What are Lip Fillers?

Today, lip injections are almost as commonplace as eyebrow waxing. Since well-defined, voluptuous lips continue to be one of the most desirable facial features, women who are interested in adding volume to their lips, but have yet to try dermal fillers (aka lip fillers), should consider having lip injections performed. In addition, men who have relatively small lips are choosing to have lip injections to slightly and subtly increase the size of their lips. Dr. Baljeet K. Purewal is an Oculoplastics and Reconstructive Surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation techniques and cosmetic eyelid surgery. She performs a variety of procedures at Fresh Face & Eye .

What Type of Doctor Performs Lip Injections?

Lip injections can be performed by plastic surgeons, cosmetic facial surgeons and dermatologists. One of the most important factors to consider when seeking a doctor to perform lip injections is choosing an experienced lip enhancement doctor that is an Expert Injector.

What Can Lip Injections Accomplish?

Cosmetic facial surgeons, dermatologists and plastic surgeons have a variety of lip filler options available to assist patients who would like to improve the appearance of their lips. Individuals who have thin, uneven or lined lips may want to consider enhancing their lips with lip injections.

Changes that can be made with lip fillers include:

• Smoothing vertical lip lines.
• Restoring volume to aging lips.
• Adding volume to naturally thin lips.
• Improving the symmetry of the upper and lower lips.
• Defining the shape of flat or thin lips.
• Adjusting the shape of the lips (e.g., heart-shaped, a cupid’s bow shape or poutier).

Are Lip Injections a Safe Way to Add Volume to the Lips?

Yes, all of the fillers used at Fresh Face & Eye in New Jersey are approved for use by the FDA.

What Makes Lip Fillers More Appealing than Other Forms of Lip Enhancement?

Although lip implants and fat injections can be used to enhance the lips, these options are used less frequently than lip fillers are because their results can be inconsistent. Furthermore, these procedures have a greater risk of side effects than lip injections using dermal fillers do.

What Can Lip Fillers Accomplish?

Lip injections are one of the quickest and safest procedures for adding volume to the lips. Adding volume to the lips using a lip filler amplifies and defines the lips. In addition, lip injections soften fine lines on the lips, providing the patient with a set of beautiful, plump lips that are free of unsightly lines. In addition, lip fillers can be used to address the vertical lines (aka smoker’s lines) that surround the lips.

What Are the Fillers Used During Lip Injections Made of?

The lip fillers used during these procedures consist of hyaluronic acid (HA), which is an acid that the body produces naturally. In the body, HA is responsible for maintaining the structure and the volume of the skin. While there are several hyaluronic acid lip fillers available, two of the most popular brands are Restylane and Juvéderm. Both of these fillers work by restoring the hyaluronic acid levels in the lips.

Today, hyaluronic acid is also used in a variety of hydrating skin care products. It is HA’s natural lubricating abilities that make it beneficial for the skin.

Besides adding volume and defining the lips, hyaluronic acid fillers can be injected into targeted areas of the face to add volume, which can take years off of an individual’s appearance. At Fresh Face & Eye, Dr. Purewal uses Restylane and Juvéderm products to add volume to her patients’ lips and faces.

How Do Lip Fillers Work?

Hyaluronic acid has the ability to hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water. It is this ability to act as a binding agent between the skin and water that allows HA to restore moisture and add volume to create plumper, more youthful-looking lips and skin.

The benefits of using lip fillers to add volume to the lips:

• Treatments only take about 30 minutes.
• There is little to no downtime following treatment.
• An experienced Expert Injector is able to adjust the amount of filler injected to provide the patient with precise results.
• With Juvéderm, improvements are typically noticeable directly following treatment.
• With Restylane, changes become apparent a few days after treatment.
• As long as the lip injections are performed by an experienced, board-certified surgeon who is an Expert Injector, the side effects are usually mild and serious complications are rare.
• Final results become visible about two weeks after the treatment.

