What happens before a lip filler procedure?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved the use of lip fillers in anyone under the age of 21. As a result, you must be at least 21 years old to get FDA-approved lip fillers.
Before your lip filler procedure, you’ll meet with your healthcare provider. They’ll assess many factors, including your mental health and any social conditions. Your healthcare provider may ask the following questions:
Your physical health and the shape of your face are also important. Your healthcare provider will evaluate your general health, including any preexisting health conditions or risk factors. Talk to your healthcare provider about any allergies you have, too. And tell them about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications that you’re taking, including herbal supplements.
Your healthcare provider will examine and measure your face. They’ll also take photographs of your face and lips for your medical record.
When considering the size of your lips, it’s important to imagine how you’ll look. Think about getting a new haircut. You may show your hairstylist a photograph to give them an idea of how you’d like your hair to look. However, your hairstylist might tell you that your hair won’t look like the photograph because of your hair texture, hairline, volume or length. You may want your lips to look like a celebrity’s lips, but it might not be achievable because your face shape and features are unique. Ask your healthcare provider if bringing in a picture is helpful. But be prepared to thoroughly describe what you want your lips to look like if your healthcare provider doesn’t want to reference a photograph.
What happens during a lip filler procedure?
During a lip filler procedure, your healthcare provider will apply a topical anesthetic to your lips. The topical anesthetic will numb your lips so you won’t feel any pain and the process is as comfortable as possible. The numbing creams often consist of benzocaine, lidocaine and tetracaine (BLT). About 15 to 30 minutes later, your lips should be numb.
If you have a BLT allergy, your healthcare provider may give you a nerve block injection to numb your lips. About 15 to 30 minutes after the injection, your lips should be numb.
Your healthcare provider will then use a thin needle to inject lip filler into any or all parts of your lips, including the edges of your lips (vermillion border), the curve in the center of your upper lip (Cupid’s bow) and your oral commissures (corners of your mouth). You won’t feel any pain, but you may feel a pinching sensation, and your eyes may water. On average, your healthcare provider will insert 1 milliliter (mL) of lip filler into your lips, which is about one-fifth of a teaspoon. The needle won’t go deeper than 2.5 millimeters (mm) into your skin.
Your healthcare provider may apply an ice pack to your lips throughout the procedure to minimize swelling and bruising.
The entire procedure may take as little as 30 minutes or as long as two hours.
What happens after a lip filler procedure?
After the procedure is complete, your healthcare provider may gently massage your lips so that they absorb the filler. They may continue to ice your lips as well.
Your healthcare provider will monitor you for up to 15 minutes to ensure you don’t experience any side effects, including dizziness, nausea or substantial bleeding. Once they determine that you no longer require monitoring, they’ll let you go home (discharge you). A local anesthetic won’t make you tired or groggy, so you can drive yourself home. However, you may want to have a family member or friend drive you home just in case.
Your lips may be swollen, sensitive and bruised. Swelling usually goes away after 24 to 48 hours, but it may take up to a week.
Your healthcare provider will also schedule a follow-up appointment about two weeks after the procedure to monitor your lips. They may take another picture for your medical record so you can see what your lips looked like before the procedure and after they’ve healed.
The following tips will help your lips as they heal:
- Apply an ice pack for up to 10 minutes to reduce inflammation, pain and swelling.
- Avoid wearing lipstick, lip balm or any other product on your lips for at least 24 hours.
- Refrain from touching or puckering your lips, including kissing and sipping from a straw.
- Be careful brushing your teeth.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Avoid exercising for at least 24 hours.
FAQs
Bleeding and bruising: Lips are very vascular and on occasion, bruising occurs around the injection site (just like getting a shot). Allergic reactions: While very rare, they may sometimes still occur. Infections: Infection risk is extremely low but can increase with certain medical conditions.
What is the aftermath of lip fillers? ›
Your lips may be swollen, sensitive and bruised. Swelling usually goes away after 24 to 48 hours, but it may take up to a week. Your healthcare provider will also schedule a follow-up appointment about two weeks after the procedure to monitor your lips.
