Lip filler is no longer reserved for celebrities and social media beauty influencers, one of the aesthetics industries best kept secrets for those looking for plumper, fuller lips is officially mainstream. So, if you’ve been considering lip augmentation as the next step on your aesthetics journey, either because age has de-plumped yours or Mother Nature didn’t give you the perfect pout to begin with, here are the answers to the questions that are most probably, excuse the pun, on your lips…
WHAT EXACTLY IS LIP AUGMENTATION?
Lip augmentation (lip filler) is a customisable cosmetic procedure that adds volume to your lips, addressing asymmetry and ‘thin, flat’ lips by injecting a solution, most commonly hyaluronic acid-based Juvedérm Smile or Restylane Kysse at a depth of about 2.5mm using a very thin needle. While you might think of Instagram-influencer ‘duck lips’ when you think ‘lip injections’, the goal of an experienced, qualified injector is in fact to achieve a natural-looking result that compliments your facial features, enhancing what your mama gave you. Results can range from big and bold to low key and subtle.
HOW LONG DOES LIP FILLER LAST?
The longevity of lip filler depends on several factors; the amount injected, a patient’s metabolism, the desired fullness/plumpness and the product (injectable solution) used.
HOW DO I SAFEGUARD AGAINST ‘DUCK LIPS’ AND GET A NATURAL RESULT?
For the most part, getting a ‘natural’ results has to do with placement and amount, rather than the type of filler used. Each person’s lips need to be thoroughly examined – taking into account symmetry or lack thereof and overall shape – to determine placement and quantity of filler needed. As a rule of thumb, if you want a fuller lip, it’s best to have a series of lip augmentation procedures over time rather than trying to go from zero to hero in one appointment.
WHICH FILLER TYPE IS BEST, PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY?
If you want to look genetically blessed rather than over-inflated (like a sharp lip liner could pop your lips like a balloon), the trick is to opt for temporary fillers, especially if you’re a first-timer. While the cost of lip augmentation may tempt you to go the permanent route, temporary (or semi-permanent as called by some) is the way to go. Little can be done to fix a lip augmentation with permanent fillers. If you don’t love the result, temporary filler can be dissolved, essentially reversing the procedure.
CAN YOU HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?
Yes, alarm bells should go off if you’re a first timer and your Doctor suggests the use of more than one syringe. Why? Because one syringe, distributed skillfully, is more than adequate for all-over enhancement that looks real, not fake. In fact, an experienced injector will start with half a syringe, allow two weeks for healing, and then have the patient return to examine the results and administer the second half of a syringe, if necessary.
DO LIP INJECTIONS HURT?
Once numb, patients feel a little prick, slight pressure, and a dull kind of throbbing. It’s uncomfortable but not painful. All hyaluronic acid fillers come mixed with a numbing medication called lidocaine. In addition to this, your doctor will numb the area around your lips with either a dental nerve block (an injection into your gums just like a dentist would do before filling a cavity), or a topical numbing cream, which is preferred by most injectors. Why? Well, a dental nerve block changes the way you move your lips and the way your lips look for a couple hours. A topical numbing cream delivers the numbing needed without hindering the injectors ability to see exactly what they’re working with, shape-wise.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO FEEL POST-PROCEDURE?
Depending on the individual, lips can become swollen, painful or feel bruised for up to a week after being injected. To speed up healing and reduce discomfort, it’s important to take steps to reduce the inflammation by applying a cold compress regularly for at least the 72 hours following your appointment.
IS THE PAIN WORTH THE GAIN?
As with all cosmetic and aesthetic procedures, surgical or non-surgical, it’s a personal choice. And one that each person needs to make for themselves – not their partner, agent or social media following. It should always be about how you face the world long-term not just about following a trend or trying to achieve a beauty standard set by the media. The reality is that trends and beauty standards change. No matter how popular an aesthetics procedure is, it’s important to remember that lip augmentation is a very real procedure with very real risks when done incorrectly.
So, do your research, really think about your reasons for doing it and if lip filler is still top of your ‘to do’ list then be sure to start the process with a consult with one of our Doctors at any one of our 19 Skin Renewal branches nationwide.