Lip Filler

By Jennifer Fernandez, APRN

Lip fillers are one of the most popular types of dermal filler. They increase the volume of your lips, giving fullness to thin lips and erasing the lines around the mouth that make us look older. They can be used to smooth out “smoker’s lines” or pursed lines produced by age and/or smoking and straw use.

Lip filler injection is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that is performed at a doctor’s office with minimal downtime. They are injectable treatments that can add volume and definition to the lips, improve lip symmetry and treat vertical lip lines.

Fillers are generally made from natural or biocompatible compounds such as hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a natural substance in the body. Due to their ease of administration and instant results, lip fillers have boomed in popularity over the past few decades. There are many different brands of lip fillers, including Juvederm®, Restylane® and Perlane®.

Who gets lip fillers and why?
Getting lip fillers is a personal decision. Pursuing your wants and desires for your body can be empowering.

To be considered for lip fillers, you should:
• Be in good physical health.
• Have realistic expectations.
• Not have an active oral infection, including canker or cold sores.

Many people who get lip fillers want to increase the size of their lips. You might want to enlarge the size of your lips for many reasons, including:
• Restoring a previous lip size. As you age, your lips may get smaller or thinner, your philtrum (the groove between your upper lip and septum) may get longer and flatter and the distance between the corners of your mouth (intercommissural distance) may increase.
• Correcting the shape of your lips. It’s common for your lips to be different sizes or shapes (asymmetrical).

• Smoothing wrinkles. When you smile or laugh, wrinkles sometimes develop on the sides of your mouth.
• Boosting confidence. Lip fillers can help improve your self-esteem and body image.

Lip fillers restore or add volume to your lips. Over time, you may lose volume in your lips, which may be a result of genetics, smoking, or sun damage. And although they don’t stop the aging process, they might help delay the need for a more invasive surgical lip augmentation, like lip implants or a lip lift.

What happen during my lip filler procedure?
Lip filler injection is a simple procedure performed at a doctor’s office with almost no downtime.

Preparation involves marking the treatment area and applying a topical numbing agent such as lidocaine. Some fillers contain lidocaine premixed in the vial.

Using a very fine needle or cannula, your provider will inject the filler under your skin. You may need multiple injections during the same session to achieve the desired results. The procedure, including preparation time, should take 15 to 30 minutes.

Aftercare
Following the procedure, you may experience some swelling and bruising for up to two weeks. You should follow some simple instructions and precautions to speed up recovery and avoid any complications:
• Apply an ice pack to the lips to reduce swelling.
• Avoid vigorous exercise and direct sun exposure for 48 hours.
• Avoid massaging or unnecessarily touching of the injection site.
• Avoid aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen, as they may cause bleeding.

Lip filler injections can help you add volume, plumpness and symmetry to your lips. Most modern lip fillers are temporary and last months and will need to be repeated to maintain the results. More permanent options do exist but they come with additional downsides that make them a less attractive option.

For more information on this and other aesthetic treatments, contact the office of John Devine 941-457-7700 to set up a free consultation with Certifed Injector Jennifer Fernandez, APRN.

941-457-7700
www.johndevinemd.com
375 Commercial Court, Ste. E
Venice, FL 34292