You're looking at yourself in the mirror two weeks after an appointment, and something is wrong. The Botox is uneven — one eyebrow is higher than the other. Or the lip filler you got looks nothing like the subtle enhancement you asked for. Or the treatment you spent $2,400 on shows no discernible effect. Or you're worried about something more serious — a lump that shouldn't be there, discoloration that's spreading, pain that's not subsiding.
The path forward depends on what the issue is, and the most important thing to know is that "wait it out" is not always the right answer. For some situations it is; for others, delay makes recovery harder or eliminates the option entirely.
This guide covers what to do in each of the common unhappy-outcome scenarios, in the order the decisions actually have to be made.
First: distinguish between complications and disappointing results
These are different situations requiring different responses.
Signs of a medical complication (act immediately, not tomorrow):
•Sudden severe pain, especially with pale or bluish skin discoloration around the injection site
•Vision changes or eye pain after any facial injection
•Skin that's turning white, blue, purple, or gray
•Rapidly spreading redness, swelling, or warmth beyond the injection site
•Fever, chills, or systemic illness within days of treatment
•Any symptoms of stroke — facial drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty
These are potential vascular occlusion, infection, or serious adverse reactions. Call the clinic that treated you immediately. If you can't reach them, go to an emergency room. Vascular occlusion in particular has a narrow window — 24-48 hours — for successful intervention with hyaluronidase (if the filler was hyaluronic acid). Do not wait to see if it resolves.
Disappointing but not urgent results:
•Asymmetric Botox after full settling time (10-14 days)
•Filler that looks too big, too small, or migrated
•Treatment that produced less visible effect than promised
•Uneven contouring or unnatural appearance
•Product placed in the wrong area
These are the situations this guide primarily addresses.
The reversibility spectrum
Not all aesthetic treatments are equally correctable. Understanding what you actually received matters.
Fully reversible with intervention:
•Hyaluronic acid fillers (Juvéderm, Restylane, Belotero, RHA products): dissolvable with hyaluronidase injection, results visible within hours to days
•Consultation-only outcomes: no treatment received, no correction needed
Not reversible, but time-limited:
•Botox, Dysport, Xeomin: typically wear off in 3-4 months; no intervention can accelerate this
•Kybella (deoxycholic acid for submental fat): permanent fat reduction; if asymmetric or over-treated, correction requires additional intervention
Not reversible, extended duration:
•Biostimulator fillers (Sculptra, Radiesse): 12-24 months for absorption; complications managed with steroids, saline dilution, or extraction (see our Sculptra vs Radiesse guide)
•PDO threads: 6-9 months for absorption; visible or palpable threads may require surgical extraction
•Permanent fillers (silicone, PMMA): permanent; correction requires surgical excision
Immediately reversible technique errors:
•Wrong product placed in a location where reversal is possible
•Cosmetic tattoo or microblading errors: laser removal available but requires multiple sessions and is imperfect
Match your specific concern to the reversibility category before deciding on next steps.
Timing: when to wait, when to act
Wait if:
•Less than 2 weeks have passed since Botox/Dysport/Xeomin (results are still settling; peak effect at 10-14 days)
•Less than 2 weeks have passed since HA filler (swelling can look like asymmetry that resolves)
•Less than 4-6 weeks have passed since Sculptra (results are still developing)
•The concern is subtle asymmetry that might resolve
Don't wait if:
•Any complication signs listed above (act immediately)
•HA filler that's clearly too much, migrated, or in the wrong location and you want it dissolved (hyaluronidase works better on fresh product than old)
•Any concern that's worsening rather than resolving
•Vascular symptoms of any kind
Going back to the injector who treated you
This is usually the correct first step for disappointing results. The injector who did the work:
•Knows exactly what product and how much was placed
•Has records of the treatment plan
•Has professional responsibility for their work
•Can often correct the issue at no additional cost or reduced cost
The conversation should be direct and factual. Show up with specific concerns ("the left brow is higher than the right by about half an inch," not "I don't like how I look"). Bring photos if you have them. Give the injector a chance to assess the issue in person before deciding whether they've handled it appropriately.
A professional injector will:
•Take the concern seriously without defensiveness
•Assess and explain what's happening
•Propose a specific correction plan with timeline and cost
•Not gaslight you or claim the result is fine when it clearly isn't
If the injector's response is dismissive, defensive, or minimizing, you may need to seek a second opinion or file a formal complaint.
When to consult a different injector
Sometimes the original injector is not the right person to fix the problem. Reasons to consult elsewhere:
•The original injector was clearly the wrong choice (inexperienced, out of scope, cutting corners)
•The complication requires expertise the original injector doesn't have (hyaluronidase reversal, thread extraction, biostimulator management)
•The relationship with the original injector has broken down
•You need an independent assessment before making decisions
A consultation with a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon with injectable expertise costs $100-$400 typically and often produces both an accurate assessment and a corrective treatment plan. For serious complications, this is often the right move even if it means paying twice.
