What You Need To Know About Lip Filler Before You See A Doctor

What You Need To Know About Lip Filler Before You See A Doctor

Are you considering lip fillers? Besides the eyes, the lips are the first thing that many people see first when they meet someone (when they’re not wearing a mask, that is). They also tend to be something that people are very self conscious about, which leads many people to seek out treatment options to enhance the shape and fullness of their lips.

But is there anything that you need to know about lip fillers before heading to the doctor?

Miami Skin Institute has the answers to the common questions people ask about lip fillers, and even a few that people don’t think to ask.

What Are Lip Fillers Made From?

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While there are a number of different brands of lip fillers out there, they are mostly all made from the same main ingredient – hyaluronic acid (HA). With hyaluronic acid based lip fillers, gel-like physical volume being added has the added benefit of trapping the water molecules inside the lip as well. For this reason, lip fillers that are hyaluronic acid based tend to produce a very natural looking lip when injected by an experienced board-certified aesthetic physician who is technically skilled in lip injections.

How Many Different Kinds of Fillers Are There?

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There are currently at least a dozen FDA-approved hyaluronic acid fillers available in the US today. One of the major aesthetic medical companies, Allergan®, alone manufactures many separate lip fillers that work in slightly different ways. For example, Juvederm Volbella® creates a more subtle lip profile, while Juvederm Vollure® adds even more fullness. And that’s just one company! That’s why it’s so important to make sure that you trust the provider and ask questions so that you can get just the result that you’re looking for.

How Much Filler Am I Going To Need?

The exact amount of filler that you need really depends on what you’re hoping to achieve. For a smaller plumping effect, you will need less than if you’re hoping to really change the entire profile of your lip.

In addition, many people aren’t aware that achieving a fuller, more plump lip can actually take more than one session. Providers will often use a layered approach to injecting lip fillers over time, building them up slowly to help them look as natural as possible. With that technique, it’s possible to completely create an entirely new lip profile without looking unnatural suddenly or at any single point in time.

Is It Going To Hurt?

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Realistically, you’re having needles injected into your lips, so yes… there will be some discomfort. However, the extent that it will hurt has a lot to do with the person who is actually doing the injections. Trained, experienced providers will likely be more comfortable using the syringe than newer providers, which also means it will probably hurt less as well.

In some cases, providers may use numbing gel to prep the lips before the injections, which can significantly minimize pain. At the Miami Skin Institute, we also provide ice before, during, and after your lip injections, so most of our patients are actually very comfortable during the procedure.

What Can Go Wrong?

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Just like any medication and medical procedure, lip fillers can have some side effects or other negative effects. Making sure that you use only licensed, experienced board-certified aesthetic physicians can really help minimize those risks.

While bruising and swelling can occur somewhat commonly, these effects typically last only a few days and can be covered easily with lip liner or pencil. Much more rarely, patients can have an allergic reaction to the ingredients in the lip filler. This is the case for any new medication that you may come into contact with, though. Because lip fillers are given in an office under medical supervision, you can be sure that you’ll be in good hands in the rare event that anything does happen. Allergic reactions are often treated very successfully within hours with antihistamines. This is another reason it is critical for you to see a properly trained & board-certified aesthetic physician for lip filler treatment.

Infection is also a risk with any kind of injectable. Having it performed by a licensed, board-certified aesthetic physician significantly reduces that risk, because your procedure will be performed in a sterile environment with sterile injection technique.

How Long Do Lip Fillers Last?

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Lip fillers don’t have a standard on how long that they last, because it depends a lot on the type of filler used and how old the person getting it may be. Generally, though, lip fillers should last anywhere from 6 – 8 months at a time before needing to be refreshed. The results are also nearly instant, after the initial swelling fades. Eventually, though, the lip filler will naturally degrade on its own and the result will diminish. Over time, you’ll learn exactly how long yours will last so that you can schedule your appointments accordingly.

What Happens If I Don’t Like Them?

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Some people take the leap and don’t end up liking the results all that much. Does that mean that you just have to deal with them for 6 – 8 months until they finally fade away?

Luckily, no! If you have given it some time and you really don’t like the way the lip fillers make you look, there are ways that you can get rid of them more quickly. A specific enzyme, known as hyaluronidase, helps to naturally dissolve the ingredients in those fillers. The only caveat to this is that it only works if the lip filler you had injected is hyaluronic acid based. Experienced aesthetic physicians can use hyaluronidase to adjust your lip filler results in any way you prefer.

In Conclusion

Lip fillers are a decision that should be considered fully before proceeding. Knowing what questions to ask, and what you should know before making an appointment, can help you really decide to know if fillers are right for you. Miami Skin Institute knows how important your face is to you, and we want you to be happy about what you see in the mirror. Miami Skin Filler Treatments can do just that, restoring your appearance in a natural and unobvious way, helping to defy the aging process, and make your intrinsic features even more beautiful!

Sources:

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1062/hyaluronic-acid

https://www.juvederm.com/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/hyaluronidase-injection-route-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20064183