Ellansé Removal in Singapore
Ellansé lasts one to four years by design. When it has been placed in the wrong plane or in too great a volume, waiting is not the only option.
Ask Dr Sin Yong on WhatsApp →Ellansé is polycaprolactone (PCL) microspheres in a carboxymethylcellulose gel. The gel absorbs within weeks; the microspheres stay for one to four years and stimulate collagen around them. Hyaluronidase does not touch PCL, so Ellansé cannot be dissolved. Options for excess, lumps or migration are time, intralesional steroid for inflamed nodules, ultrasound-mapped laser fragmentation with Time Freeze Laser LCLR® in selected cases, and surgical excision for the rare nodule that resists everything else. Dr Sin Yong maps the deposit first and says plainly which route fits.
The material-by-material table is in dissolving filler in Singapore.
Treatment page: filler correction and dissolving; product page: Ellansé in Singapore.
- PCL-based fillers produce a foreign-body collagen response that persists for the life of the microspheres; nodules are associated with superficial or intramuscular placement (manufacturer data and published case series).
- Ultrasound identifies PCL deposits and their depth and guides targeted treatment (Wortsman 2015).
Why Ellansé cannot be dissolved
Hyaluronidase is an enzyme specific to hyaluronic acid. Polycaprolactone is a synthetic polyester with no bond the enzyme can break. The carrier gel in Ellansé is carboxymethylcellulose, which the body absorbs on its own within weeks, so by the time a problem is noticed, what remains is the microspheres and the collagen that has formed around them.
This is also why Ellansé placed in the wrong zone (lips, tear troughs, the mobile lower face) is a longer problem than an HA filler in the same place: the fix is not an injection that undoes it.
The problems people come in with
| Concern | What is usually found on ultrasound | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Firm lump or nodule | Clustered microspheres with collagen, often superficial | Steroid if inflamed; laser fragmentation if not; excision if resistant |
| Overfilled, heavy look | Diffuse deposits in the correct plane but too much volume | Laser fragmentation of mapped excess in stages; lifting to rebalance |
| Migration or an edge that shows | Product that has moved along a tissue plane | Mapping; laser at the migrated edge; time |
| Redness or late swelling | Inflammatory reaction around the deposits | Medical treatment first; no laser until settled |
The ultrasound-mapped laser route
At IN Eternity Clinic the first step is an ultrasound scan to confirm that the lump is Ellansé, how deep it sits and how far it spreads. Laser energy from the LCLR protocol is then delivered to the mapped deposit to fragment it, so the body can clear the smaller fragments over the following weeks. In selected cases this is done in the same session as the assessment. The area is re-mapped before any further session so that only what remains is treated.
What this route is not: it is not an instant removal, it does not work on inflamed nodules until they have settled, and very large volumes may need staged sessions or, rarely, surgery. Results vary between people and are reviewed at each visit.
After the excess is reduced
Once the deposit has been reduced the face is reassessed. Over-filling often hides descent: the product was placed to fill a hollow that was in fact a shadow cast by sagging tissue. Lifting the tissue with the same laser protocol frequently removes the need for new filler, and when some volume is still wanted, a reversible HA product is the safer choice in that zone.
Costs depend on the number of zones, the sessions needed and whether lifting is combined; they are set out at the consultation. The consultation fee is S$120 and is waived when a treatment is started.
Treatment photos are not published on this website in line with Singapore’s guidelines for medical clinics. Tap the button and our clinic will send you the one-page Time Freeze before-and-after PDF privately on WhatsApp.
I want to see the Time Freeze before and after →Frequently asked questions
Can Ellansé be dissolved with hyaluronidase?
No. Polycaprolactone has no bond that hyaluronidase can break. The carrier gel absorbs on its own; the microspheres remain for one to four years.
How long does Ellansé last?
Depending on the version, one to four years. Collagen formed around the microspheres can persist after the microspheres themselves have degraded.
Can an Ellansé lump be removed?
Often, in selected cases, with ultrasound mapping followed by laser fragmentation, or steroid injection if the nodule is inflamed. Excision is reserved for the rare nodule that does not respond.
Is same-day treatment possible?
For a mapped, non-inflamed deposit, laser fragmentation can be done in the same session as the assessment in selected cases.
Will the area be hollow afterwards?
Fragmenting the excess removes the lump or the overfilled volume, not the normal tissue. Where some volume is still wanted after settling, lifting or a reversible HA filler is used.
What should I do if the lump is red or painful?
Have it assessed promptly. Inflamed or infected nodules are treated medically first; laser is not used until they have settled.
References
- Wortsman X. Identification and complications of cosmetic fillers: sonography first. J Ultrasound Med 2015;34:1163-1172. doi:10.7863/ultra.34.7.1163
- DeLorenzi C. Complications of injectable fillers, part I. Aesthet Surg J 2013;33:561-575. doi:10.1177/1090820X13484492
These sources describe the evidence in general. They are not a promise of any individual result; suitability is decided at an in-person assessment.
Book an assessment
IN Eternity Clinic, 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza, Singapore 228210. By appointment with Medical Director Dr Sin Yong. Monday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm. WhatsApp or call +65 8815 3008. The consultation fee is waived with any medical treatment.