When to request a refund
Refunds are appropriate when:
•The treatment produced no effect you paid for (recognizing that some treatments legitimately take time to develop)
•The wrong product was used
•The treatment was performed by someone not qualified to perform it
•The clinic materially misrepresented what you would receive
Refunds are typically not appropriate when:
•You changed your mind about wanting the treatment
•The result is what was promised but you no longer want it
•You didn't like the sensation or downtime
•The result requires more product than initially discussed to achieve your goal (this may warrant partial credit but not full refund)
Ask in writing. Keep documentation. If the clinic refuses and you believe the refusal is unjustified, the complaint escalation options below apply.
Filing formal complaints
If the injector or clinic won't make things right, escalation options exist. Choose based on severity.
State medical board or nursing board complaint:
For actual medical practice issues — scope violations, gross incompetence, unlicensed injection. Every state has a licensing board that accepts consumer complaints. Board complaints are public record after resolution and can lead to license discipline. Use for genuine practice violations, not for garden-variety dissatisfaction.
State attorney general or department of consumer affairs:
For pricing disputes, false advertising, refusal to honor stated policies. Consumer protection agencies handle transaction-level complaints in ways medical boards don't.
BBB and public review platforms:
Real signal to future customers, but limited leverage against the clinic. Useful in combination with other channels.
Small claims court:
For refund disputes under state small-claims limits (typically $5,000-$15,000). Doesn't require an attorney. Effective for straightforward pricing and refund disputes.
Medical malpractice attorney:
Only for cases involving significant injury, permanent damage, or serious complications with substantial damages. Most medical malpractice attorneys work on contingency and screen cases carefully — a consultation costs nothing, and they'll tell you honestly whether you have a viable case.
Don't skip to litigation for issues that can be resolved through the clinic directly or through consumer protection channels.
Documentation matters at every step
Whatever step you take, contemporaneous documentation strengthens your position.
•Photos: high-resolution, multiple angles, consistent lighting, dated
•Written records of every interaction with the clinic
•Copies of pre-treatment consent forms, treatment plans, and receipts
•Notes on symptoms — when they started, how they've progressed, what you've tried
•Any communications with the clinic in writing (email is better than phone for anything you may need later)
Documentation isn't accusatory — it's routine care for a medical procedure. Reputable clinics keep the same records themselves. Yours protects you if the situation escalates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get lip filler dissolved if I don't like it?
Yes, if it's hyaluronic acid filler (Juvéderm, Restylane, RHA, Belotero, and similar products). An injection of hyaluronidase dissolves HA filler within hours to days. If the filler was a biostimulator (Sculptra, Radiesse) — which shouldn't be used in lips but occasionally is — there's no equivalent reversal, and you'll need to manage the outcome through other means or wait for absorption.
How long should I wait before deciding I don't like Botox results?
Wait the full 10-14 days for peak effect before making decisions. Botox results settle progressively — day 3 to day 14 can look meaningfully different, and asymmetry visible on day 5 often resolves by day 14. If asymmetry persists at 14 days, contact the injector for assessment and possible touch-up (which many reputable clinics include in the original price).
The clinic won't refund me for a treatment that didn't work. What can I do?
Depends on the situation. If the treatment was performed correctly and produced no results because you weren't a good candidate for it, refund is unlikely to be appropriate — though the clinic should have screened for candidacy in the first place. If the treatment was performed incorrectly, the wrong product was used, or the clinic materially misrepresented what you'd receive, escalation options include state consumer protection agencies, small claims court for the price, and — for cases involving actual harm — potentially a medical malpractice consultation.
Should I go to my original injector or someone new to fix a bad result?
Start with the original injector unless there's a specific reason not to. They have the treatment records, they have professional responsibility for their work, and they can often correct at no or reduced cost. Go elsewhere if the original injector was clearly the wrong choice, if the complication requires expertise they don't have, or if the relationship has broken down.
When is a bad aesthetic result actually medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice requires proof of a departure from the professional standard of care that caused meaningful harm. Cosmetic dissatisfaction alone is generally not malpractice. Real malpractice cases in aesthetics typically involve severe complications — vascular occlusion with tissue necrosis or vision loss, unlicensed practice injuries, or gross departures from standard technique causing lasting damage. If you're not sure, most medical malpractice attorneys offer free consultations to screen the case.
This article is general information only, not medical or legal advice. If you're experiencing signs of a serious complication, contact your clinic immediately or seek emergency care. For a broader view on choosing an injector who's less likely to produce these situations in the first place, see our [12-question med spa checklist](/blog/how-to-vet-a-med-spa-12-questions).
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