Lip fillers: what not to do after the procedure

What fillers are and how they’re used for lips

Fillers are gel-like products injected to fill wrinkles and folds or to add volume. They can be based on hyaluronic acid, collagen or calcium hydroxylapatite, and for lips, hyaluronic acid fillers are used. Hyaluronic acid is also found in your own skin, where it holds on to water. After injection, the gel spreads evenly in the tissue, and over time the body gradually absorbs it, so the effect of fillers is not permanent.

Lip fillers add volume, change the shape of the lips and correct asymmetry, and they also smooth lines above the upper lip. Fillers differ in density, so your doctor chooses the product and the amount for your lips and your goal.

Hyaluronic acid is also injected during biorevitalization, but there the product is fluid: it hydrates the skin and adds no volume. We explain how the two procedures differ in the article what biorevitalization is.

How lip fillers are done

First, you come in for a consultation. Tell the doctor what result you want: they’ll examine your lips and the skin around them, check for contraindications and explain what can be achieved. Mention any medication you take, especially anything that affects blood clotting. If you often get cold sores on your lips, say so too.

It’s best not to schedule the procedure right before a celebration or a photo shoot, because swelling and bruises can last a few days. Avoid alcohol the day before, since it makes bruising more likely.

On the day of the procedure, the doctor may mark the area, then cleanses the skin and applies an anesthetic. The filler is injected with a fine needle, and a session takes 30 to 50 minutes. Lip fillers at Viva Clinic are done by certified cosmetic doctors at the aesthetic medicine center at 16b/3 Kuzovkova St in Slavuta.

What’s normal in the first days after lip fillers

For the first few hours, your lips may feel a little numb from the anesthetic. Until the feeling comes back, be careful with hot tea and coffee: it’s easy not to notice the temperature and burn yourself. For a few days your lips are swollen, so they look bigger than they will later. The swelling can be uneven, which sometimes makes the lips look slightly asymmetrical. Small bruises, mild redness and tenderness may appear at the injection sites, and all of this gradually goes away.

You’ll see the final shape once the swelling has fully gone down, so don’t judge the result on the first day. If asymmetry or lumps remain after that, see the doctor who did the procedure.

What not to do after lip fillers

These rules are general, and your doctor will give you exact recommendations after the procedure:

• don’t press, massage or squeeze your lips unless your doctor has told you to;
• for the first few nights, sleep on your back if you can, so you don’t press your lips into the pillow;
• don’t wear makeup, including lipstick, for a few hours;
• for a few days, avoid saunas and bathhouses, and skip very hot baths or showers;
• limit physical activity for a week;
• avoid sunbathing and tanning beds for 7 days;
• in the first days, avoid alcohol and try not to fly, and for 3 to 4 weeks, put off dental treatment that may make your gums bleed;
• put off facial cleansing, peels and facial massage until your doctor says it’s fine.

Heat, alcohol and exercise increase blood flow to the face, which can make swelling and bruising worse. Dental visits are postponed because the lips get stretched and pressed during treatment, and it’s also easier to get an infection into the injection sites.

When to see a doctor urgently

Call the doctor who did the procedure immediately, without waiting until the next day, if the skin of your lips or around them turns white, blue or blotchy, or if the pain keeps getting worse. These can be signs of reduced blood flow in the injection area, and help is needed as soon as possible. If you can’t reach the doctor, don’t wait for it to pass: call an ambulance on 103.

Contact a doctor the same day if the swelling gets worse after a few days, your lips feel hot and look red, or you notice pus, painful lumps or a fever.

Call an ambulance on 103 if your face, tongue or throat swells quickly and breathing becomes difficult, or if your vision suddenly gets worse, your eye hurts, you see double or your eyelid droops.

You can book a consultation by phone, on Viber or Telegram.