Lip fillers along with almost every Aesthetics treatment, are growing in popularity year on year. Dermal fillers are generally considered low-risk when practiced by a qualified clinician.
However, it is always important to remember that any injectable treatments are medical procedures, and in the wrong hands treatments like lip fillers can come with serious complications.
This guide shows you everything you need for choosing the right treatment and practitioner for you.
What are Lip Fillers?
First things first, lip fillers a type of dermal filler.
Lip fillers help give fullness and shape to your lips, as well as restoring any volume loss.
The safest form of dermal fillers are a synthetic form of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of our skin, which diminishes in volume as we age.
What are the different types of lip fillers?
Hyaluronic acid isn't the only type of lip filler, but it is the safest one and the one we use here at Dr Knowles Aesthetics.
Lip fillers you may find on the market include:
Hyaluronic Acid
Calcium hydroxyapatite
Polyalkylimide
Polylactic Acid
Collagen
Permanent Silicone
Fat Transfer Lip Injections
All of these have advantages and disadvantages when it comes to specific treatments. This is why pre-treatment consultations are important, ensuring you get the right product for your treatment.
Which is the best ingredient for lip fillers?
Hyaluronic Acid achieves the best results for lip fillers across a range of factors, but the most important two being safety and achieving desired results.
Are lip fillers safe?
Because everyone who provides this service, including unqualified practitioners, will tell you that lip fillers are safe, we're going to use a couple of quotes from the NHS website:
Having dermal fillers is usually safe if it's done by an experienced and suitably qualified practitioner.
Note the most important word, "if." Because getting lip fillers done by someone who isn't qualified or experienced, transforms the list of risks entirely.
Side Effects and Risks of Lip Fillers:
Affected area may be a bit red, sore and swollen (NHS)
Bleeding from the injection sites (WebMD)
Reactivation of cold sores or fever blisters (herpes simplex) of the lips or area surrounding the lips (WebMD)
Vascular occlusion - this is where a blood vessel becomes blocked (NHS)
Filler migration - the filler moving away from the intended treatment area (NHS)
Infection (NHS)
A lumpy appearance under the skin, which might need to be dissolved or treated with medicine (NHS)
Although some of the above risks may seem serious, and they are, when treated by a qualified medical professional they have the knowledge and training to manage these so you are not left with long lasting complications.
If you want to check if someone is medically qualified, you will be to check with their registered body.
Are lip fillers painful?
Unless contraindicated, numbing cream will be used prior to treatment to limit the amount of pain felt during the treatment. Most people describe the sensation as a small pinch, and the injection part of the treatment is over quite quickly.
How long does lip filler treatment take?
We allow 60 minutes for lip filler treatments. Whilst the injection times may vary, for straightforward lip filler treatments, injection time will last around 15 minutes. Check out "What to expect with your filler appointment" on our treatment page.
The injection part of the treatment is only one part of the overall treatment. The treatment starts with a medical consultation and facial analysis, and following your treatment we monitor your wellbeing and advise you on appropriate aftercare.
How long do lip fillers last?
Lip fillers range in how long they last, but as an example, the hyaluronic acid lip fillers we use last between 6 -18 months.
As your metabolism breaks down the fillers, younger people with higher metabolisms tend to need top ups more frequently than older people.
How much do lip fillers cost?
The cost of Lip Fillers in the UK varies widely, ranging from less than £100 to £600+
Beware of prices so low that it seems too good to be true, as this is often an indication that the person offering the treatment is unlicensed or purchasing unsafe products.
Do lip fillers need a prescription?
Dermal fillers are used for a range of purposes, including lip fillers, and do not currently need a prescription.
It is important to note that hyaluronidase (which should be kept in an emergency kit by all injectors incase of vascular occlusion) is a prescription only medication. It is worth bearing in mind that if you aren't being treated by a prescribing practitioner, can they safely treat a complication?
As there are a lot of different versions available, make sure you ask your practitioner:
the name of the product that will be used
where the product came from
Should you get a lip filler?
Whether or not you should get lip filler treatments, except for health reasons, is almost entirely down to you personally.
As cosmetic treatments go, it’s a very minor procedure and is also completely reversible if you change your mind.
However, the biggest takeaway from this guide, if you do decide that lip fillers is a treatment you want, is seek out a qualified professional to perform your procedure.
Otherwise it can have devastating effects on your health, wellbeing and appearance, and may not be reversible.
Most people come away from professional lip filler treatments feeling positive about their appearance and get a great boost to their self-esteem.
About the Author
My name is Dr Georgina Knowles and I am a fully qualified medical doctor. As well as working within aesthetics, I also work in the NHS as a GP Registrar and am a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners. I graduated from Norwich Medical School, and qualified with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). Prior to studying medicine, I studied at Newcastle University where I gained a Bachelors in Physiology (BSc), and spent a year studying at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where I gained a masters in the Control of Infectious Diseases (MSc).
I have completed training in advanced botox and fillers treatments with Derma Medical, world renowned for their training programmes. Additionally, I am currently in the process of completing my Level 7 Diploma in Botox & Dermal Fillers at the Harley Academy in London, which is an Ofqual-regulated, postgraduate-level medical aesthetics qualification.
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