What is the best type of lip filler? ›
Hyaluronic Acid fillers are considered to be the best lip fillers for most patients because they are temporary and not permanent, making them a safe and reversible option.
What is the downside of hyaluronic acid fillers? ›
One of the most common complications associated with HA fillers is bruising. Bruising usually occurs immediately secondary to puncture of periocular vessels. It can also sometimes be delayed due to external stretch from swelling secondary to the highly hygroscopic nature of HA.
Do lips go saggy after fillers? ›
Will my lips look saggy or stretched out after injections wear off? Nope! You don't need to worry about dealing with a "deflated" look as the hyaluronic acid fades. The skin on your mouth and lips will return to their normal appearance without any sagging or stretching.
What is the worse day for lip fillers? ›
How Long Does Lip Filler Swelling Last? The highest incidence of lip filler swelling will occur during the first 24 to 48 hours after the procedure.
Do and don'ts after lip fillers? ›
Wait 48 hours before any strenuous exercise. Workouts can increase blood flow to the lips, causing more swelling, bruising, and discomfort. Sweating when exercising could also transfer bacteria to the lip area, raising the risk of infection. “Can I take NSAIDs or blood thinners?” No, you should avoid these.
What are the pros and cons of lip fillers? ›
Pros: Patients get a longer-lasting result with minimal downtime, although not permanent. Cons: Lip filler results have a shorter longevity than other areas of filler, so patients may need to return for annual treatment.
Will people notice my lip fillers? ›
Aesthetic Nurse and lip expert Julie Horne explains how she creates truly natural and full lips with Restylane® KYSSE™ and that people in the street won't notice the lip treatment - but the results will make you feel more confident.
What is the most natural looking lip filler? ›
The Restylane and Juvederm family of hyaluronic acid fillers have dermal fillers that were specifically designed for lip enhancement with natural-looking results. With more flexible gel and smaller particle sizes, Restylane Kysse, Juvederm Volbella, and Juvederm Ultra XC are the ideal dermal fillers for lip injections.
Lip filler is typically measured in syringes. On average, lip filler treatment costs about $675 to $775 per syringe.
What kind of lip fillers do the Kardashians use? ›
It's likely that, like Khloe Kardashian, she had Juvéderm and Restylane temporary fillers. At that time, we were mostly seeing women in their late 20s and early 30s getting fillers, but the star's new lips prompted a wave of younger teens to seek the treatment.
What is lip flipping? ›
A lip flip is performed by injecting four to six units of Botox (or similar neurotoxins) into your lip muscle, allowing it to relax, letting your top lip gently lift and “flip” upward in about a week. This creates the appearance of a more full, pillowy lip without actually adding volume with lip fillers.
What is the downside of Juvederm? ›
Bruising and Infection
The greatest risk would be injecting the product into an area where there is active acne. If you have pimples near where you want the injections, it is best to wait until they are completely gone to have a treatment.
Who should not use fillers? ›
The major contraindications to the use of a filler are as follows: active infection near the site of injection, a known allergy/hypersensitivity to the material or to the lidocaine mixed in the syringe of the filler (Zyderm, Zyplast, Cosmoderm, Cosmoplast and certain hyaluronic acid fillers and Artefill) and glabellar ...
Are lip fillers worth the risk? ›
The Final Takeaway
Lip fillers are a great option for plumping up deflated lips or enhancing your natural lip shape. The treatment has a fairly easy recovery process with minimal side effects (outside of bruising and swelling). Another plus is that it's not permanent.
Is it bad to keep getting lip fillers? ›
A common consequence of too much lip filler is that the filler can migrate or 'bleed' into other areas of your face. This can result in small lumps or raised areas around the initial treated area. Overfilling your lips can also cause excessive bruising, discolouration or discomfort.
Can lip fillers cause problems? ›
Serious problems are rare but can include: infection. a lumpy appearance under the skin, which might need to be treated with surgery or medicine.
Can lip fillers cause side effects? ›
It is generally well-tolerated; however, severe adverse effects, such as swelling, lumps, abscesses, facial disfigurement, gel dislocation, and respiratory distress, have been known to occur.
