Lip Fillers: Expected Result, Side Effects, and Aftercare Tips

24 October 2022

Dermal Fillers

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Did you know that your lips get thinner as you age? It happens due to the reduction of collagen production in the human body. Luckily, there exists a number of treatment options that might help a patient to maintain the youthful appearance of their lips for a substantial time period, dermal filler injection being one of them.

So, how exactly are dermal fillers  used to treat lips? What is the expected result of such injections? Do they have any side effects? And finally, what are the most important lip filler aftercare tips? Let us find the answers to these questions by means of going through the below-mentioned information.

Before we start: Please note that injections of dermal fillers into lips should be performed exclusively by licensed healthcare professionals that have undergone adequate training. Only this way, such unwanted situations as, for instance, unintentional administration of products into blood vessels might be avoided.

A Few Words About Dermal Filler Treatment of Lips

Dermal fillers might be characterized as fully biocompatible, homogeneous, and fluid solutions that are extensively used in aesthetic medicine. They are injected under a patient’s skin to treat a wide range of cosmetic issues.

Among the main indications that might be addressed with the help of dermal filler injections are:

• Fine lines, wrinkles, and folds;
• Sagging skin;
• Undefined facial oval;
• Thin, dehydrated, and poorly defined lips;
• And other age-related skin imperfections.

Depending on their main active substance, dermal fillers might be divided into hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, poly-L-lactic acid, and polymethyl-methacrylate products.

Please note that hyaluronic acid fillers and calcium hydroxylapatite products are the solutions that are most often used for lip injections.

In most cases, tender lip tissues are treated with the help of the following dermal filler brands:

While being one of the most popular brands of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers, Juvederm is extensively used to treat lips. Among the main lip fillers in the brand’s product line are Juvederm Volbella, Juvederm Voluma, and Juvederm Ultra;

Similar to Juvederm, Restylane is a hyaluronic acid brand that is frequently used for lip filler treatment. The Restylane family includes Restylane Volyme, Restylane Silk, and Restylane Kysse lip fillers;

It is one more brand of dermal fillers that are based on hyaluronic acid. Belotero Soft, Belotero Volume, and Belotero Lips are the most effective products in the Belotero range when it comes to lip enhancement;

Unlike all the above-mentioned brands, Radiesse produces lip fillers that are based on calcium hydroxylapatite. Both Radiesse and Radiesse + (namely, the version without and with lidocaine) are frequently used to take care of lips;

• And other dermal filler brands.

The primary aim of lip fillers is to improve the facial aesthetics of a patient by means of enhancing the appearance of the lips. It might be achieved by means of:

• Augmenting lips;
• Hydrating lip tissues;
• Making lip contours more defined;
• And so on.

Moreover, a lip filler procedure might also be used to reduce vertical lip lines and wrinkles in the perioral area of the face.

The treatment protocol of a dermal filler injection into lips is pretty straightforward. Under normal circumstances, it looks like this:

• Above anything else, a healthcare practitioner should investigate a current health condition of a patient in order to make sure that there are no contraindications to the procedure. Among the main limitations to the injection of a dermal filler into lips is an allergic reaction to any component of the product, a severe health complication, or an active infection around the lip area. As well, the procedure is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding patients;
• After making sure that a patient does not have any contraindications to lip injections, a healthcare practitioner might start preparing a patient for the procedure. If needed, they might apply a topical anesthetic cream to the area of the treatment in order to reduce the feeling of discomfort (nevertheless, a vast majority of lip fillers already include lidocaine in their composition and, therefore, do not assume additional application of the numbing cream);
• Now, a healthcare practitioner might perform the injection. Namely, they should administer the product directly into the lip mucosa of a patient with the help of a fine gauge needle. The procedure requires a high level of proficiency in order to achieve the desired result and omit the occurrence of unwanted complications. For instance, if a healthcare practitioner removes the needle from the lip while still injecting the product, lumps and bumps are likely to appear;
• As soon as the procedure is over, a healthcare practitioner might gently massage the lips of a patient in order to get the dermal filler evenly distributed across the area of the treatment. As well they might apply a chilly compress to minimize the level of pain a patient might experience after the procedure.

That’s it. As soon as the injection of a dermal filler into the lips is over, a patient might return to their usual routine.

Expected Result After Lip Filler Injections

Lip filler injections belong to minimally invasive treatments with immediate results. In other words, a patient is expected to notice the enhancement of their lips as soon as the procedure is over.

