Lip augmentation with fillers

Full, defined and hydrated lips are one of the most noticeable features of the face. With age lips lose volume and contour, and some people have naturally thin or asymmetric lips. Hyaluronic acid fillers (injectable gels) add volume, define the contour and hydrate the lips without surgery. At UKRMED the procedure is done in the cosmetology department.

Photo: VVVBoldrini, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

What is injected

Most often a hyaluronic acid gel, a substance naturally present in the skin that holds moisture. A safety review of hyaluronic fillers notes that they are the most widely used soft tissue fillers and that knowledge of products and anatomy helps achieve good results and avoid complications.

UKRMED uses Juvederm, Stylage and Belotero for lips. They differ in density: softer gels give natural hydration and light volume, denser ones a defined contour and more volume. A Juvederm lip filler is chosen when a natural, soft result is wanted.

How it is done

1. Consultation. The doctor assesses your lips and contraindications and agrees the shape and volume with you.
2. Numbing. Some fillers contain lidocaine, a local anaesthetic; extra numbing is discussed with the doctor beforehand.
3. Injections with a fine needle or cannula (a blunt flexible tube that is gentler on tissue).
4. Shaping. The doctor distributes the product and checks symmetry.

The result is visible straight away, but the final shape appears once swelling goes down.

Lip filler swelling stages

• days 1-3 - swelling is at its peak and lips may look bigger than the final result; small bruises are possible;
• days 4-7 - swelling gradually goes down and the shape looks more natural;
• after 2 weeks - the final result; the doctor may invite you for a check-up.

Lip filler aftercare

• do not touch your lips or wear make-up for the first hours;
• avoid saunas, hot drinks and intense exercise for a few days;
• do not massage your lips unless advised;
• limit alcohol for the first days;
• do not plan dental treatment or flights right after the procedure without asking the doctor.

Side effects

Normal reactions are swelling, redness, small bruises and tenderness at injection sites. They pass on their own within days. Unwanted effects are rare: asymmetry, lumps, filler migration (the product shifting from where it was injected) or allergic reaction. The most serious complication is impaired blood flow if product enters a blood vessel. If you notice severe pain, blanching (skin turning white) or bluish skin after the procedure, contact a doctor immediately.

If you are unhappy with the result or a complication occurs, hyaluronic filler can be dissolved with an enzyme, see hyaluronidase and filler dissolving. Other facial areas are treated with contour plasty.

Contraindications

Pregnancy and breastfeeding, cold sores or inflammation on the lips, bleeding disorders, active autoimmune disease (when the immune system attacks the body's own tissue) and allergy to ingredients. The doctor will go through the full list.

Lip filler price

Sources

1. Rohrich R. J., Bartlett E. L., Dayan E. Practical approach and safety of hyaluronic acid fillers. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000002172
2. NHS. Dermal fillers. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cosmetic-procedures/dermal-fillers/