‘I didn’t know it could do that’: JoJo reveals her alarm as lip filler started to ‘migrate’

Migration occurs when dermal filler injected into lip moves to areas other than intended injection site

Singer JoJo has revealed she had complications with her lip filler that forced her to dissolve the injections.

The 32-year-old pop star, known professionally as “JoJo”, shared in a TikTok video this week that she had her lip filler dissolved three months ago because it had started to “migrate” unintentionally.

“A few months ago, maybe three months ago, right before I came to New York, I got my lip filler dissolved because it had started to migrate. I didn’t know it could do that,” she said. “I thought it was just going to metabolise and dissolve. I thought it was just going to go away over time, you know?”

The “Too Little, Too Late” singer pointed to the bottom of her upper lip, saying: “It got, like, lumpy underneath here. I would run my tongue along it and be like, ‘What the f*** is going on?’”

While the Aquamarine star was “really glad” she decided to get her lip filler dissolved, she admitted that she’s “not mad” that she experimented with the cosmetic procedure.

“I’m very happy with the way it looks because this is kind of natural – I still have small lips – but it’s my face, it’s me,” JoJo said. “I’m also not mad that I experimented with it. I was curious and I liked it for a while and then, when I didn’t like it, thankfully, it was something that I was able to go back and look like my natural self.”

In her video, the “Leave” musician also asked fellow TikTokers if they’ve ever had their own lip fillers migrate. Lip filler migration occurs when the dermal filler injected into the lip starts to move to areas other than their intended injection site. Migrated filler can create noticeable lumps or volume above the top lip, causing the lips to look swollen or unnatural.

Speaking to The Independent, Dr Joshua Zeichner – dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital – said that, in some cases, lip filler migration is actually quite common. “This is not uncommon in the lip area since there is so much movement of the lips, plus filler can become trapped or shifted from muscles around the mouth,” he told us. “Usually migration involves the filler moving from the pink part of your lips to the skin around the lips, with loss of structure of the lip border.”

There are many causes of lip filler migration, including how it’s injected, the type of filler that’s used, or getting too much filler. The best defence against filler migration is going to a trusted professional that’s highly-trained in administering cosmetic injections.

“Your doctor’s injection technique can help minimise migration, so make sure to visit a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon with experience in lip injections,” said Dr Zeichner. “The good news is that so long as a hyaluronic acid filler is used in lips, which is what most doctors are using, an enzyme can be injected to dissolve the migrated filler.  Even the best artist needs an eraser every once in a while.”

Because injectable fillers are only semi-permanent, they can last anywhere between three to 18 months. Still, if fillers begin to migrate, a professional can inject hyaluronidase – a synthetic form of an enzyme that already exists in the body – to dissolve hyaluronic acid fillers.

In the comments, one fan asked JoJo whether it hurt to get her lip fillers dissolved. “It did hurt! But the nurse who did it used numbing cream and iced it so it wasn’t tooooo bad! I was more scared than I actually needed to be,” she replied.

Many fans also applauded JoJo for being “transparent” about her cosmetic procedures, while others praised her natural appearance.

“They look amazing and so natural now!” one TikToker wrote.

“I love your transparency,” another said.

“We’re human. We change,” a third commented. “Glad you were able to have the experience but also have the ability to change it back. Do you girl!”

JoJo isn’t the only celebrity to come clean about getting their lip fillers or cosmetic injections dissolved. Model Blac Chyna recently documented her “life-changing” journey to reduce her breast and butt implants, as well as dissolving her facial fillers. The mother of two, whose real name is Angela Renée White, said that her decision to undo her years of cosmetic surgeries is part of her journey to “get back to Angela”.

The 34-year-old model later revealed that she received illegal silicone injections in her butt at the age of 19, which she said put her life at risk because the procedure wasn’t done by a licensed professional.

Meanwhile, Love Island stars Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Molly-Mae Hague have previously spoken about getting their fillers dissolved. Supermodel Bella Hadid has also admitted that she regrets getting a nose job at the age of 14, while Linda Evangelista sued Zelta Aesthetics over a fat-freezing treatment which she claims left her “permanently deformed”.