A woman’s lip filler dissolving treatment went horribly wrong and left her looking like a Bratz doll.
Kimia Awazi, 24, visited a popular clinic for a budget dissolving treatment — but she instantly regretted it when her lips began swelling uncontrollably.
Kimia claims the practitioner injected 3ml of dissolving agent instead of the standard 1ml, which triggered a severe allergic reaction.
Within minutes of leaving the clinic, Kimia says her lips had grown so large she could barely speak and had to pull her car over.
Kimia couldn’t speak properly for 24 hours and had difficulty eating and drinking, forcing her to use straw.
The swelling eventually reduced on its own over the next few days without medical intervention.
Kimia, a branding and marketing assistant from Leiden, Netherlands, said: “I was just watching my lips get bigger every minute.
“It was funny at first but also terrifying.
“I felt like they were going to explode.”
Kimia first started getting filler shortly after turning 18, starting with her nose, then moving on to her lips.
After five years of regular filler treatments, she began experiencing long-term issues, including lumps and even a lisp.
According to Kimia, the practitioner had been injecting the filler too deeply.
Kimia said: “Instead of dissolving naturally, the filler would shift and give me a speech problem.
“I spent years dissolving and refilling.
“But it was just a waste of time and money.”
Last year, in March 2024, Kimia decided to remove everything and start fresh and opted for a cheaper clinic.
She said: “It was $171 for up to seven dissolving sessions, compared to $400 per session at my usual place.
“It seemed like a great deal until my lips started swelling up.”
The extreme reaction lasted about 24 hours before it began to settle.
The incident made Kimia reconsider her entire approach to cosmetic work.
She said: “I always told myself not to go somewhere cheaper just to save money and this time I didn’t listen.
“It wasn’t worth it.”
After a six-month break, Kimia eventually returned to lip filler but this time only had 0.5ml added by a trusted clinic.
She said: “Now I’m much more cautious.
“I’m happy with how my lips look, and I’m sticking with what I know works.
“Just because somewhere’s popular doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
“Don’t risk your face just because it’s trending or cheaper.”
