Lip Injections DOs and DON’Ts

Even though she lives in a California mansion, the far-reaching powers of Kylie Jenner have reached all the way to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Thanks to the influence of this media-savvy teenager, lip injection treatments are more popular than ever. She has made it extremely popular for patients of all ages, with all shapes and sizes of lips, to crave mouth enhancements.

As you may be able to tell from Kylie’s dramatic change: lip injections, when done properly, are a very safe treatment and can be performed on anyone over the age of 21. (Not sure how Kylie worked her way around that stipulation, but I guess she knows people?) Enhancements can range from extremely subtle, to extremely extreme.

If YOU are considering lip enhancing injections, here are some guidelines to make sure that you have the best experience possible. Read on for the best way to prepare for the “before” and “after” of your treatment.

 

Lip Injections DOs

  • Before treatments, DO let your injector know if you have previously suffered from facial cold sores. (We can prescribe a medication to minimize recurrence.)
  • DO have ideas of what you want. Like a haircut, if you can bring in pictures of what you are looking to achieve, it will be very helpful to your injector.
  • But at the same time, DO be realistic with your expectations. For changes as big as Kylie’s, injections were likely spaced apart by a month or so, and it was a gradual process. Such a drastic pump-up should not occur with one treatment.
  • DO be prepared for a little discomfort. The dermal-fillers used for lip injections all have a numbing agent mixed in, but with an area as sensitive as the lips — you are likely still going to feel some of the injections.
  • DO ice afterwards! If you ice immediately after the treatment, it will help minimize any bruising. If you ice later on in the day, it will help tremendously with swelling.
  • DO sleep that night with a little elevation, using an extra pillow will also help prevent swelling.
  • DO wait about a week to get a good idea of what your results will look like, and then please DO ENJOY!
  • DO prepare mentally and socially for swelling and bruising. Do not get this treatment right before a big event, the lips are very delicate and it is extremely normal to have swelling (and possible bruising) after your session. It can take a full 14-weeks for your swelling to completely dissipate.

 

Philadelphia lip injections

Lip Injection DON’Ts

  • Before treatment, DON’T use aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (such as ibuprofen), St John’s Wort, or high doses of vitamin E supplements, or drink large quantities of alcohol. Any substance that causes blood-thinning may increase your risk of bruising and bleeding at the injection site.
  • After treatment, DON’T massage your lips! (You may inadvertently minimize the amount of volume achieved by squishing the dermal-filler too flat.)
  • DON’T schedule this treatment if you have had a dental appointment within the past 2-weeks.
  • DON’T have treatment right before a big event. It is likely that your lips will swell, and you’d likely want to have this treatment a week or two before you need to look your best.
  • DON’T be scared if despite doing all the right things, your lips are still swollen and bruised. Your lips are an extremely vascular, delicate area, and sometimes it’s impossible to avoid bruising and swelling.
  • DON’T expect your lip enhancements to last forever. On average, lip results should likely remain in place for about 6 to 9 months.
  • DON’T get this treatment if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, no studies have been done to verify the safety for the baby.