Okay so heres my story, Im a long-time lurker here, Ive posted probably once or twice though, but Im back. So to make a long story short.. I always had pimples growing up but they were never severe and never left scarring. About a year and a half ago I started to get pretty terrible cystic acne out of nowhere (which I now know was considered "hormonal acne" which can happen to women starting their mid-twenties). I mean, they were huge cysts that took months to go away and were leaving indented scars one-by-one.. so I went to all different derms, got all the creams and scripts and nothing worked (not surprisingly). So I took it upon myself to do my own research and I found out about spironolactone.. it took 3 different doctors to turn down my suggestion, finally I had my primary care doc agree to at least give me a blood test to see if my hormonal levels were off, yet she still wasn't down for giving me the script. As a last result, I figured hey what the heck I might as well ask my OBGYN at my annual exam. Well she agreed and took my suggestion seriously and I have been on 100 mg of Spiro since September. Since then it has worked miraculously for me. No joke, its almost unbelievable how well this worked for my skin I have probably gotten maybe 3 tiny pimples/blackheads in the 10 months I've been on it. Which is obviously nothing compared to the dime-sized cysts I had on my face last year. So Im pretty happy about that.. (side note: if any women are out there struggling with hormonal acne, seriously consider talking to your doctor about Spiro, Im so glad I literally begged them for it).
.. ANYWAYS, here I am happy with clear skin but left with some deep scars. Last year I went to Dr. Novick in NYC to have them subcised and filled and he wasnt really on board because he said they were "too new" (even though the ones I wanted him to subcise werent new at all). Anyways, hes a good guy and he did what he thought was right, and I respect that. He did happen to fill a line scar that I had (not from acne but from scratching my face when I was little). He used Restalyn Lyft and the results were immediate. I also remember having barely any swelling? Which was nice. However, I felt like the results lasted maybe 3 months and then it gradually came back. As time went on I tried to focus on other things in my life other then scars and just was grateful that I had clear skin and no acne. I also used a topical retin a from my derm to help fade hyper pigmentation. So fast foward to now, and I felt like I wanted to do something formyself. I had been working alot and had money in my savings and I wanted to get my scars filled again. This time I went to a dermatologist that was closer to home, and not novicks office in the big apple. This derm office is known for doing alot of fillers.. wrinkles, lips, botox, acne scars (so they say). So I figured WHAT THE HECK let me just go and get a consultation. I went today and she said she could fill a few of my scars with "Restalyn Silk", me being all impulsive and excited I said yes lets do it. And I was also happy about the cost considering she said if I used a full syringe it would be $800, but since she's filling only some scars she'd only charge me for each .1 of the product. She ended up only using .2 ml of filler but holy hell, I am so scared she over filled them. She said it was just swelling but I literally look like I have crazy acne cysts again? The one side of my face with my deepest scar which I thought was an ice pick scar Actually ended up doing the best and that one is completely gone! I was the most worried about that one and since it was an ice pick I thought the filler would donut around the scar, but nope it actually did way better then the rolling scars I have which now have huge lumps.
She told me that the bumps go down and not to worry but I never got a bump from when Novick filled my line scar using restalyn lyft? But then again that scar barely stayed filled for long so maybe he only put like a drop in? IDK and im going crazy over here because I literally don't even think I can go to work tomorrow cause I look like I have an allergic reaction on one side of my face? Im really scared.. I know their office is still open for another hour maybe I should call her again? Im freaking out. I also read on the rabbit-hole-of-a-website "real self" that restalyn silk attracts more water and is one of the fillers that causes more swelling? But I don't even know if this is swelling! It feels like hard lumps and it hasn't gone down at all in about 7 hours since I had it. Also how lumpy could it possibly get I mean cmon she used.2 ML for the scars on the whole face !Im curious to hear if anyone has experience with this. Should I massage it? I don't want it to migrate away from the scars she placed it under.. Im literally so stupid for doing this the day before I work tomorrow (and its time and a half >:o ) but I thought I could just cover it like I did when I got my line scar filled at novicks last year. Idk what to do, any help is appreciated
Itprobably is swelling. Ice and sometimes swelling can last 3 days to 2 weeks. More product was used. Take a antihistamine. If in a week or 2 you still have lumps get it reversed withhyaluronidase.
