Liam Cooper's gateway to cosmetics started with filler and botox, but now, the former Married at First Sight contestant says he’ll never touch filler "or anything like that" again.
He's in the process of getting it all reversed - and he’s not alone.
"Everyone is trying to reverse back to the 'natural' look," Cooper told The Feed.
He's one of a rising number of young people who are changing their minds about using cosmetic injectables. Even some celebrities are opting to reverse their face filler, including Courtney Cox, Amy Schumer, and influencers like controversial US beauty YouTuber who was known for his filled lips.
So what is behind the trend? And is it here to stay? Because dissolving can also have its own risks.
Going from impressed to depressed by his reflection
When Copper was first got cosmetic treatments he was impressed.
"I was like, 'Oh, this is so easy … what else can I change?'"
At one point he was getting filler every two months.
"That was just chewing through my bank account … And so my cosmetic nurse at that time turned around and was like, 'Have you thought about fat injections?'"
He felt after the fat injections that his face "looked round … there was no definition".
Even after various procedures, he still didn't like the way he looked, and said he experienced body dysmorphia.
"I hated looking at myself in the mirror, I got depressed. I didn't want to take any photos. I was turning down interviews, I was turning down gigs."
A year later, he started the process of reversing the treatments and was referred to a new doctor for liposuction.
"I've got a lot of female friends that are trying to get their filler removed, because that's not what they want," he said.
"I would never touch filler or anything like that again.”
Medical professionals told The Feed they have noticed an uptick in people wanting to dissolve their filler injections. Source: SBS
There's an 'uptick' in Australians getting filler dissolved
On TikTok, the hashtag #dissolvingfiller has attracted 47.9 million views, with users and aestheticians sharing their personal experiences.
Medical experts are seeing it too - Dr Scott Allison, a cosmetic physician and secretary of the (CPCA), told The Feed said one of the reasons is "overfilling".
"I think there is certainly an issue in the industry with patients getting too much filler," Allison said.
"I think the trend has certainly moved away from filling and certainly overfilling, and people are wanting [a] more natural, less-filled aesthetic."
Dr Ronald Feiner, medical dean of the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine, also noticed an "uptick in Australians getting filler dissolved" due to overfilling.
"We are aware of people being injected with much more than 6mls of filler per session," he told The Feed.
He said that while our immune systems can generally tolerate a few mls of filler per treatment, "our immune systems can be challenged and stressed when excessive amounts of filler are injected".
Feiner said it can lead to inflammatory reactions such as swelling or lumps, which require filler to be dissolved.
Some people are changing their relationship with filler
It's not just overfilling that is changing some people's relationships with injectables — some people are concerned about migration, where filler moves beyond the designated area, while others are concerned about new information surrounding the longevity of treatments.
"They're lasting a lot longer than the 18 to 24 months that we're led to believe," Allison said.
"When patients — particularly if they're coming every six to 12 months to get their filler done, perhaps their lips done — we're just building and building and building. And it's the slow creep, where patients' faces are just distorting over time."
The solution to this? Both Ronald and Scott emphasised the importance of seeking out practitioners who are "experienced", "qualified", and won't "overfill you".
Influencer Tilly Whitfeld has been on a journey of getting her cosmetic treatments reversed which she has openly shared with her social media followers. Credit: SBS: Caroline Huang
'I haven't seen what I look like in years'
After being on Big Brother, Tilly Whitfeld told The Feed multiple companies contacted her offering free cosmetic treatments.
Though she initially "loved" how botox looked, her relationship with cosmetic injectables shifted after getting breast implants.
She recently told her TikTok followers that her impants have "caused her hell", and that a doctor diagnosed her with a bilateral rupture, meaning the implants have become damaged.
"It really scared me how quickly your body and your health can change," she said.
Then, the filler in her cheeks started to migrate underneath her eyes.
"I was like, 'Oh my god, what is in this filler and what's it doing to [my] body? And what are the long-term effects on [my] health?'"
Tilly Whitfeld is one of the many women choosing to dissolve the fillers and cosmetic injectables she once loved. She shared her before and after pictures (above) with her Instagram followers. Credit: Source: Supplied, @tillywhitfeld
She has been sharing the journey of reversals with her social media followers.
Dissolving filler can come with its own side effects.
According to the , hyaluronidase is typically used outside of the cosmetic world to "temporarily break down the hyaluronic acid in connective tissue".
However, a hyaluronidase injection is typically used in cosmetic medicine to dissolve hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. And the risks can vary.
Feiner said: "Unfortunately, hyaluronidase has been used rather flippantly by some naive practitioners to reverse poorly delivered, overfilled and distorted outcomes."
Bruising and swelling are among the most common side effects when using hyaluronidase to dissolve filler, however, there have been reports of facial drooping, loosening of skin elasticity and in some cases, anaphylaxis.
Are we really saying goodbye to filler forever?
Though some people are pivoting away from cosmetic procedures, it doesn't necessarily mean botox, filler and other treatments are a thing of the past.
Lauren Rosewarne is an associate professor at the University of Melbourne's School of Social and Political Sciences and specialises in sexuality, gender, feminism and pop culture.
She cautions that although there might be some pushback, the beauty and anti-ageing industries "are still enormous".
Australia's annual spend on minimal or non-invasive cosmetic procedures topped $1 billion in 2015, according to a report published by the CPCA.
Instead, the pushback might be representative of a different way of viewing beauty, where extreme or overly conspicuous treatments are looked down upon.
Rather than a radical overhaul, Rosewarne said "making small, but constant updates" to your appearance has become normalised.
"[It] doesn't mean people aren't getting fillers, it's just that they're going to be less noticeable," she said.
"Makeup is only good when people can't tell you're wearing it … fillers are only good until you can notice them.
"I think part of it is wanting to be compliant with beauty standards, while not also looking like you're a slave to them."
