The pros and cons of cosmetic lip injections

Full, plump lips are as 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 (and most of them involve irritants). Enter cosmetic lip injections.

Arguably the most sought-after cosmetic treatment, lip injections offer a natural, immediate change to your face. But they 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.

Still, any cosmetic procedure deserves careful thought, so here are the pros and cons of cosmetic lip injections.

The pros

Quick and immediate, with no downtime

You’ll start with a consultation to discuss your goals and concerns with your dermatologist, but the lip injection appointment itself takes 30 minutes at most. Cosmetic lip injections are a non-invasive procedure that’s mildly uncomfortable. We start with a topical or local anesthetic to numb the area, then use a fine needle to make precise injections based on the proportion, symmetry, volume, borders, contours and shape you’ve decided on.

The results are immediate. You’ll have some swelling the first day, but within 24 to 48 hours it will be gone. The best part is the recovery time: you can carry on with your day right after treatment, so you don’t need to go home and hide your face while you recover.

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 choose which areas you’d like to change. The difference in size and shape won’t be drastic, but it can be adjusted over time with follow-up treatments.

You’ll notice the change yourself, but others likely won’t be able to pinpoint what’s different about your face, aside from you looking more youthful. Plus, your lips won’t feel any different than they did before: injections don’t desensitize your lips or make them feel different when you kiss.

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. That isn’t necessarily bad, because it lets you adjust the look, build on it or lose it altogether.

If you want more fullness in your bottom lip after your first treatment, that can be done. If you want to plump them up more overall, gradually, that can be done too. 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.

When done properly and with precision, cosmetic lip injections are a subtle, natural change to your appearance.

The cons

Temporary, with ongoing cost

Being temporary is a pro in some ways and a con in others. Because your body absorbs hyaluronic acid, you must repeat the procedure every three to four months to maintain your look. Cosmetic treatments are never cheap, but fillers are still far less expensive than lip implants or going under the knife for augmentation.

Potential for allergic reactions and side effects

As with any 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 get cold sores, the treatment might trigger an outbreak.

Rarer but more serious side effects may include lumps, lip asymmetry, scarring, tissue loss (if filler is injected into a blood vessel) and infection. Typically, these side effects are minimized when the procedure is performed by a dermatologist who specializes in cosmetics.

Preparation

To increase effectiveness and decrease side effects, there are restrictions to follow before the procedure. For example, you should avoid any activity that increases blood flow to your face, like a massage, facial or strenuous exercise. Beginning 10 days before your treatment, stay away from medications and supplements that thin your blood, such as painkillers, fish oil and vitamin E. If you get cold sores, you’ll want to take preventive medication a couple of days before your treatment.

Want to talk it through with an expert? Contact us today to book a consultation.