Avoid exercise ,spicy foods, and alcohol.
Swelling is normal though so we can't rule that out. Novick was overly conservative.
Thank you @beautifulambitionyou honestly made me feel a little better. Have YOU personally ever gotten lumps after acne scar filler? I just want to know that this has happened before to someone else and that it went away.. because yes theres tons of people on real self that report lumps but thats usually for under eye filler and lips, I haven't found really any posts from anyone who specifically got acne scars filled, and had lumps after.
Also I know right now its so hard for me to just think of this as swelling because its not even like its super red or anything, its the color of my skin just raised and "lumpy". It makes me so nervous that she over filled but she definitely only used .2 mL because she had only .1 in each syringe and used almost 2 syringes. (She didn't even use all of the second). At first before we even started we agreed that we were gonna do .4 mL for my scars and she quoted me $400, then when she finished she said she actually only used .2 mL and it would only be $200. I will admit that my scars weren't that deep, so she said thats why she was using restylane silk because "it was better for more superficial scars" I really hope they weren't SO superficial that the filler is literally just sitting on top of the scars? Ugh. I know I need to be patient but its so hard when you see your face looks lumpy in a mirror. It sucks. Its been over 30 hours I hope this filler starts to freaking sink in soon! Thanks for your response, it seriously means alot.
I have seen patients swollen for 3 weeks to a month in some cases. IF she over injected I covered it above usehyaluronidase to dissolve. I would not do this till you see if it goes down week(s) as your out the filler.
As you paid your Dr / Injector they are responsible. Please call them and make them take care of it, that is their responsibility.
Massage the filler as you may be able to disperse it.
So I still have the lumps. Its not just swelling I'm pretty sure its actual filler. It looks so weird and looks like I have acne again when Im actually completely clear 
I have a follow up appointment with her on tuesday, which will be 14 days from the day of injections. This truly sucks because I almost wish I never even touched my face. Anyways, Im thinking about getting it dissolved, although the more I become obsessed and read things on real self about hyaluronidase, the more I get nervous about it. Tons of people claim that the hyaluronidase "melted their own tissue" and now have atrophy from it, yet I've read almost a hundred responses from the drs saying that is impossible and it cant melt your own tissue? Have you seen it ever cause atrophy @beautifulambition ? Is there a way for them to dissolve JUST the lump and not the surrounding tissue or filler? Im so conflicted and literally so nervous that if I have it dissolved it'll make my acne scars even deeper than I started with (which i'm now realizing weren't even that deep to begin with). This sucks I wish I could go back in time
Who did you go to? Usually you buy the entire syringe because once it is used on you, it is not sterile anymore. They can save the remaining filler for another visit, but you pay for the full syringe. Why would she charge for only a fraction of a syringe?
That doesn't make sense at all. Did you see her open the syringe in front of you? This struck me as odd.
I would agree with the doctors. I have had hyaluronidase and it never left atrophy and it was at a very high concentration. Even if it did, your body replenishes the hyaluronidase every day. Hyaluronidase also onlyhas an effect on hyaluronic acid, not collagen or any other tissues.
@love4biology728That means either (a) she over injected or (b) you had a reaction to the filler that was encapsulated and must be dissolved either way as you know. This is why people are conservative and often top up if more filler is needed.
She must flood the area withHyaluronidase, it may take one session but sometimes a few. Yes it can dissolve natural collagen as well but this comes back with time. She can under injectHyaluronidase is you still want to keep some of the filler.
Another option is it dough-nutted around the scars, and in this case subcision can be done to break up the filler encapsulation or useHyaluronidase.
Most people if they don't have it under injected and are not allergic to the filler or have health issues, would get a conservative amount of filler again after it's dissolved.
She can always try to break up the area with a needle first before another appointment forHyaluronidase