued with the procedure. A few tiny scratches in the underside of my lip and a bit of massaging the area later I was ready to go on my way and continue with my day.

I hopped off the chair and wandered over to the mirror expecting to see a horror show staring back at me, but no such thing happened. Instead, lips looked the same as they had before - just ever so slightly swollen and reddened, but already looking far less lumpy and uneven than they had before.

2026 05 20 Harley Filler Dissolve — **Immediately after dissolving** Credit: Confidentials

Then, a week after that, it was time for my third and final appointment of the corrective journey. The one that would help me get my confidence back.

Dr Hennessy checked the results of our previous appointment and was happy that my stubborn old filler had now dissolved away, so we could proceed with refilling my lips to get that naturally full appearance I’d been keen to achieve.

We again spoke about the desired shape and look I was going for then, gradually and precisely, Dr Hennessy added filler to my lips, starting with the bottom lip first which immediately created a more balanced appearance. Once happy, he then moved onto my top lip, creating a perfectly arched look without distracting from my natural cupid's bow.

2026 05 20 Harley Filler Inject — **Midway through the corrective procedure** Credit: Confidentials

Naturally, my lips swelled and bruised somewhat after the procedure with the worst of the swelling subsiding after three days. By a week in, my new lips were starting to take shape and, at the two week point, I was bruise- and swelling-free and left with a pout that made me feel far more confident than I had when I first had my lips done five years prior.

2026 05 20 Harley Filler Immediately After — **Immediately after filler** Credit: Confidentials

2026 05 20 Harley Filler One Week After — **One week after filler** Credit: Confidentials

2026 05 20 Harley Filler Now — **The final result** Credit: Confidentials

Speaking on the importance of finding a qualified professional to conduct these kinds of aesthetics procedures, Dr Hennessy said “Choosing a qualified medical aesthetics clinic is incredibly important because injectable treatments are medical procedures, not beauty treatments. A deep understanding of facial anatomy is essential, not only to achieve natural-looking results, but also to manage complications safely should they arise.

In some cases, dissolving and starting again is the safest and most effective approach, particularly where filler has migrated, been overdone, or no longer suits the patient’s face. Corrective work is often about restoring balance and softness rather than adding more volume.

It’s also important people understand that filler dissolver is a prescription-only medicine. Unfortunately, many non-medical practitioners are administering it without patients fully appreciating the risks involved. Treatments involving injectables and dissolving agents should always be carried out by a qualified medical professional with the training, anatomical knowledge and insurance to do so safely and achieve a natural, balanced result.”

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