Kylie Jenner has finally admitted to using lip fillers to create her viral lip trend.
Thanks to Kylie and social media, everyone wants plumper, smoother lips. Fortunately, this look can be achieved with relative ease due to lip injections.
One of the biggest questions people have about this procedure is "how long do lip injections last?"
In this article, we will answer this question as well as provide more information about what to expect when getting lip injections. If you are considering getting dermal fillers to enhance the look of your lips, there is a lot to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the procedure, its risks, and its rewards.
What Are Lip Injections?
Lip augmentation refers to a procedure, either surgical or by using dermal fillers injected into the lips, to give them a plumper and smoother appearance.
Lip injections are preferred over surgery because they are minimally invasive, have a quick recovery time, are less expensive than surgery, and carry fewer risks.
Lip injections are performed using one of several available types of fillers into the lips.
As we get older, our faces and lips lose fat and collagen, and we lose the youthful appearance we once had. Lips can become thinner and saggy, like many other areas of the body and skin. Lip injections replace fat and collagen that is lost over time to increase lip size.
Choose Your Look
Lip injections allow for a customized procedure to get the look the patient wants.
Lip fillers can work to define the edges of the lips to make them appear less thin or can be used to fill the entire lips and make them appear larger.
There are different types of fillers used to creates these different looks.
The most common type of lip filler historically used was collagen, a naturally occurring connective tissue found in the bodies of animals including humans. However, collagen is rarely used anymore because it doesn't last as long and commonly causes allergic reactions. Fortunately, science has allowed for improved fillers to be developed that allow more customization and longer lasting effects.
The most commonly used fillers today are comprised of hyaluronic acid, a gel-like substance that is made from bacteria and used to create thicker looking lips by bonding with water molecules under the skin.
Hyaluronic acid fillers are absorbed slowly and can be customized by thickening or thinning to create your ideal look.
How Long Do Lip Injections Last?
Collagen injections, as described above, only last about 3 months.
Hyaluronic acid lip fillers are sold under four common brand names, each with unique properties and duration of effectiveness.
Restylane and Juvaderm: These two fillers are the most common and popular and are comparable in lasting time. You can expect these brands to last about six months. Both of these products offer a natural look.
Vollure: This is the newest of the lip fillers, and it offers the most natural lifted look and does not cause any swelling. Vollure is the longest lasting product currently available and lasts about eighteen months.
Volbella: Volbella is the second longest lasting lip filler with a lasting time of about twelve months. This product is unique in that it has a very thin consistency that can smooth vertical lines without adding fullness.
These products do not accumulate, so you can get treatments about every six months. Hyaluronic acid products have shown to increase the amount of collagen produced by the skin, making the lips more naturally plump as well.
The Procedure
After you decide to get a lip filler procedure, you will schedule a consultation with your doctor who will help you decide what product is right for you. Your procedure will take place in your doctor's office and will be relatively painless.
Your doctor will numb your lips with a topical anaesthetic to reduce any pain you might feel.
If you chose to go with the collagen injections, your doctor will most likely perform a skin test before injecting the filler to make sure you are not allergic. If this test shows an allergy, your doctor will help you choose a different treatment.
You may opt for an anaesthetic to be injected into the inside of your mouth in order to numb your top and bottom lips. You may feel a small amount of pain from this needle, but this should be the last thing you feel.
The doctor will then inject the filler directly into your lips.
The Recovery
After the procedure, you may experience some mild swelling or redness at the injection sites. There may also be bruising from the injections and mild soreness.
This is all temporary.
You may be asked not to purse your lips for 48 hours after the procedure. You may experience unusual lip sensations due to the presence of the filler if this is your first procedure.
What Are the Risks?
While allergic reactions are common with collagen fillers, allergic reactions to hyaluronic acid fillers are rare because the compound is naturally occurring in the body.
One potential side effect is a lump of inflamed tissue called a granuloma. These are rare and can be dissolved quickly by your doctor with an enzyme called hyaluronidase that works by breaking down the hyaluronic acid in that spot.
The only serious side effect to consider is the potential for a blocked vessel. This can damage lip tissue but is rare and easy for your doctor to spot and correct right away.
Ultimately, this is a low-risk procedure that can improve the look of your lips in a matter of minutes.
Do you Feel Self Conscious About the Fullness, Ageing or Shape of Your Lips?
Do you want to:
- Regain your confidence?
- Recapture your youth?
- Or simply just give your look a boost?
If that sounds like you then you should check out our Lip Filler treatment In Birmingham.
