Cosmetic procedures of all kinds have become more common in our beauty routine upkeep. Dermal fillers of all kinds have become a go-to for natural, effective, and subtle enhancements.
Collagen and volume loss happens to everyone over the years, and dermal fillers aim to boost the plumpness, softness, and general appearance of a specific area.
The most popular type of filler for the past few years now is lip filler. Whether you have thinning lips or lines around the lip area, or just want that kissable pout to enhance your natural lip, filler is the cosmetic treatment to achieve it.
There are many types of lip fillers to choose from, and each solution works for everyone differently. Some formulas are thicker and add more volume, while others are thinner and add a subtle enhancement to what is already there.
It is important to think about how you want your lips to look, and begin your research on the best type of filler from there.
Although results will vary based on each person’s goals, the pre and post care for your lip injection appointment is largely the same. In order to have a seamless procedure and receive the results your love, you want to be prepared with what to do and what not to do, especially for aftercare.
What should you do or not do after lip injections? You will most likely see some bruising or swelling after injections. To speed up your recovery process, treat the bruising and swelling within the first few days following your appointment, and avoid anything that can irritate or disturb the lip filler.
Below we offer you the best tips and tricks to recover from your lip injection treatment properly without ruining your gorgeous results!
What Are Lip Injections?
Becoming one of the most popular non-surgical cosmetics treatments, lip injections are a dermal filler used to add volume or shape to the lips.
The filler is a hyaluronic-acid-based substance that is injected directly into the lips and, sometimes, surrounding area to give the appearance of a pout that is fuller and more defined.
Hyaluronic acid is a substance that naturally appears in our body but can be depleted overtime. Much like many topical skincare treatments, hyaluronic acid is used to plump and hydrate fine lines by retaining the skin’s moisture.
Using hyaluronic acid-based filler has become increasingly popular in many cosmetic, dermal injections, because it already exists in the body and leaves the injected area with a more natural appearance post-treatment.
Lip injections can be desirable for many reasons. Over the years, our bodies produce less collagen, resulting in volume loss in various areas over the face, and lip filler is a way to restore that lost volume.
Lip fillers can work to reshape the lips depending on your goals and give the lips an overall pouty appearance. They are also used to enhance your existing features and give an added boost of confidence.
There are several different types of dermal filler that is on the market for lip injections. The most popular hyaluronic acid-based fillers are Juvederm, Restylane, and Volbella, among others.
Based on your specific goals for your lip volume and shape, you might respond better to one type of filler over another, and it is best to speak with your practitioner to discuss what will give you your desired results.
The results from lip injections can last anywhere from 3-6 months, and in some cases even up to one year.
It all depends on the individual, their goals, what filler they used, and how their body responds and metabolizes the filler. Touchups are recommended around 6 months post-treatment but will also be based on your individual needs.
If you’re considering lip injections and would like to see the process, here’s a great video from the American Academy of Facial Esthetics.
Side Effects Of Lip Injections
While lip injections aim to be minimally painful, there might be some slight discomfort or pain as the filler is being injected. The lips are a sensitive area, consisting of a lot of nerve endings.
Typically, at the start of your treatment, your practitioner will use a topical numbing cream to reduce or prevent a painful procedure. Often times, the filler substance also contains a numbing agent, such as lidocaine, as well.
Even with the numbing cream, it can be an uncomfortable procedure and there is usually swelling that occurs post-treatment. The swelling generally lasts between 24-48 hours, but in some instances can take a full week to reduce.
The post-treatment swelling is not indicative of the actual volume and shape of the lip post-treatment, and you will be able to judge your results more accurately once all the swelling has gone down.
Along with the swelling, soreness and tenderness of the lips and surrounding area can also occur. The most common side effect, along with swelling, is slight bruising of the injection sight.
There is a chance that the lip and surrounding area where the needle was inserted can display small bruises post-treatment, but will disappear after a few days.
What Not To Do After Lip Injections
As with any type of procedure, the aftercare is just as important as the treatment itself. While there might be swelling or bruising you experience post-treatment, the best way to get the optimal results from your filler is to care for them properly after your appointment.
Generally, after your session, you are free to resume your regular activities, including eating and drinking as normal. However, there are certainly some things you’ll want to keep in mind:
- Wait for the numbing cream to disperse completely before eating, as the lack of feeling can be dangerous to the lips.
- Avoiding too hot or too cold food or beverages is also recommended, as your lips will be sensitive post-treatment, and the temperatures may not be gauged correctly resulting in frostbite or burns.
- It is best to avoid using a straw for 24-48 hours post-treatment, as the motion of drinking from a straw can strain the lips or disturb the filler as it is beginning to settle.
- Smoking is already one of the worst things you can do for your skin (and general health), but you’ll really want to avoid smoking for several days to a week post-injection, as it uses a similar motion and can not only cause strain on the lip, but also can cause infections to occur due to bacteria. In fact, this might be a perfect opportunity to kick the habit altogether!
