Dermal Fillers: What to Expect from Lip Injections?

Do you know what Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba, and Scarlett Johansson have in common? Yes, they all are well-known celebrities, but it is not the only thing that unites them. Apart from being famous all around the world, they all have attractive, full, and well-hydrated lips.

We know that not each and every person is so lucky to be born with naturally adorable lips. However, the contemporary advancements in aesthetic medicine allow each and every person to plump, moisturize, and contour their lip tissues by means of using injectable dermal fillers.

So, what to expect from lip injections? Let us figure it out together right away!

Before we start: please note that lip fillers belong to products that are intended for professional usage. Therefore, only licensed plastic surgeons, dermatologists, cosmetologists, and other health care practitioners are eligible to order dermal fillers online.

What Types of Dermal Fillers Might Be Used for Lip Injections?

A dermal filler might be defined as an injectable substance that is applied in aesthetic medicine for a number of cosmetic indications. It is usually based on one of the following active ingredients:

• Hyaluronic acid. It is a naturally occurring substance with strong hydrating power that efficiently rejuvenates and enhances a patient’s skin tissues;
• Calcium hydroxylapatite. While also being a naturally occurring mineral-like compound, it functions as a biocompatible filler for age-related skin imperfections;
• Poly-L-lactic acid. It is a synthetic but nevertheless biodegradable material that stimulates natural collagen and elastin production;
• Polymethyl methacrylate. Despite being regarded as plastic material, it is used as a safe, efficient, and long-lasting filler;
• And so on.

Some dermal fillers also include local anesthetic lidocaine in their composition. It substantially reduces the feeling of discomfort and pain during the injection procedure. If a lip filler does not include lidocaine, a medical professional might apply a topical anesthetic to the area of the treatment.

Based on the active ingredients that are mentioned above, there exist respective types of dermal fillers. Moreover, these gel-like substances are produced by a great number of trustworthy trademarks, such as:

• Juvederm, Restalyne, Belotero, Saypha, Ellanse, Fillmed, Teosyal (hyaluronic acid fillers);
• Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite fillers);
• Sculptra (poly-L-lactic fillers);
• Bellafill (polymethyl methacrylate fillers);
• And so on.

Each above-mentioned brand produces dermal fillers with a variety of aesthetic indications. While some of them are injected to reduce the appearance of skin depressions (like nasolabial folds, crow’s feet, or frown lines), others are administered to modify the facial anatomy of a patient.

Another widely-spread implication of injectable fillers is to augment, moisturize, and contour a patient’s lips. However, not each and every product is suitable for such a task. Under normal circumstances, hyaluronic acid-based preparations are efficiently used as lip fillers.

Most HA fillers might be characterized as absolutely biocompatible and safe products that might provide a patient with a natural-looking and long-lasting lip enhancement. 

Among the best dermal filler brands that might be applied to treat lips are Belotero, Juvederm, and Restylane. Here is the list of the most popular preparations in their product lines that are used to take care of a patient’s lip tissues:

Belotero Lips Contour	Belotero Lips Shape
Juvederm Ultra XC	Juvederm VOLBELLA
Restylane Kysse	Restylane Silk

And so on.

These soft tissue fillers are regarded as the most efficient and popular lip injectables in contemporary aesthetic plastic surgery. However, there exists a great variety of other dermal fillers on the market that work well with a patient’s lips.

What to Expect After a Lip Filler Procedure?

An injection of a lip filler belongs to minimally invasive procedures. It might be accomplished within several minutes (on average, the administration of a dermal filler into a patient’s lips takes up to half an hour).

So, what should a patient expect from injections of lip fillers? What effect do they provide? Do they also smooth lines, folds, and wrinkles on a patient’s face? And, finally, how long do they last? Let us figure it out together!

What Effect Can a Patient Expect After a Lip Filler Injection?

After a lip filler injection, patients might expect an instant improvement in the appearance of their lips. Namely, the hyaluronic acid in the composition of lip fillers will immediately moisturize, plump, and define patients’ lip tissues.

