I spent 3 months hiding away after filler left me looking like a villain – my pus-filled lips leaked all down my face
Amy Pearson first visited the practitioner in September 2024 to get anti-wrinkle jabs and facial and lip filler.
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At first, the 32-year-old says she suffered no side effects so continued to visit the aesthetician's home salon over the next two months for hundreds of pounds worth of top-up treatments.
But when lumps began developing in her cheeks and lips, the mum-of-three said she flagged this to the practitioner but claims she was told it was safe for her to keep having treatments.
It was only when her face ballooned in January 2025 following a £200 booster lip and cheek treatment in December, she knew something was wrong.
Horrifying photos show Amy's under-eyes swollen and drooping with a large oozing blister on her lip, which she claims is an infection from the lip filler jab.
At this point Amy, who doesn't work, claims she reached out again to the practitioner but was told the swelling was normal.
When it didn't go down, Amy says she spent months going back and forth to Bishop Auckland Hospital in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.
There, she was prescribed steroid cream, antibiotics and antihistamines.
Amy claims she was told by a doctor that the filler had caused her face to balloon and she needed it all dissolved immediately.
When the practitioner agreed to dissolve her lip and cheek filler treatment for free in April 2025, Amy claims she was left with a lop-sided mouth and still has lumps under her skin.
Amy says she spent three months hiding in her house as she battled with self-confidence issues.
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While her face is no longer swollen, she's having to undergo treatment by another practitioner to get her face and lips dissolved properly.
Following her experience, Amy is now raising awareness about the importance of doing thorough research on your practitioner before getting injected with filler.
Amy Pearson, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, said: "I had lip filler and had 1ml put in and this cost me £100. This was a top-up from what I had done.
"I was going absolutely crazy with [anti-wrinkle jabs] and filler and I told her there were lumps in my lips and she kept putting more in.
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"The lumps came from her treatment. I was getting filler every month but in December that was when a blister started to form.
"She said it was a cold sore but she caused the infection in my lip.
"I said a day later I was in pain. It started to form a blister and it was filling up with pus and it burst and the filler came out.
"I had cheek filler put in and she injected it into the wrong place and that is how the lump formed. She made a right mess.
"I was going backwards and forwards to the hospital and was only leaving the house to go to the hospital.
"I was that paranoid about how I looked. The doctor said she had caused this and I needed it dissolved.
"Those three or four months were the worst time of my life.
"I looked in the mirror and looked disgusting, she made me feel like I was ugly and nothing.
"It looked like something you'd see in a horror movie. I didn't recognise myself and I was hiding away behind closed doors.
"In that period I didn't want my kids to see me like that and I didn't want to be out in the open and have people staring at me."
What are the risks of lip fillers?
THE RISKS of dermal fillers depend on whether the procedure was done correctly and the type of filler used.
The NHS recommends you speak to your practitioner about the risks beforehand.
Serious problems are rare but can include:
Infection
A lumpy appearance under the skin, which might need to be treated with surgery or medicine
The filler moving away from the intended treatment area, which may need to be removed using surgery
Scarring
Blocked blood vessels in the face, which can cause tissue death and permanent blindness
You should see your GP if you have any complications that need medical attention and speak to your practitioner if you're not happy with the results or experience lumpiness.
Source: NHS
After suffering her reaction to the filler at the start of the year, Amy says she continued to visit the practitioner for anti-wrinkle jabs treatment but stopped getting filler immediately.
She claims in total she spent £1,600 on treatment from September 2024 to June 2025 but has completely stopped going to the practitioner now.
Amy is thankful it hasn't caused permanent damage to her face and she is able to get it corrected.
Amy said: "After my reaction in December I stopped getting all the filler but I continued with my [anti-wrinkle injections] because I thought this was okay.
"There are still lumps in my face but the swelling has gone down. I still have confidence issues and still will until all of this is sorted.
"I feel let down. I'm now going to another practitioner to get it sorted.
"I want to get awareness out there and tell people to choose their practitioner properly."
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