Things to consider:

• To maintain the results, patients must have repeated treatments every 10 months (i.e., Restylane) and 12 months (i.e., Juvéderm).
• To attain beautiful, natural-looking results, the individual administering the lip fillers must be an Expert Injector with a great deal of skill and experience performing lip injections.
• An allergic reaction is always possible. However, since hyaluronic acid is found naturally in the body, a reaction to these kinds of lip fillers is highly unlikely.

Attaining Natural-Looking Results

To attain the most natural looking results, patients can opt to have their hyaluronic acid filler injected gradually. To accomplish this, the patient makes several appointments during which a small amount of the filler is injected into his or her lips. These appointments continue until the patient is happy with the result.

How to Determine if Lip Injections with Fillers Are Right for You

Answering this question requires asking yourself what you would like to change about your lips. Furthermore, if you are thinking about having your lips enhanced with lip fillers, make sure that you are having this procedure for yourself, not for someone else. In addition, it is essential to have realistic expectations, you will still look like yourself after your injections, just with lips that are fuller and more defined. During your initial consultation, Dr. Baljeet K. Purewal will help determine which lip augmentation technique and product will provide you with the best results.

Individuals who may not be good candidates for lip enhancement with lip fillers include those who have:

• Issues with blood clotting.
• Diabetes.
• Cold sores (aka oral herpes).
• Lupus.

Individuals who have previously had cold sores need to let Dr. Purewal know before their lip enhancement procedure because these kinds of treatments can cause an outbreak of oral herpes. Letting Dr. Baljeet K. Purewal know in advance allows her to order an antiviral medication that will prevent the development of cold sores. The patient takes this medication for several days prior to the lip enhancement procedure. Also, anyone who has an allergy to lidocaine must let Dr. Purewal know before the procedure. Some fillers contain lidocaine, which is why telling her ahead of time is so important.

Restylane vs. Juvéderm as Lip Fillers

Restylane, Juvéderm Ultra XC and Juvéderm Volbella are all indicated for use as lip fillers. These fillers can also be used to address the perioral vertical lines that sometimes form around the lips.

Choosing a filler:

• Juvéderm Volbella

  – is a good choice for patients who would like to eliminate the vertical lines around their mouths and slightly increase the size of their lips.

• Juvéderm Ultra XC

  – is a good option for patients who would like fuller lips.

• Restylane

  – is ideal for patients who would like a more subtle lip enhancement. Restylane provides a smooth, silky, natural-looking result. Restylane can also be used to address smoker’s lines.

Each of these fillers consists of hyaluronic acid, therefore, they are very similar. The injection procedures used for administration of these fillers are virtually identical and the injection process used for all of these are considered ‘non-invasive.’

In addition, the injection experience with each of these products is similar as both Juvéderm and Restylane contain lidocaine, which is a numbing agent. Since the lidocaine numbs the treatment area, it alleviates any discomfort the patient may experience during the lip injection procedure.

Choosing a Doctor to Perform Lip Injections: What to Look For

All procedures pose risks, including injections, especially if the individual performing the lip injections is inexperienced. Although lip injections are non-surgical treatments, specific training and skill is still necessary to ensure the procedure is performed safely and that the patient receives natural-looking results. Therefore, the doctor administering the injections needs to be an Expert Injector.

The most important decision a patient can make is who will perform the lip injection procedure. For this reason, checking the provider’s credentials before deciding to go forward with treatment is essential.

The provider should:

• Be board-certified.
• Have an extensive knowledge of facial anatomy.
• Have experience performing lip augmentation procedures using dermal fillers.

Some important questions include:

• How long have you been performing filler injections?
• What type of training did you have?
• Are you an Expert Injector?
• Are you a board-certified surgeon?
• Have you received any awards?
• Ask to see written recommendations as well as before-and-after photographs of individuals the doctor has performed lip injections for.

