You’ve decided that you want your lips enhancing. Congratulations - that’s the first and biggest step on your journey to beautiful lips. Now is the time when you need to know some things about lip augmentation procedures and the kind of questions you should be asking yourself, and your practitioner.
We receive a lot of queries and questions about various procedures, but the scale of the queries relating to lip augmentation is vast. In an industry with thousands of aesthetic practitioners, it can be hard to see the wood from the trees (or the cupids bow from the philtrum!).
It’s for this reason that we wanted to give you some top tips that you should consider, prior to having your lips done and to set some expectations of the procedures.
There are lots of products out there to choose from.
Here at Veatu, we believe that choice ensures the right outcome and beautiful results. To augment lips, aesthetic practitioners will typically use HA – hyaluronic acid. Don’t worry – this is a naturally occurring sugar molecule with unique water loving properties found in the dermal layers of the skin. As an example of our range of HA products, for lips we use brands such as Jevederm, Teosyal, Princess and Restylane. The use of these depends on various factors such as desired outcome, budgets and whether clients have had treatments previously. Make sure you talk to the practitioner and attend a consultation – the purpose of the consultation is to cut through the confusion of products and ensure you are clear on the process, treatment benefits, risks and costs.
Cheap is never good and good is never cheap.
With so many practitioners turning their hand to aesthetics because the market is booming, there are many that are trying to provide the cheapest product at the cheapest price, with limited to no specific training in dermal fillers and facial aesthetics. Please, please do not just base your decision on price. While it is important to know you’re getting a good price, the value of the experience, knowledge and care you receive is of paramount importance. Vascular lip anatomy is an important piece of knowledge when practicing good aesthetics. If you choose the right practitioner, they will provide you with a treatment plan that supports your desired outcomes with the right products, in timescales that support your budgets. Expect to pay from £180 for lip filler (1ml).
Will it hurt?
A lip augmentation is relatively non-invasive. Prior to the treatment, we will apply topical lip numbing cream, which after a few minutes will numb the lips. There may be a scratching feeling as the needle goes in however all our products contain lidocaine, which is an anaesthetic to provide even more numbing and we also use the sharpest needles to reduce swelling and bruising. The application of product is also done in a careful way, using our experience, to enhance the end result.
How long does filler last?
Because HA lip fillers are naturally metabolised within the body following the injection, you will require a top up after 6-9 months. The time can vary based on various physical forces such as metabolic rate, dieting and exercise, muscle mass and the location of the filler. For example, men typically break down filler a lot quicker than women because they have stronger muscle. Typically, we also see women that exercise regularly require a top up sooner than those that do not exercise regularly.
Not fulfilled with filler? It can be removed.
Not many clients know that lip fillers can be removed through a process known as “correction”. Here at Veatu we have experience in supporting clients that require correction work. Unfortunately there are people in the industry that do not practice careful, clinical injecting and may not have had appropriate training. In this instance, if lips require correcting, the use of hyaluronidase (an eraser enzyme) can dissolve the filler. This is one of the reasons why Hyaluronic Acid fillers are a good choice – they are removable whereas more permanent fillers are not removable in this way. Prevention is better than cure though – always choose a reputable practitioner.
Bruises are normal.
While lip augmentation is a relatively non-invasive procedure and through using a trained practitioner, the risks will be low, there are still risks with any procedure and bruising can happen as a result of your treatment. Bruises are entirely normal and should fade after around a week or so. Here at Veatu, we have a tried and tested, careful approach to injecting that minimises the risk of bruising (and vascular occlusion) however no one in the UK can guarantee zero complications.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Do not go too big, too soon. Your lips require time to adjust to filler and we will never apply more than 1ml into lips at any time for this reason. We would much rather a planned, staggered growth in lips as in our experience, this provides the natural, plump look that women are looking for, as opposed to the dreaded “ring” of filler around your lips. Patience is a virtue when getting your lips done! HA lip filler, over time, will break down and bind to more water, which means your lips actually get better and more natural with time!
Timing is everything.
A lip augmentation procedure will provide you with instant results. Straight off the needle, your lips will have swelled slightly due to the procedure, alongside the growth in size due to the filler. As a result, please be aware that your lips will reduce in size post-procedure, as the swelling subsides. Through our consultation process, we will set your expectations appropriately in terms of the size of lips that you want and how long it will take/ how many treatments you can expect to have to get the results you want. If you have an event coming up, we will discuss this with you and ensure treatments are done with the right timing to ensure swelling is reduced and your lips are natural and gorgeous!
Look after yourself.
HA lip filler loves water! Drinking lots of water before and after the treatment will ensure your lips remain plump and gorgeous. We advise our patients not to use any sauna’s/ jacuzzi’s or do any exercise for at least 24 hours post-treatment, to minimise bruising and swelling. We provide an extensive post-treatment guidelines document with every treatment, so you can be sure you are looking after yourself in the best way.