Lip fillers, are they a good idea?

As a practice that offers facial rejuvenation from our clinic in Oxford and Didcot we are often asked about lip injections, people often want to know if they are a good idea and what the potential problems could be. Our latest blog post is dedicated to answering these questions.

Do lip injections hurt during/after lip injections?

Lip injections will always be given with a topical numbing cream such as lidocaine and prilocaine, this ensures that the skin is numb prior to having any injections.

After treatment you may find there is some mild discomfort as the injection sites settle down, this will not normally last longer than a couple of days.

Why use lip fillers to enlarge your lips?

Lip fillers are one of the most natural ways to enlarge your lips, hyaluronic acid (dermal fillers) is a naturally occurring acid in your body. It is using your body to bind water and retain moisture, hence, as we age and hyaluronic acid levels decline asking can look drier and more wrinkly due to the dehydrated skin. Fillers can help to reverse this process.

Do lip injections damage lips?

So long as the lip injections are done in a controlled environment by professional with full training then no, lip injections do not damage your lips. This is one of the reasons that dental practices are some of the best places to go for a lip injections, dentists have such a detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the muscles, nerves and blood vessels in your head, face and neck. Beauty therapists, on the other hand do not have this detailed knowledge.

What is the lip enhancement or lip augmentation procedure?

The process is usually quite simple and includes:

  • An initial consultation to work out if lip fillers are the best form of treatment for you. During the consultation we will discuss any possible side-effects, additional treatments, ongoing care and costs.
  • Treatment begins at an appointment time suitable for you.

Usually all treatment can be accomplished in one single appointment.

What’s it like to undergo lip augmentation?

Treatment is usually:

  • Comfortable. Anaesthetic is given to numb the skin.
  • Affordable. Lip enhancement is usually start from about £380.
  • Quick. Treatments can often be completed in a single appointment.
  • long-lasting. Treatments often last for up to 2 before needing to be redone.

How long do lip injections last?

Typically treatments will last up to 2 years. Typically you may find that anywhere between 6 and 12 months you might see some difference in your appearance and require a top up.

What did your lips look like before and after lip injections?

The easiest way to answer this question is to show photographs of patients having before and after lip injections.

Before lip augmentation

Before

After lip augmentation

After

Before lip filler injections

Before

After lip filler injections

After

How much do lip augmentations usually cost?

Treatment costs can vary depending on the exact nature of the augmentation of treatment and the exact treatment. Typically lip enhancements start at around £380 and lip contouring from £350. There are also usually many special offers available.

More information on fees here.

Do lip fillers shrink lip size afterwards?

No, however after your lips have been made fuller and more plump with lip fillers, by contrast, once the fillers have been fully absorbed into your body it may look as though your lips have shrunk, they will only however have shrunk back to what they were prior to treatment.

Why are Botox and filler injections so expensive?

Botox and filler injections are always worth investing in the highest quality. After all, you are going to be asking someone to inject something into your face! You need to be sure that:

  • You know absolutely 100% what is being injected. NEVER purchase these treatments online and try to inject yourself.
  • You 100% trust the person doing the injections. A dentist is the ideal person to trust for this type of treatment as they have a detailed knowledge of the anatomy of your head, face and neck. Someone that has been on a short training course will not have this detailed anatomy, nor may not have the emergency facilities available in the event of any unforeseen allergic reaction.
  • The environment in which you will be seen is completely clean and sterile. You want to ensure that any cross contamination chances are all but eradicated, again this is another good reason to choose a dental practice as they will have proven cross infection control procedures in place and will also be highly regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

It is for the reasons above of using the best materials,  the best clinician in the best environment that makes Botox and fillers injections expensive.

One last thing to say about the cost is that it is worth considering this over the life of the treatment. A typical augmentation may cost £380 but could quite easily last two years, taking the cost over a two-year period means that treatments cost approximately £3.64 a week – The price of a large cup of coffee!

What is the difference between dermal fillers and botox?

These treatments working completely different principles. Wrinkle relaxation treatments such as Botox are a toxin which reduces the ability of muscles to move, by reducing visibility to move we can make the wrinkles disappear. Fillers, on the other hand inject hyaluronic acid into the treatment site, this is a naturally occurring body acid which binds water, therefore making your skin look more hydrated and younger.

Depending on which area of your face you would like rejuvenated will depend upon which treatment you have, dermal fillers or wrinkle treatments such as Botox.