Lip Filler San Diego can enhance the shape and volume of your lips. This is done by injecting dermal filler into the area of your lips that you would like to enhance.
Bruising and swelling after lip injection is common, but can be minimized by icing, head elevation and avoidance of alcohol after treatment. It is important to find a practitioner who understands the anatomy of your lips and can deliver natural-looking results.
Before beginning, your injector will apply a topical numbing cream to ensure you feel comfortable throughout the entire process. Then, using a needle or cannula (the method is up to your injector), they’ll mark the points where the injections will be made. It’s important to work with a highly trained cosmetic professional, as their knowledge of the lips can be the difference between an over-done duck lip or a beautiful, natural-looking enhancement.
A skilled injector will be able to observe the delicate underlying structures of your lips and understand how they move when you smile or pucker. This understanding is crucial for achieving a natural-looking result that will be long-lasting. Inexperienced injectors may not have this understanding and will be tempted to put in too much filler in one session, which can lead to complications like over-filled or puffy lips.
Depending on the desired results, your injector will then choose a formula of dermal filler for you. Traditionally, collagen or silicone was used for this type of procedure, but modern hyaluronic acid-based fillers have proven to be better in terms of biocompatibility and safety. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar molecule that your body already produces, making it very safe and easy to use in the treatment area.
The actual filling part of the appointment can take 30 to 60 minutes. Once your lip is properly marked, the injector will begin to insert the hyaluronic acid with either a needle or cannula. A cannula is preferable because it can reduce downtime and discomfort, as well as cut down on the number of needle punctures your lips will experience.
To reduce swelling, your injector may recommend you apply aloe vera or vitamin K cream to the treated area. They’ll also instruct you to apply ice to the lips several times a day to ease swelling, bruising, and itching. It’s also best to avoid exercise for the first 24 to 48 hours after receiving this treatment, as elevated blood pressure and heart rate can make bruising or swelling worse. During this time, you’ll want to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
After the Procedure
The hyaluronic acid fillers most often used in the lips contain lidocaine, which provides a local anesthetic, so treatment is relatively painless. Before injecting, doctors will take a close look at the lips and assess their structure and appearance to determine what type of lip augmentation is needed. Depending on the goal, this may involve enhancing one or both lips, or adding volume to areas such as the cupid’s bow or the vermillion border. The doctor will then mark the areas to be injected with a pen and apply ice to minimize discomfort, swelling, and bruising.
Using a fine needle or cannula, the lip filler is injected into various locations in the lips. This is done in-office and usually takes no more than 30 minutes. Typically, the lips will be slightly swollen and red afterward. This will fade as the lip filler breaks down and is absorbed by the surrounding tissues. Bruising is typically mild and should also resolve quickly.
A skilled cosmetic injector can create natural-looking lip enhancement with dermal fillers because they understand the underlying anatomy of the lips and how they move, says Dr. Sunder. A good injector can also tell if the skin of the lips can expand enough to accommodate a given amount of filler without creating an over-filled or “duck lip” effect.
Many patients ask for fuller lips or more definition, while others want to correct a flaw such as a crooked smile. Lip filler can also help reshape the lips after a surgical procedure or even improve numbness from a cold or other irritation, says Dr. Alexiades.
Injectors have a wide range of choices when it comes to lip filler, but the docs Allure spoke to recommend the Restylane line — Kysse, Defyne, and Silk — as a good choice for soft-tissue areas such as the lips because of its versatility and longevity. It’s especially popular among older patients who want to add a little more volume than what they have naturally, as the product has been proven safe and effective for this type of use.
Results
Depending on the type of filler used and the desired results, lip flip can produce subtle enhancements or dramatic changes to shape and volume. If you are considering lip augmentation, it’s best to consult with a qualified practitioner who can evaluate your unique features and work with you to achieve your vision.
Lip fillers can last up to a year, although some patients will require touch-ups to maintain their result. Fortunately, newer injection techniques and fillers specifically designed for the lips have improved longevity.
The results of your lip filler will be apparent as soon as the swelling subsides, which may take up to two weeks. During this time, you should avoid strenuous exercise, drinking alcohol or touching or massaging the lips to help the lip filler heal. Any bruising should also decrease during this time. If bruising persists longer than expected, contact your practitioner immediately to prevent complications like cold sores or vascular occlusion (the blockage of blood supply to skin tissue that leads to its death).
It’s important to choose a reputable cosmetic professional who is experienced with lip fillers and understands how the procedure works in the delicate lip area. Choosing the right injector will ensure that your lip filler produces natural-looking and beautiful results.
A board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in facial fillers will be able to recommend the best products for your lips based on the results you are trying to achieve. For instance, if you’re looking for a more subtle lip correction, your cosmetic specialist will choose a soft product that draws more water to the tissues, creating a naturally full appearance. If you’re seeking a more dramatic result, your cosmetic expert will use a firmer product that creates the appearance of plump and defined lips.
It’s also a good idea to ask for before and after photos of past clients who have undergone lip filler to get an idea of the type of results you can expect. Lastly, be sure to check with your cosmetic professional to see whether they have any affiliations or endorsements that may impact their skill and knowledge of the procedure.
Complications
While hyaluronic acid fillers are generally very well-tolerated and have a good safety profile, they are not without complications. These usually arise from the breach of skin surface integrity caused by the injection. This can be a result of the use of an unsterilized needle or a failure to follow aseptic procedures, such as the proper cleansing and sterilization of the treatment area before injecting.
Other complications include infection, inflammation and the formation of granulomas. Infections can be due to either bacteria or viruses and may be localized around the injection site, affecting only the dermal layer or spreading to deeper structures like the muscles. Usually, antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment and can be easily controlled with topical antibiotics such as clindamycin or metronidazole. Inflammation can be the result of an allergic reaction or a generalized immune response to the injected material, and is treated with anti-inflammatory agents such as ibuprofen or diclofenac. Vascular occlusion, where the filler is accidentally injected into a blood vessel, is another serious and potentially life-threatening complication. If this happens, the blood flow is blocked and the tissue dies. Signs of this complication can be pain, blanching and blue/grey discoloration of the skin. If the artery is in the eye, it can cause blindness. This is a very rare complication, but it is more common when the procedure is performed by nonphysician injectors in uncontrolled settings, such as injection parties, where they don’t adhere to clinical standards such as sterilization and wearing gloves.
A granuloma is a lump in the dermal layer that occurs when the body’s immune system responds to a foreign substance, such as the filler or the needle used for injection. The resulting lump is not a cancer, but it can be very painful and will need to be surgically removed.
One less obvious risk is over-enlarging the mouth with lip fillers to create an unnatural and extreme shape that can lead to long-term damage. This is more likely to happen if the lip filler used is permanent, and also when patients repeatedly and heavily enlarge their lips with fillers.