If you reside in the New Jersey area, consider contacting Fresh Face & Eye at (973) 635-4000 to schedule an initial consultation. At Fresh Face & Eye, award-winning, board-certified, Oculoplastics and Reconstructive Surgeon and Expert Injector Dr. Baljeet K. Purewal, performs numerous facial rejuvenation procedures, including lip augmentations with lip fillers.

Benefits of using HA fillers include:

Gradual treatment allows for a natural, subtle lip enhancement.

Dr. Purewal can gradually increase the size of the lips by scheduling several appointments to inject a small amount of filler.

Ability to control lip volume.

Since Dr. Baljeet Purewal can control how much filler is injected, she controls the volume created.

Bumps and lumps easily dissolve.

Any bumps and lumps that develop following treatment can be easily dissolved. These irregularities are caused by the movement of the lips after a lip filler session.

Lasting results.

The results attained during a lip injection session using hyaluronic acid fillers can last up to a year.

If necessary, the results can be reversed.

In the event that the patient is not satisfied with the results attained using a lip filler consisting of hyaluronic acid, the results can be ‘undone’ with injections of hyaluronidase. The hyaluronidase is injected into the same areas as the filler was. Once injected, it will dissolve most of the hyaluronic acid filler.

An Initial Consultation for Lip Augmentation at Fresh Face & Eye

During your initial consultation at Fresh Face & Eye, remember to tell Dr. Purewal if you take any medications and/or herbal supplements on a regular basis, she needs to know what these are and why you take them. This is important because some medications and herbs thin the blood, which can cause bleeding at the injection sites and excess bruising.

After you explain to Dr. Purewal what you would like her to accomplish with your lip enhancement procedure, she will create you a personalized lip enhancement treatment plan.

Custom-Designed Lip Injections at Fresh Face & Eye

As every patient is unique, so is every lip injection procedure. For this reason, Dr. Baljeet K. Purewal creates each patient a custom-designed lip injection treatment plan. By tailoring each treatment to meet the needs of a specific patient, lip injection patients attain the plump, smooth, natural-looking lips they desire.

An Overview of a Lip Injection Procedure

The entire lip augmentation procedure takes from 15 to 30 minutes.

Patients may be given ice to hold against their lips prior to the injection procedure. The ice should be held gently and without putting pressure on the lips. The ice helps to numb the area ahead of time. It also reduces the likelihood of inflammation and bruising after treatment.

Sometimes, a nerve block injection is administered. This injection is similar to the one a dentist administers to numb the mouth prior to a dental procedure.

Lip Augmentation with Dr. Purewal at Fresh Face & Eye: Procedure Steps

1. Dr. Baljeet K. Purewal marks the areas where the filler is to be administered.
2. She applies a numbing cream to the lips.
3. Once the patient’s lips are numb, Dr. Purewal may inject a numbing medication into the corners of the lips before starting to inject the lip fillers. The lip fillers themselves contain lidocaine, which is a numbing agent, therefore, the patient should experience very little pain, if any, during the procedure.
4. Dr. Purewal typically addresses the upper lip first and then adjusts the lower lip to ensure the patient enjoys a balanced, natural-looking result. She uses a very fine needle to gently inject the hyaluronic acid filler into specific areas of the patient’s lips. Most of Dr. Purewal’s patients state that they just feel a bit of pressure during the injection process.

Juvéderm vs. Restylane: Lip Injection Results

Both of these lip fillers produce smooth results. However, Juvéderm offers patients quicker results and these results tend to last slightly longer than the results attained with Restylane.

Restylane results usually become apparent a few days after the procedure and begin to wear off 10 months later. Whereas, Juvéderm Ultra XC and Juvéderm Volbella’s results last approximately a year.

Lip Enhancement Results Using Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

After injection, the filler shapes and supports the tissues of the lips: This is accomplished via the gel that is in the filler.

Patients should avoid using any kind of lip products on their lips directly following treatment. Since there is little to no downtime, the patient can return to work or school directly after the lip injection treatment.

