5 Things You Should Know Before Your Lip Augmentation

As a patient, you should be able to understand and request the lip augmentation results that you’d like. Whether that means you are trying to gain more volume in your lips, or work out certain angles of your lips, it’s important to know what the process is like so that you can be more aware to ask for what you need. 

If you are thinking about getting lip injections, here are five things you should know. This will be the best way to avoid everybody’s worst fear when they go in to get their lip augmentation: winding up with duck lips. 

The truth is that most plastic surgeons can do a really good job with lip augmentation and they can look very natural. It’s just that you normally don’t hear about the good ones because the bad stories are so much more noticeable. But, that’s the goal, to have work done without looking like you have been worked on! While most negative situations can be reversed, it still is better to not have them in the first place.

Here are 5 things that you should know and consider before receiving a lip augmentation procedure.

1 – Know Your Lip Anatomy

This does not necessarily mean you have to break out a textbook and study it extensively. It just means that you should be familiar with the appearance of natural, healthy lips. 

Healthy lips, for example, are plump only in the middle, not all around. The most natural looking lips are actually when the bottom lip is larger than the top. You do not need to fill each lip until they are exactly equal in size. This would actually be a bit more unnatural of a look. 

Be sure that the medical professional that is performing your procedure is in agreement with you and that you communicate clearly with them your expectations or anything you may not understand about the treatment.

2 – Your Upper Lips Naturally Grow 

The second thing you should know before getting lip augmentations, or lip fillers, is that our upper lip lengthens as we age. It is unfortunate, however it is a warning that you should not put too much filler along the upper lip. It will eventually lead to an issue since it will continue to draw the lip down until you can no longer see your top teeth. 

What you want is for your upper teeth to show. That is what makes a mouth look natural and healthy.

3 – You Should Only Be Receiving Hyaluronic Acid

Only hyaluronic acid should be put in the lips. Some of the bigger brand names for these are called Juvederm and Restylane. While there’s plenty more than these, a lot of the more common products contain numbing factors in the medicines. This is just to make the injection easier. Keep in mind that you will only experience numbness for a few hours afterwards. So there is nothing to worry about. You will not have to feel that numbness for the entire day. 

It is recommended to go with a product that does not include the chemical silicone. You do not want to put any silicon into your lips. Technically, silicone is not even FDA approved in the United States for lip augmentation. 

It is good to keep in mind that whatever medication is injected into the area around your lower face will fade faster than other parts of your face. This is mainly because there is way more movement in the area around your mouth as you speak or smile. You should take this into account whenever consulting with whoever is handling your procedure.

4 – Swelling Is Unavoidable with Lip Augmentation

Most people will experience a lot of swelling immediately and into the next day. There are some good things to keep in mind to ease your discomforts. It is not uncommon for there to be large swelling, especially if it is your first time receiving lip injections. 

Don’t panic. Just know that the swelling will go down. It is a completely natural part of the process. There are also some things you can do to speed up the healing process and help the swelling go down faster. 

One good way is to avoid exercising. The increased blood flow and movement can make it uncomfortable and cause more inflammation. Give your body a moment to rest and adjust to the new materials that have been introduced to your body.

Another more difficult option is to stay away from salty foods. This could mean foods like sushi or chips and salsa. You can also drink plenty of water with lemon. Lemon can really help because it is a natural diuretic and will help you expel excess liquids. Later at night, you can also try to sleep with your head at an elevation by using a few extra pillows. This will help some of the fluid to naturally drain. 

Another less technical tip would be to avoid staring in the mirror for prolonged periods of time. Fixating for too long on the issue can only worsen the feeling. Feel free to get some ice from the freezer and keep it on your lips for about 30 minutes and repeat the process as much as you’d like.

5 – The Injections Can Be Removed

If it has only been a week or so, the injections can be removed. If your lips are responding negatively within the week you may always return to the clinic and request for the filler to be removed. You can also request this if you are unhappy with the way it looks. It does not have to be medically related. 

One of the best parts of using hyaluronic acid is that the doctor can reverse the process by using a material called hyaluronidase on your lips, which will help to dissolve the original lip filler treatment. 

Pay attention to, and do research on the product that your professional is using. Out of all of the fillers available on the market, some of them are not able to be reversed. But don’t worry even if you cannot reverse the treatment immediately, depending on the product, your body will gradually absorb the material over a period of six months.

Extra Advice on Lip Augmentation

Lip augmentation is a fairly simple process. Chances are very likely that everything will go well and you will want to schedule regular treatments. 

Be sure to choose a clinic that will offer you an honest assessment and inform you of all possible outcomes. You should want a clinician who strives for natural outcomes and is prepared to deny your money in the face of an extreme repeat customer. 

Even if money is no object, lip augmentations are far from inexpensive. Depending on the kind and quantity of filler used, the skill of the professional, and your location, a lip augmentation treatment can cost up to $2,000 on the higher end. In order to prevent extra risks physically and financially, it is good to find a skilled provider that has a strong track record of success. 

While there are many more things you can be aware of, these five tips hopefully gave you a better awareness of what to expect before getting a lip augmentation. 

Let us know if this information was helpful, or if you have any other questions or concerns! You can schedule a consultation with us online here, or contact us for anything else you may need!