Thanks to celebrities like Kylie Jenner, the increase of people wanting to enhance their lips with temporary fillers has skyrocketed over the last few years. Before getting lip fillers, it is important to know the in’s and out’s and potential complications.
What are lip fillers?
Hyaluronic fillers are the best and most commonly used filler for lips. According Dr. Abigail Donnelly, board-certified dermatologist with Forefront Dermatology in Carmel, Indiana, “Hyaluronic fillers are made up of hyaluronic acid, which is naturally produced in your body. Utilizing a naturally-occurring ingredient makes it much less likely that your body will reject the filler. When hyaluronic filler is injected into your lips, it acts as a sort of cushion to bring more volume back to them. Hyaluronic acid attracts water to the area to provide deep hydration and soft volume. The two most common brands of hyaluronic fillers for lips are Juvederm and Restylane. There are different cross-linking technologies and densities of hyaluronic acid fillers to provide us with a variety of textures and densities to achieve natural results whether you want to simply fill fine lines around the lips, or create a fuller lip.”
How fast will I see results?
“Many people believe that one treatment will be the final fix,” noted Dr. Donnelly. “While we can achieve impressive results with a single filler session, if you have very thin lips and want to achieve a very full look, it can take a few sessions of slowly increasing the filler to achieve that look. It takes multiple sessions to build a new shape and size. If you are wanting to define the lip border, moderately increase the size of the lip or provide a softened, more hydrated look to your lips, you will see immediate change, and notice results within 24 to 48 hours after swelling as settled.”
How long do lip fillers last?
“This varies on the type of filler used and the age and health of the patient” mentioned Dr. Donnelly. “On average, fillers in the lip last 6-9 months before they need to be touched up to maintain the desired size and look.”
What are the potential side effects?
While side effects are extremely rare, there is a small change of having an allergic reacting to the hyaluronic acid fillers. Since this is natural component of your body, the chances are rare. Bruising and temporary swelling may happen in the days immediately after filler.
Can I remove the filler if I don’t like it?
Hyaluronic fillers can be removed with an enzyme called hyaluronidase which naturally dissolves it quicker than your body does.
I want naturally looking lip fillers, is that possible?
Lip fillers are best performed by highly-trained master injectors which include dermatologists. When performed by someone knowledgeable in the field who first asks you what look you want to achieve you can definitely have natural looking lip fillers.
Interested in lip fillers?
Many of our Forefront Dermatology locations and board-certified dermatologists offer lip fillers. Find a dermatologist near you today.
