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A Complete Guide to Lip Fillers

Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask

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Lip fillers have come a long way. From being something that’s quietly whispered about in the upper ethers of high society, to the everyday duck lips spotted on Instagram models on an hourly basis – it’s safe to say lip fillers aren’t going anywhere.

But if you’re not interested in a Kardashian-esque pout, but are looking to improve the volume of your lips (whether that’s in a subtle or stand-out way) there are a few guidelines you should consider before getting fillers, or even approaching an aesthetician. 

We asked award-winning practitioner Kay Greveson of Regent’s Park Aetshetics to lay down all the facts for you.

Ensure the practitioner is experienced
Ask to see before and after photos, and be sure to look at reviews on their website before contacting them.

Find out what dermal filler product the clinic uses
Well-known and reputable products include Juvederm, Teosyal, Restylane and Boletero. Some products work better on the lips than others, and some are more prone to side effects such as lumps. I see so many people who have had dermal filler elsewhere and do not know what was injected. Never be afraid to ask the practitioner what filler they use and also watch them open the box in front of you.

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Have realistic expectations
The usual starting volume of dermal filler in your lips, for a natural result, is 0.5-1ml. This will still give subtle volume. If you have thin lips and expect to walk out of the clinic looking like Kylie Jenner then this will take a number of separate treatments over a few months. A good practitioner should explain this to you to ensure the treatment meets your expectations.

Ensure the aesthetician is a medical professionalbeauty clinicMake sure they are a doctor, dentist or nurse. Although there are many beauticians undertaking dermal fillers, they do not have an adequate medical background in anatomy and physiology to be unable to offer adequate advice and treatment if you had any complications from the treatment.

Know what to expect
We always start with a consultation to find out what treatment is needed and then assess expectations to find out if the treatment is suitable. We then take photographs and apply a local anesthetic cream to numb the lip. For nervous patients we can also offer a dental block that will numb the entire lip. The treatment will take about 30 minutes in total. Initial swelling lasts for 48 hours and full results are seen after two weeks. Results from lip filer last up to 12 months depending on the amount and type of filler used. 

Know what you can and can’t achieve
The shape we can achieve with lip filler depends on the natural shape of your lip. We cannot create a shape that is not already there but we can enhance it, for example my making the cupids bow more prominent or defining the border of the lip more. We can place filler in different areas to give volume and we can also improve issues such as smokers’ lines or wrinkles on the lip that often make them loom dry and dehydrated. We can also place filler in the mouth corners to raise the corners of the lip. This can give a more youthful appearance.

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Start small and build it up
I always advise patients to start small and have a maximum of 1ml on the first treatment. This will give you an idea of how much volume you like and what shape you will achieve. Another option is to try our Cinderella lip treatment, which involves injecting a sterile saline into the lip that temporarily plumps them for up to 24 hours. This is ideal to give someone an idea of what their lips will look like fuller but without the commitment of dermal fillers.   

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or show your practitioner photos of lips you have seen that you like and don’t like. This will give your practitioner a good idea of what results you want to achieve and they will be able to advise if this is possible and what amount of filler will be needed.

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