Lip Injections 101
Full lips have become a huge trend in recent years, and people of all ages are now hoping to plump up their lips with injections. Fortunately, lip injections are one of the easiest, fastest, and safest cosmetic procedures. It’s always important to fully understand how a procedure works before you get it, though. This will help you decide whether you’re a good candidate and know what to expect during your lip injection appointment.
How Lip Injections Work
There are several types of lip injections, but the most popular today are injections that use hyaluronic acid or similar substances. Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in your body and can increase the volume in your lips. Some common hyaluronic acid fillers include Restylane, Juvederm Ultra, HylaForm, and Elevess. Collagen used to be a common lip filler, but it’s not used as often today.
Lip injections work by filling your lips up with a gel-like substance. Your lips will stretch out to accommodate the extra volume. With hyaluronic acid fillers, the doctor can choose how much of the substance is injected, so he or she has a lot of control over how much extra volume is added to your lips. The injections can be done all at once, or they can be given gradually over several appointments.
There are permanent and non-permanent lip injections, but most people choose non-permanent. After several months, the non-permanent substance will start to break down, and the substance will eventually leave your lips entirely.
Candidates for Lip Injections
Most people are candidates for lip injections, but some people are better suited to the procedure than others. Your doctor may ask you questions about your medical history and your cosmetic goals to determine whether you could benefit from lip injections.
Lip injections are the most ideal for people who have naturally thin lips or lips that have gotten smaller as they age. One of the most important factors is that you have realistic expectations, though. Understand that the lip injections will add volume and may slightly alter the shape of your lips, but they won’t completely change their appearance.
There are certain medical conditions that may prevent the procedure from being successful. For example, if you have diabetes, your surgeon may not allow you to get lip injections because of the increased risk of bleeding and the potential for poor results. Blood-clotting disorders and connective tissue disorders can also prevent your body from healing properly, which can affect the results. Smoking can prevent you from being a candidate for lip injections, too, because it can affect blood clotting and change the texture of your lips.
What to Expect During the Procedure
Lip injections are typically quick procedures that require little or no downtime. Before your doctor gives you the injections, he or she will apply a local numbing agent to your lips. You may receive a nerve block injection, which is similar to local anesthesia, to completely numb the area.
Your doctor will carefully mark the injection points, then use fine needles to inject the lip filler. If the area was numbed before the procedure, there shouldn’t be any discomfort. If you didn’t have any numbing agent or local anesthesia, you’ll feel a quick pinch and a stinging sensation. After the injections, your doctor may give you ice to help with swelling, but you shouldn’t put firm pressure directly on your lips. In total, the procedure only takes 15 to 20 minutes.
What to Expect After the Procedure
There’s practically no downtime needed to recover from lip injections. However, you may experience some discomfort for a day or two, and you should be careful for the first few days. The numbness should wear off within 15 minutes, so you might start to feel some pain. Some swelling, bruising, and bleeding is normal as well. Gently applying ice to the area can help ease the discomfort.
Right after your appointment, your lips may look overfilled. However, this is probably just the short-term swelling, which should go away in a few days. You should avoid anything that increases blood flow to your face for a day after the procedure. This includes exercising, having a massage, or getting a facial.
Most people who get lip injections have no serious side effects or complications. However, there are a few things to watch out for. If you have severe bruising or swelling for more than a week, you should go back to your doctor. Lumps, irregularities, or asymmetry in your lips is also a risk, but your doctor should be able to fix that with another appointment.
Non-permanent lip injections can last anywhere from a few months to over a year. Different people will have different results. Many people find that their second round of injections lasts longer than their first.
The Aesthetic Surgery Center in Naples, Florida provides lip injections as well as a variety of other cosmetic procedures. Dr. Anurag Agarwal, Dr. Maloney, and Dr. Gill all have years of experience with cosmetic and aesthetic surgeries.