Lip Fillers
The lips are one of our most prominent and expressive features. They help us signal our emotions and shape the sound of our words. Being an important element of our looks, they speak to our sense of social confidence even as they communicate to the world around us.
As with fingerprints, every individual has a unique and identifiable lip print. Turns, tucks, folds and roundness vary from one to another too.
WHAT ARE LIP FILLERS?
Lip injections, or lip fillers, are the injection of collagen or other filler material into one or both of your lips using a needle. Today, hyaluronic acid (a naturally occurring substance in the human body, like collagen) is one of the most common filler materials used in lip injections. Like lip implants, some patients will elect to use fat from elsewhere on their bodies for their lip injections.
Lip injections are much less invasive than lip implants and generally come out to about half the cost or less. However, lip injections don’t come with the same long-lasting guarantee that a surgical procedure would. If your surgeon uses hyaluronic acid fillers in your injections, they will most likely last between six months to a year. Procedures that use fat from elsewhere on your body can be more permanent, but also run the risk of being reabsorbed by your body over time, making it unreliable. If you’re not so comfortable with invasive surgery right off the bat and want to try out a semi-permanent form of lip augmentation before going under the knife, lip injections are your best bet. It can be more cost-effective in the long run to get lip implants, by the time you pay for 3-4 sessions of lip fillers, which last 9-12 months, you could have paid for the implants.
Though one is a long-lasting minimally invasive surgery that takes less than one hour and one is a semi-permanent non-invasive procedure, lip implants and lip injections are both amazing options for improving your confidence in the appearance of your lips. The best way to decide which procedure is right for you is to consult with a highly trained surgeon that can help you pinpoint your exact wants and needs.
*photo taken right after the procedure*
WHAT DOES LIP FILLER DO?
Different types of dermal fillers are designed to treat varying signs of aging. Depending on the filler selected, they may:
- plump up thinning lips
- enhance or fill in shallow areas on the face
- decrease or remove the shadow or wrinkle under the eyes caused by the lower eyelid
- fill in or soften the look of recessed scars
- fill in or soften static wrinkles, especially on the lower face
Static wrinkles include those around the mouth and along the cheeks. These wrinkles are usually a result of a loss of collagen and elasticity in the skin.
PROCEDURE
Strategic points on your face will be marked as the appropriate injection sites for the filler. The sites will then be cleansed with an antibacterial agent. The injection only takes a few moments per site. The process of injecting, massaging, and evaluating the result is performed, and additional filler is added as needed. Once the results are considered satisfactory, any marking will be removed.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Today it is possible to completely change the shape and size of your lips with the help of a treatment that uses lip injections containing lip fillers. The cosmetic procedure gives you an improved lip structure and redefines the mouth contours. One of the biggest advantages of a lip injection procedure is that you get instant results and can enjoy complete control over the extent to which you wish to change the appearance of your lips.
Lip injections have numerous benefits and are highly recommended for those who struggle with wrinkles and fine lines in the mouth area, have thin and poorly shaped lips, or desire fuller lips and a better smile in general.
Some of the key benefits of lip injections include the following:
Improved appearance
It is obvious that the primary benefit of a lip enhancement procedure through lip injections is an improvement in your overall appearance. With fuller lips, you are likely to look younger and this can ultimately boost your self-esteem in social and professional setups.Â
Naturally fuller lips
These are excellent at achieving an extremely natural look. This is a substance that is naturally present in your body and prevents the occurrence of bruising during the procedure. There is a natural absorption of the filler in the body and the fullness of the lips can be maintained with replacement after approximately every 6 months.
Treats aging signs
Lip injections have an additional benefit for those who wish to eliminate wrinkles and fine lines that develop in the mouth area due to factors like smoking and natural aging.
With lip injections, you have naturally fuller lips and this fullness helps tighten the skin around your lips. Hence, your mouth looks firmer and more youthful because wrinkles and fines lines are reduced.
There are numerous smokers who end up developing severe wrinkles in the mouth area over a period of time. Poor circulation in the area leads to premature aging and the early appearance of wrinkles. Lip injections with fillers are an effective solution for minimizing these wrinkles.
Minimal side effects
Cosmetologists inform that hyaluronic acid fillers rarely cause any side effects and/or allergic reactions in patients. However, it is critical for a candidate to disclose any existing allergies and medications during the initial appointment with the clinician. This will help select the right filler for their specific needs. In case there is a possibility of a candidate being allergic to specific filler ingredients, the clinician may carry out a minor test for checking the response of the patient to the filler.
Slow process
With natural fillers, you have the option to allow them to deliver optimum results over a period of time, by way of slow progression. People who have naturally thin lips are more inclined towards this option because they are usually unsure about the appearance of their cosmetically fuller lips. A patient could meet their surgeon over several appointments and slowly get the lips to a desirable level of plumpness without any discomfort.
An advantage over lip implants
While lip implants offer absolutely permanent results, this is not the case with lip injections. The effects of these lip injections will last for about six months and then you would require another session to retain the volume and shape of your new lips. This means that you have the choice to ‘experiment’ with your new look.
Customization
An exciting benefit of the lip injection-based lip enhancement procedure is that you can customize the treatment on the basis of your specific needs. For instance, you might decide to plump up or redefine only the lower lip or add volume to only one specific lip area. You can discuss a variety of different treatment options when working with a trained and experienced injector and get the best results.
- Your lips will likely be swollen after the procedure. You may also notice some redness or bruising at the injections sites, which is normal. Most side effects will be minor, and you will be able to resume most activities once the procedure is done.
- Apply ice to your lips afterward using an ice pack or an ice cube covered in cloth (so it doesn’t stick to the lip and cause pain). This will help ease swelling, itchingTrusted Source, bruising, and any other pain.
- Avoid strenuous exercise for 24 to 48 hours after you get lip or any other dermal fillers. Elevated blood pressure and heart rate from exercise may make swelling or bruising worse. You can take Arnica for bruisingif your doctor approves. It’s fine to engage in light activity like walking.
- Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water will help your body heal.
- Eat plenty of hydrating fruits and vegetablesand try to avoid excess sodium, which may worsen swelling.
- Avoid high temperatures like steam rooms, saunas, or heated exercise classes for 48 hours after treatment. High heat can make swelling more pronounced.
- Ask your doctor which painkillers are OK to take in the days after your treatment. Normally Tylenolwill be fine, but not blood-thinning medications like ibuprofen.
- If you’re getting lip fillers for a specific event, make sure to leave plenty of time in between the procedure and the event to allow your lips to properly recover.
- Try to sleep with your head elevated on pillowsto reduce swelling. Do not sleep on your face.
- Avoid makeup on your lips for up to 24 hours after.
Â
What to expect after the treatment?
Â
Botulinum toxin and dermal fillers are cosmetic treatments given through injections, usually in a doctor’s office. They are minimally invasive, meaning they do not involve surgery. That is where their similarities end, however.
Botulinum toxin and dermal filler treatments are popular, accounting for more than 9 million procedures in 2015, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Botulinum toxin contains purified bacteria that freeze muscles. In doing so, Botulinum toxin can help minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles caused by facial expressions.
Dermal fillers contain ingredients that add fullness to areas that have thinned due to aging. This thinning is common in the cheeks, lips, and around the mouth.
People should be aware of the costs and risks of treatments and have realistic expectations of what they can do.