All Your Burning Questions About Lip Fillers Answered

What you’ve always wanted to know about lip fillers

Did you know that lip augmentation is one of the fastest-growing cosmetic procedures in the U.S.? It’s become as ubiquitous as getting your nails done. But before getting your lips plumped, make sure you’ve considered all the facts. Need some guidance? Here are the answers to your most common questions about lip fillers:

1. What are the different types of lip fillers available?

There are permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary fillers. Most medical professionals recommend sticking with temporary ones since permanent and semi-permanent fillers (as the names suggest) are very difficult to reverse. Your best bet is hyaluronic acid-based fillers, like Juvéderm and Revanesse. Hyaluronic acid is a substance naturally found in the body that can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. For that reason alone, it’s a fabulous substance for fillers.

2. Are lip fillers removable?

It depends on the type of filler you get. Permanent and semi-permanent fillers are incredibly challenging to remove. Again, that’s why temporary fillers are recommended. If you don’t like how your lips turn out with temporary fillers, your clinician can inject an eraser enzyme called hyaluronidase to break up the filler and accelerate the rate at which it breaks down. It typically takes a few days for the filler to go away completely.

3. How long do fillers last?

On average, temporary lip fillers last up to one year, depending on the specific product used. Keep in mind they might last shorter or longer than that — it really all varies based on your body’s unique metabolism and the amount of filler you choose.

4. What are the potential risks?

Most lip fillers are a quick treatment where you can return to work afterward. Risks tend to be minimal, including bruising and swelling lasting up to a few days. Rarer side effects can include vascular occlusion, lip asymmetry, irregularities and lumps, and scarring.

5. How big can I make my lips?

To achieve natural looking results, you should expect to gradually increase your lips’ size over time. Since you’ll probably experience some swelling after getting your lips injected with filler, you’ll need to give your lips time to adjust to the newly placed volume before assessing them.

6. Do lip fillers hurt?

Most people just feel a little prick and slight pressure. Once the lip filler is injected, your lips might throb a little bit. However, nearly all clinicians numb the area around the lips to help reduce discomfort.

7. When will I see results?

Your lips will probably be a little swollen at first after you get them injected, but you’ll see the effects pretty fast. Most of the swelling should subside within a day, and it’ll take three to five days for your lips to settle completely.

8. Is there any downtime?

A lip filler procedure only takes around 30 to 45 minutes. In general, you can resume your normal daily activities afterward.

9. How do I prepare for my appointment?

24 hours before your appointment, you should avoid alcoholic beverages to decrease your chances of bruising. Eat a full, nutritious meal—and avoid caffeine—before your appointment to decrease your chances of feeling dizzy or lightheaded during the treatment.

10. Will fillers migrate from the original injection site?

This can happen, but as a general rule of thumb, fillers shouldn’t migrate when injected properly by a skilled and experienced clinician. Migration occurs over time when too much filler has been injected into the treatment area.

Got more burning questions?

If you want to learn more about lip filler, reach out to LaserAway, the nation’s leader in aesthetic dermatology, where all treatments are performed by skilled and experienced registered nurses, nurse practitioners, or physician associates, so you know you’re in good hands!

References

“9 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Getting Lip Injections,” Glamour, September 5, 2019.
“20 Things You Should Know Before Getting Lip Injections,” Cosmopolitan, March 22, 2019.