What You Should Know About Lip Injections

What to know about LIP INJECTIONS:

As a plastic surgeon, I perform complex face and body operations. I also perform minimally invasive procedures such as botox and fillers in my office. It’s great because I get to see my patients more often in the office and we get to work on quick areas of rejuvenation with minimal downtime. Lip augmentation is one of the most popular injections I perform. It is a powerful way to refill age-related volume loss or plump up the lips of 20-somethings that have always wanted fuller lips. My patients love their results and they get to see them every day when they put on their lip products. Patients often state that they don’t see the lipstick getting stuck in the cracks anymore or that they don’t have to over-line. It may sound or look easy, but placing filler has taken many years of practice. It requires not only skill, but artistic capabilities as well. You also have to have an understanding of what the patient is looking to achieve and keep expectations realistic.

The patients I DREAD:

I get a lot of patients that have had bad work done elsewhere and ask me to fix their lips. These are challenging scenarios because I don’t know what they have had done. They usually have scar tissue and I don’t know where the filler was placed. Unfortunately, I turn many of these patients away or back to the “spas” that injected them in the first place. It takes a lot of time to fix damaged lips so please don’t trust them to anyone other than a board-certified plastic surgeon!

The ADDICTS:

Many patients love how their lips look the first time they have them done and then go back for more and more to keep that same feeling of excitement. However, many don’t realize that their lips begin to start looking unnatural and demand more lip injections. These are other patients that I send away or try to rehabilitate. Unfortunately, many don’t like being told NO, especially when they are willing to pay whatever it takes. Other “spas” will be happy to take your money, but they are not doing you a favor.

The patients I LOVE:

I enjoy first time patients or patients that stick with conservative lip filling from qualified plastic surgeons. Patients generally come back every 6 to 12 months as their filler wears away.

The best lip augmentation I can perform are the lips that look like nothing has been done: Natural Beauty!

The PROCESS:

First, I meet with my patients to discuss goals, expectations, and determine a plan. We then take photos, clean the lips, and apply numbing cream followed by icing. Then I inject the filler, I prefer to use Juvederm Ultra XC because the product also has numbing medicine in it. Once the injection is complete I massage the lips and have the patient ice once again.

What comes NEXT:

Your lips will be swollen for up to 2 weeks with the majority of swelling subsiding in 3 days. They may appear uneven at first, this is likely due to needle reaction and temporary swelling. This will improve. Do not panic, it’s all normal.

Apply ice for at least 30 minutes after injection.

We recommend taking Arnica to reduce swelling and shorten the duration.

Numbness will wear off in 1 hour.

Wait 2 hours before eating, drinking, kissing, or applying lipstick.

Don’t exercise or raise your heart rate for 24 hours.

Don’t consume alcoholic beverages for 24 hours.

It’s common to feel bumps in your lips and see them when you smile. If you do experience this, make sure to massage the bumps firmly between your index finger and thumb for two minutes, twice a day for at least 4 days. This will improve these areas. Don’t leave the bumps alone as they will get firmer over time.

When to call us: If you experience extreme or worsening swelling, pain, blanching (paleness), or redness.

You can add more filler as early as two weeks post procedure if you would like more enhancement.

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Are you interested in this procedure? Call us at (310) 398-2648 or fill out this virtual consultation form and we will reach out to you as soon as possible. We’re excited for you to take this next step!

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