Another essential thing to mention in regard to the expected result after lip augmentation, moisturization, and contouring with the help of dermal fillers is that it is not permanent. Therefore, it tends to fade away with time.

The exact duration of the filler injection result depends on a variety of factors, such as:

• The age, skin type, and health condition of a patient;
• The brand and volume of a lip filler;
• The technique of a medical professional;
• And other peculiarities.

On average, the result of a lip filler treatment lasts for about a year. However, this period might vary from a couple of months to several years.

Please note that it is possible to schedule a follow-up injection of a dermal filler into the lips after noticing that the result of the initial one starts to fade away.

Possible Redness, Swelling, and Bruising After Lip Fillers

Despite the safety of lip fillers, their administration might cause a number of side effects. Here is the list of the main ones:

• Redness of the affected area of the skin;
• Swelling around the area of the treatment;
• Bruising at the injection site and at the surrounding skin.

Please note that the appearance of purple bruising after lip fillers is not a rare complication. It occurs because tender lip tissues are penetrated with a needle. This side effect does not necessarily mean that the procedure went wrong. Thus, do not hurry up to panic and simply wait a couple of days for the purple bruising to disappear.

As well a patient might also experience mild pain in the soft tissue that has been affected by a lip filler.

All the above-mentioned side effects are temporary. In most cases, they tend to disappear on their own within a couple of days after the injection without any medical help.

However, a patient should contact medical professionals as soon as possible in case of any serious complications after the treatment (for instance, severe pain at the injection site that does not decrease with time, an allergic reaction around the treated area, or increased heart rate).

To avoid any complications, you should read about dermal fillers and the biggest danger zones. Go and learn everything you need to know about the procedure.

Lip Filler Aftercare Tips

There exist several aftercare tips that are highly recommended to be followed for the first 48 hours after the injection of lip fillers, such as:

• Keep your head elevated while sleeping. This way, you will be able to substantially reduce swelling after the procedure;
• Avoid strenuous exercise and other activities that might increase blood flow. Thus, you will manage to minimize the risk of bruising at the injection site (however, light activity is not contraindicated after the procedure);
• Apply ice packs to the injection site. In most cases, a cold compress (for instance, an ice pack) might efficiently reduce the feeling of discomfort after the procedure;
• Avoid drinking alcohol. The main reason to avoid alcohol after the injection of a lip filler is that it might act as a blood thinner and therefore slow down the healing process;
• Drink enough water. Staying hydrated might serve as an essential precondition for your renewal after the administration of a dermal filler into the lips;
• Eat the proper amount of fruits and vegetables. Healthy food might make your body heal faster. Therefore, enrich your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables after the injection of lip fillers;
• Do not wear lip makeup. The less you penetrate your lips after the procedure, the better. Thus, do not use cosmetics on your lips directly after the treatment;
• Stay away from high temperatures. Namely, do not visit saunas, take hot bath tubes, or spend time in steam rooms after injections of lip fillers;
• Evade undergoing direct sunlight. Direct sun exposure might be damaging to the skin. Thus, it is preferable not to undergo direct sunlight or at least protect your lips with a special lip balm with SPF.

The above-mentioned tips are not the only methods to reduce swelling, itching, and bruising after the injection of dermal fillers into lips. However, they are the main ones to minimize the risk of complications and maximize the effectiveness of the treatment.

Please note that not only aftercare tips but also pre-treatment preparation is important when it comes to the administration of dermal fillers into lip tissues. For instance, a patient should reduce the consumption of fish oil, vitamin E, or green tea a couple of days leading up to the procedure in order to minimize bruising. Moreover, the intake of alcohol is not recommended a week prior to the procedure.

A Bottom Line

Hopefully, this article made you aware of everything you might need to know about the procedure of a dermal filler injection into lips. Namely, you are now aware of what results to expect, what side effects to be prepared for, and what aftercare tips to follow after the procedure.

So, feel free to schedule an appointment with your healthcare practitioner and get one step closer to full, hydrated, and well-contoured lips!

P.S. If you are a medical provider who is looking for a place to buy dermal fillers online, check out what EuroMex offers. While being an experienced supplier of authentic cosmetic injectables, it guarantees excellent service, fair prices, and reliable delivery of orders. As well, you can always get in touch with any staff member of the website’s team in case of any questions, and they will gladly help you out! So, place your order on EuroMex and feel the power of the amazing service!