Full, plump lips are as high in demand as thick, defined brows, but while makeup can help your brows, it doesn’t do much for your lips.
Sure, there are loads of YouTube videos claiming to make your lips bigger in minutes, but the instant solutions you’ll find with a quick internet search won’t last more than a few hours (most of which involve irritants). Enter cosmetic lip injections.
Arguably the most sought after cosmetic treatment, lip injections offer a natural, immediate change to your face. But lip injections aren’t just for those seeking an Angelina Jolie or Kylie Jenner look, they’re also the perfect solution for smoothing out wrinkles around your mouth. Plus, the change is immediate, and the results last up to six months.
However, any kind of cosmetic procedure should be thoughtfully considered, so here are the pros and cons of cosmetic lip injections.
PROS
1. Quick and Immediate with No Downtime
While you’ll start with a consultation appointment to discuss your goals and concerns with your dermatologist, the actual lip injection appointment only takes 30 minutes tops. Cosmetic lip injections are a non-invasive procedure that’s mildly uncomfortable. We start with a topical or local anesthetic to numb and then use a fine needle to make precise injections based on the proportion, symmetry, volume, borders, contours, and shape you’ve decided on. And the results are immediate – while you’ll have some swelling the first day, within 24-48 hours it will be gone. The best part is the recovery time: you can continue on with your day right after the treatment, so you don’t need to go home and hide your face while you recoup.
2. Natural and Subtle
When done properly and with precision, cosmetic lip injections are a subtle, natural change to your appearance. You can plump up both lips or just one and can choose what areas you’d like to change. The difference in size and shape won’t be drastic but can be adjusted over time through follow up treatments. That said, you’ll notice the change yourself, but others likely won’t be able to pinpoint what’s changed about your face aside from looking more youthful. Plus, you’re lips won’t feel any different than they did before – injections don’t desensitize your lips or make them feel differently when you kiss.
3. Temporary and Tailored
Because lip injections are made of either natural or synthetic hyaluronic acid, your body will eventually absorb them (which is why follow up treatments are a must to maintain your look). But this isn’t necessarily bad because it allows you to adjust the look, expand on it, or lose it altogether. If you want more fulness in your bottom lip after your first treatment, that can be done. If you want to gradually plump them up more overall, that can be done. And if you don’t like your new lips, they will eventually return to their natural state. If you want them back now, we can use an eraser enzyme to dissolve the filler in minutes.
CONS
1. Temporary and Cost
While being a temporary treatment is a pro in some ways, it’s a con in others. Because your body absorbs hyaluronic acid, you must repeat the procedure every three to four months to maintain your look. Unfortunately, cosmetic treatments are never cheap, so fillers can range from $500 – $2,000 depending on the course of treatment – but it’s still far less expensive than lip implants or going under the knife for augmentation.
2. Potential for Allergic Reactions and Side Effects
As with any kind of injection, there is a slight possibility of an allergic reaction, though it’s unlikely with lip injections because they use fillers that are already in your body (hyaluronic acid). Side effects, when they occur, are only temporary and may include swelling, bruising, redness, tenderness, and bleeding at the injection site. If you suffer from cold sores, it might trigger an attack. The rarer, but more serious, side effects may include lumps, lip asymmetry, scarring, tissue loss (if injected into a blood vessel), and infection. Typically, these side effects are minimized when the procedure is performed by a dermatologist that specializes in cosmetics.
3. Preparation
To increase effectiveness and decrease the side effects, there are pre-procedure restrictions you should follow. For example, you should avoid any activity that increases blood flow to your face (like a massage, facial, or strenuous exercise). Also, beginning 10 days before your treatment, stay away from medication and supplements that thin your blood (i.e. painkillers, fish oil, vitamin E). If you suffer from cold sores, you’ll want to take preventative meds a couple of days before your treatment.
Want to talk it through with an expert? Contact us today for your free consultation.