- Because the filler is settling into the lips, you want to avoid stretching, touching, or massaging the lips for 24 to 48 hours after your appointment, to allow the filler to settle properly.
- When going about your daily shower or facial care routine, you want to be mindful of the products and temperatures you are using. Avoid any exfoliating type products when washing your face.
- When showering, you want to avoid too hot temperatures, as that can cause the blood to rush to the lip area and create more swelling. Extreme heat temperatures, such as saunas, should be avoiding post-treatment for several days.
- It is also best to avoid exercising, especially intense workouts, for 48-72 hours after your appointment. The increased blood flow can enhance the swelling, and any sweat from the workouts also runs the risk of causing infections to occur.
- To reduce the appearance of any bruising, you want to avoid alcohol for up to two days after your treatment seeing as alcohol can thin the blood and cause more intense bruising.
- Along with alcohol, any type of blood thinner such as aspirin should be avoided for the same reason, although typically Tylenol is okay to consume.
- As much of a buzzkill as it might seem, is also best to avoid kissing for a few days after your session, to reduce the strain on the lips and avoid any chance for infection to pop up.
Once the bruising is gone and swelling is reduced, you can resume your regular activities and use your lips as you would normally.
How To Prepare For Lip Injections
Much like the post-care treatment, it is recommended that alcohol is not consumed several days before your appointment, to reduce post-treatment bruising. Along with avoiding alcohol, things like aspirins, blood thinners, multivitamins, and fish oil should also not be consumed if you want to reduce bruising as well.
What To Do Post-Treatment
Along with knowing what not to do post-treatment, it is also important to know helpful tips that will aide in your recovery process after getting lip filler. While the procedure itself is minimally invasive, only the needle injecting into the targeted area, your lips will need some extra care to see the best results.
It is important to stay hydrated following your appointment and to drink a lot of water, as it will aide in your overall healing and recovery process. You want to avoid drinking the water through a straw, as mentioned above.
The lips will feel sore and tender post-treatment, and you will most likely experience swelling so icing the targeted area following your appointment will be important. By applying ice to your lips during the first 24-48 hours after receiving lip injections, it will help to reduce the overall swelling and bruising that can occur.
If you are experiencing bruising around the lip area, you can apply arnica gel to help reduce or fade the appearance of the bruises and speed the healing process.
While it is best to avoid using any type of lip product after your appointment for the first few days, 48-hours post-treatment you should be able to apply a basic balm to the lips for hydration.
Following your lip filler appointment, you want to ensure you stay upright for a few hours to allow the filler to settle. When it comes time for sleep, you want to avoid laying or sleeping on your face for the first week after your appointment.
Laying on your face during sleep can disturb the filler as it settles, but once the filler has settled properly you can resume sleeping as you normally would.
Is It Permanent?
You want to wait a week or two before you judge the final result of your lip filler results. Because it can take some time for the filler to settle, the bruising to fade, and the swelling to go down, you will not be able to see the accurate shape and volume immediately post-treatment.
However, if the results are not as you desire after your lips have fully healed, you can always return to your injector and have them dissolve the filler.
Because the majority of lip fillers are hyaluronic-acid-based, your practitioner can inject a dissolving solution, an enzyme substance called hyaluronidase. The substance breaks down the hyaluronic acid in the filler to rid the lips of any of its volumizing properties.
If you wish to dissolve your lip filler, the process is generally the same as receiving lip injections. A numbing cream is applied and the dissolving solution is injected. Your lips will return to their appearance pre-lip filler treatment.
The results from lip filler overall are not permanent, however. Depending on the individual, the effects of your fuller, lusher lips will vary. Most commonly, the results from lip filler last between 6 months up to one year, sometimes even longer.
The filler will begin to fade over time, and based on your lip goals, you can schedule touchups between three and 6 months for an extra boost.
Conclusion
Experimenting with lip filler is a relatively pain-free and effective way to enhance your natural features.
You can achieve a lip look that is full of kissable volume and alter the shape to be more defined, if that is what you desire, or you can achieve a look that softly fills out your pout. Most lip injection treatments start out with the latter, wanting to build the end results naturally.
Lip filler has become such a common cosmetic procedure in the beauty world. The methods and formulas that are used to create your dream lips not only look and feel natural, but they use a substance that the body naturally creates already: hyaluronic acid.
The filler can plump your lips to add volume, while also smoothing any fine lines that can appear around the lip area.
While lip injections are a common procedure to enhancing your pout, the results are not permanent and can be dissolved if you find you like your lips pre-treatment better. However, if you love the results and want to maintain the look, the initial results can last up to one year before you’ll be needing any injections again.
Moreover, if you maintain routine touchups, your body will start to build up collagen, and you might need less frequent touchups in the long run.
With all the different types of lip fillers available, it is important to thoroughly understand the differences between each one. However, one thing remains the same, and that is the do’s and don’ts of lip injection treatment aftercare to allow your lips to heal with minimal discomfort for the best results.
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