THE FOCUS OF YOUR FACE!
Lips are a focal point of the face. With time, fine lines or (smoker’s lines, even though you never smoked), gravity and loss of volume can give you crepy lips and even smaller, drawn in looking lips. Chances are if you look back at pictures from five years ago, your lips had a little more volume and looked more hydrated.
Dermal fillers can give you a rejuvenated look without looking fake and over filled. I constantly hear comments such as, “I will never do my lips! Look at those celebrities. They look horrible!”, or “I see those women walking around and it is so obvious that they have had their lips done. I do not want to look like that!” At Wink, we completely agree. However, when lip injections are done correctly, you cannot tell that they have been done. There are many ladies walking around with lip filler and no one even knows.
Our goal is to take you back to where you want to be, whether it is natural rejuvenated looking lips or a more voluminous look. We spend time talking with each patient to determine the look they are going for.
IT’S OK!
Most patients are extremely nervous about lip fillers, whether it is about the final look or the discomfort of the injection. We have many first time lip filler patients and are very empathetic toward their nervousness. When a new patient comes in, they can expect to have their makeup removed and have many “before” pictures taken! After the photos have been taken, we apply a very strong topical numbing agent for 20-30 minutes. Before we even inject, the patient’s lips already feel big due to the numbing cream. Ice is also applied to help cut down on the chance of bruising.
Bruising is always a consideration when doing lips. Prior to your appointment, we recommend halting the use of NSAIDs (such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve, Celebrex), Aspirin, Fish Oil and blood thinning medications for at least three days, unless prescribed by your physician. Even so, I always advise patients to plan for some bruising and hope for none. Lips are very vascular and tend to bruise a little, but we have many tricks to cover the bruising up with makeup that we share with all our patients.
AND SO IT BEGINS…
Once icing is complete, we begin the lip injections. The actual treatment takes about 20 minutes. Most patients describe the lip injection as feeling like a slight pinch and then numbness sets in due to Lidocaine in the actual filler.
When injecting, there is always a chance of swelling from either the filler or the actual injection process. Swelling after the injection can last 2-3 days. Occasionally significant swelling occurs during the actual treatment. If so, the treatment is discontinued and we complete the lip injection at a later date. Also, especially for our “first timers”, we often let the patient see the lip process as we treat, and if they feel that their lips look good (even though there is more filler left in the syringe), we will stop, let the patient live with their new beautiful lips, and let them decide if they would like to add more at a later date.
POST TREATMENT
Once the treatment is finished, patients may apply cool compresses for swelling. Both topical and oral Arnica are recommended for bruising. We also always recommend patients give their lips two full weeks before they pass their final judgment. At that time, most patients love them!
At Wink, we have many dermal fillers to choose from when doing lip injections. Each filler has its own characteristics, such as if we need hydration, if we want volume, or if we want both as well as how long the product lasts. Fillers can last between 8 months and up to 18 months. The prices range from $625 – $700 per syringe. Usually, 1 syringe is sufficient.
BEFORE AND AFTERS
The below photos were TAKEN IMMEDIATELY after injection, therefore, swelling is present and will diminish in 2-3 days.