Therefore, the following results might be observed after a lip filler procedure:

• Augmentation of lip tissues;
• Contouring of lip shape;
• Hydration of lips;
• And so on.

The administration of hyaluronic acid fillers is not the only way to enhance the appearance of a patient’s lips. For instance, fat injections belong to other efficient methods to augment and contour lip tissues.

Depending on the volume of the product that has been administered into a patient’s lips, injections of lip fillers might lead to either a subtle or a profound effect.

In most cases, a patient will experience mild to middle swelling around the injection site for the first 48 hours after the procedure. Therefore, the effect of the treatment might appear greater than it actually is. So, patients should not get upset if their lips seem too large right after the injection.

Do Lip Fillers Also Reduce Facial Wrinkles?

Some lip fillers might also function as facial fillers for the perioral area. In other words, they do not only augment the lower or upper lip of a patient but also reduce the appearance of such wrinkles as:

• Lip lines;
• Smile lines;
• Marionette lines;
• And so on.

So, a medical professional might administer a lip filler into both the lip mucosa and the superficial, middle, or deep dermis of the skin on a patient’s perioral area to help a patient acquire a more youthful appearance.

How Long Do Lip Fillers Last?

Injections of lip fillers belong to durable procedures. Nevertheless, they are far away from being permanent. On average, the natural substance of hyaluronic acid in the composition of a product fades away with time.

Therefore, lip products tend to provide patients with a long-lasting result that will gradually decrease. Depending on a patient’s individual skin type, age, lifestyle, and lip care, the duration of lip fillers might last from several months to a couple of years.

As soon as the result of the product starts to decrease or disappear, the medical procedure of lip augmentation and enhancement might be repeated. This way, a patient will be able to substantially prolong the effect of the treatment.

What Are the Possible Side Effects After the Administration of a Lip Filler?

In some cases, the administration of a lip filler might lead to the appearance of the following side effects around the injection site:

• Bruising;
• Redness;
• Itching;
• Swelling;
• Mild pain.

These symptoms are temporary. Under normal circumstances, they tend to fade away within several days after the treatment without any kind of medical help.

However, a patient should contact a medical professional as soon as possible in case of experiencing extreme swelling, severe pain, or other serious side effects after the procedure.

What Are the Dermal Filler Do’s & Don’ts Before and After a Lip Injection?

To maximize the efficiency of the treatment and minimize the risk of complications, a patient should adhere to certain do’s & don’t before and after the procedure.

Before receiving dermal fillers into lip tissues, a patient should:

• Undergo allergy testing to exclude the presence of individual hypersensitivity to any component of the product that is going to be injected (naturally, a patient with an allergic reaction to hyaluronic acid should not have a hyaluronic acid filler administered to their lips);
• Let a medical professional investigate a patient’s current health condition to exclude pregnancy, lactation, intake of prescription-based and over-the-counter drugs (like herbal supplements, blood thinners, and other medicaments), and other contraindications to the injection of a lip filler;
• Avoid alcohol, smoking, and other potentially harmful to a patient’s health habits within 48 hours before the procedure.

After the injection of a lip filler is over, a patient is expected to follow these simple rules for at least a few days:

• Avoid strenuous exercise;
• Evade direct sunlight and apply a sunscreen cream to the treatment area;
• Stay away from excessive heat (namely, do not visit saunas or take hot bath tubes);
• Avoid makeup around the injection site;
• Try to keep the head elevated for as long as possible.

If a patient experiences a feeling of pain or discomfort, they might apply an ice pack to the area of the treatment.

Final Words: Get One Step Closer to Attractive Lips

Hopefully, the above-mentioned information will be helpful for those who would like to undergo a lip filler injection. By means of knowing what to expect after the administration of a dermal filler into lip tissues, you will definitely get one step closer to attractive lips.

So, take advantage of this article and enhance the natural appearance of your lips with the help of a lip filler injection. Remember, your beauty is unique and does not depend on your physical age!