What to Expect After Having Lip Injections: Common Side Effects

Inflammation and bruising following lip injections is normal. The length of time these symptoms last depends on the injection site location. If the lip filler is being used to add volume to the lips, these effects can last up to 14 days. When lip lines are treated, these side effects can last up to seven days.

Inflammation Can Be Reduced Using an Ice Pack

Patients can use an ice pack wrapped in a hand towel or a washcloth to reduce the swelling on their lips. The ice can be gently placed on the lips for five to 10 minutes, two or three times a day while inflammation persists.

Comparing Juvéderm and Restylane Side Effects

Despite the fact that lip injections using these revolutionary fillers are noninvasive, side effects are possible, especially minor ones.

Restylane minor side effects can include:

• Bruising.
• Tenderness.
• Redness.
• Swelling.
• Slight bleeding at the injection sites.
• Cold sore or fever blister development: Individuals who know they are prone to developing these conditions should tell Dr. Purewal prior to their treatment.

Juvéderm minor side effects may include:

• Inflammation.
• Redness.
• Numbness.
• Pain.
• Slight bleeding at the injection sites.
• The development of cold sores or fever blisters. Individuals who know they have had these conditions before should tell Dr. Purewal prior to their treatment.
• Juvéderm Volbella XC may cause dry skin.

Although rare, other risks include:

• Prolonged and/or severe inflammation or bruising that lasts seven to 10 days.
• Lip irregularities.
• Lumps.
• Lip asymmetry.
• Lip stiffening.
• An allergic reaction resulting in itching, redness and/or inflammation around the lips.
• Scarring.
• Tissue loss (i.e., necrosis) due to accidental injection into a blood vessel.
• Infection.
• Ulceration.

If a patient is experiencing extreme inflammation and/or a fever, he or she needs to contact Fresh Face & Eye at (973) 635-4000.

How to Prevent Side Effects Following Lip Injections

For at least 24 hours following a lip injection procedure, patients must avoid drinking alcoholic beverages, performing strenuous activities and exposing the treatment area to UV light (e.g., tanning beds or sunlight).

Patients who have their lip augmentation performed using Restylane need to avoid extremely cold weather following treatment and until the inflammation or redness dissipates. Whereas, those who have their augmentation with Juvéderm need to avoid extreme heat.

Why Are the Results Attained with Lip Fillers Temporary?

The length of time hyaluronic acid dermal filler results last is based on the patient’s metabolism. For example, an extremely active patient typically has a very fast metabolism, which means the filler will be metabolized faster than it would be for those whose metabolism is slower.

Maintaining the Results Achieved Following the Initial Lip Injection Procedure

To maintain the results achieved during a lip injection procedure patients need to return for touch ups. For Restylane, patients should return in about 10 months and for Juvéderm, at around a year.

What Happens if the Results Are Not Maintained?

If the patient neglects to maintain the results achieved during the lip injection procedure, the lips will return to their natural size and any characteristics gained during treatment will be lost (e.g., heart-shaped lips, etc.).

How Much Does It Cost to Have Lip Injections?

Each patient is unique, which is why the only way that cost for lip injections can be determined is with an initial consultation. Pricing is based on the number of syringes that are used to accomplish the desired results, the skill of the doctor and the type of filler used. For the most part, patients only need one or two syringes to attain the look they desire.

Is There Any Way That My Health Insurance Will Cover My Lip Injections?

Since lip injections are performed for cosmetic reasons, health insurance will not cover the procedure nor will insurance cover any complications associated with the procedure.

At Fresh Face & Eye, Dr. Baljeet K. Purewal performs lip augmentation procedures using hyaluronic acid fillers. She is an Expert Injector and board-certified Oculoplastics and Reconstructive Surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation techniques as well as in cosmetic eye surgery. Dr. Purewal and her staff are dedicated to providing each patient with personalized, high-quality treatment designed to meet his or her particular needs and desires.

If you are in New Jersey and you are considering lip augmentation with fillers, contact the office today at (973) 635-4000. Fresh Face & Eye is located at 82 Main Street, Chatham, New Jersey.