Lip fillers are one of those modern-day common beauty procedures that are trending everywhere.
If it’s not your favourite celebrity, you can guarantee one of your close friends or family has had some lip filler treatment.
Deciding whether this is something you want to explore means looking at all the facts and enabling an informed choice vs. diving in with a lack of information. This is the safest way, and the most direct route to protecting your looks and health.
With that in mind, here are 10 facts everyone considering this treatment needs to hear.
Beauticians Must be Properly Qualified
For a beautician to carry out a lip filler treatment, they must be qualified. It is up to you to check and verify their training, certificates, and experience because the sad but true fact is that there are scam artists out there making money from botched procedures and disregarding the health and safety of their clients.
Don’t get caught out by a bogus practitioner, it is in your best interest to fully vet a service before going ahead with the first appointment.
You can check reviews, take word of mouth recommendations, and ask to see portfolios to get a sense of whether it is a genuine treatment source or not.
Research the Type of Lip Filler You Want
There are a range of treatments currently available. The most common and safest treatment options use hyaluronic acid lip filler injections. It is a good idea to read about what to expect from this and dive into whether this is suitable based on your health profile and expectations.
The biggest benefit of a HA lip filler is that it can be completely removed if you do not like it or have a negative reaction post-appointment.
Thoughts on Safety
There are lots of subpar treatments in the world that put your health and even your life at risk. However, thankfully lip fillers do not fall into this category.
This is a common treatment that millions of people sign up for on a regular basis. There are side effects that will be discussed below, but generally, this is one of the safer cosmetic interventions out there.
The biggest risk is putting your trust in the wrong person. Ideally, for the treatment to be completely safe and risk-free, an ex-medical professional should be the one carrying it out such as a doctor or dentist.
If the beautician has no prior medicinal experience, verify that their qualifications are legitimate before proceeding, as this is the best way to protect your body.
Managing Pain Expectations
One question that comes up frequently is whether this procedure is painful. The real question you must ask yourself is how high is your pain threshold.
Some people can handle more than others, and it will be useful to have a realistic idea of what you are able to tolerate before stepping into any treatment involving injections.
While the pain is often reported as minimal, everyone responds in their own way, and it is up to you to figure out if you can cope. Expect some discomfort during and after but find peace in knowing that it shouldn’t cause a lot of pain, if any.
Understanding Common Side Effects
As with any cosmetic intervention, you should expect a few side effects. Some lucky people do not experience anything post-treatment, but that is rare. Instead, mentally prepare for the likelihood of any of the following.
- Minor bleeding
- Soreness
- Redness
- Swelling
- Minor pain or discomfort
- Bruising
Aftercare Advice
If you decide to go ahead with the procedure, your chosen beautician will discuss proper aftercare before the fillers are applied.
Take this advice on board, and don’t forget to write it down or ask for a leaflet because it is a key part of ensuring you don’t get any unwanted infections or prolonged pain.
Typical aftercare advice includes taking extra care and attention when brushing your teeth, avoiding lipstick, and applying an ice pack if you need it to minimize the bruising and reduce swelling.
How Fast it Works
So you know now that there will be some swelling after an appointment. If this is the case, then how do you know if it worked or not?
In short, an experienced beauty lead will always follow up with you a day or so after your fillers to track the results and verify that the treatment actually worked. After 24 hours, the puffiness and swelling should diminish and leave your lips in their new, filled state.
How Long It Lasts
If your lips are exactly how you want them post-injection, it is useful to know how long this is likely to last. Lip fillers are not permanent, and if you want to upkeep the appearance you will need ongoing appointments.
A reputable filler applied correctly with no negative side effects should stay pumped for a minimum of six months. Some people see up to ten months of fuller lips with just one course of injections.
What To Avoid Before an Appointment
Again, a professional practitioner will always discuss what you should avoid before your appointment but just in case anything is forgotten, try to avoid these two things as standard.
You shouldn’t drink alcohol the night before, as this can and will increase the likelihood that your lips will bruise or even bleed.
The same is true of aspirin, a well-known blood thinner, which if taken close to an injection will cause bleeding and extra bruising.
How Much Lip Filler You Need
How much filler you opt for is a personal choice. For complete beginners, it is recommended to start slow and build up over time if you don’t see as much impact as desired.
As with anything new, it is best to accumulate rather than overwhelm so you can get a better sense of how your lips respond and what you actually feel comfortable looking at.
The idea in your head may not match up with reality, after all.
Lip fillers are a safe procedure in the right hands, and if you are exploring this treatment then make sure you have all of the facts first. Expect minimal side effects and start slow.