Dermal Filler Treatments – Lip Enhancement

There are a couple of different methods we use to enhance the appearance of lips. To improve the hydration and condition of your lips we can use a series of tiny injections of ‘Skinboosters‘. These injections attract water and therefore improve hydration and softness. To increase volume or improve definition we use a range of dermal fillers. These can be injected to transform the appearance of your lips.

Dermal fillers are a gel like product which is injected under the skin to add volume and re-hydrate the area. The gel is hyaluronic acid which is very similar to that naturally found in the human body. Dermal fillers have been used for many years in facial aesthetics and are used to add volume, plump up and ease the appearance of line and wrinkles.

Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule that occurs naturally in the human body and is central to regulating cell growth and renewal. HA has impact on number of functions in the body, some of which are to bind water, lubricate the movable parts of the body such as muscles and joints and to maintain the elasticity of the skin.

Once injected an instant effect can be seen as the treated area plumps up slightly. In the long term this effect has quite a life span as the hyaluronic acid naturally binds with water, therefore increasing hydration. Lips can be slightly plumped up (although we aim for natural looking results) and vermilion border definition can be improved with just a few small injections.

Everybody recalls the tragic results shown by Leslie Ash in early 2000, who received lip filler injections. The product used in her case was an injection of liquid silicone. This has no relationship at all to dermal fillers used today in aesthetic procedures. There are a few issues and problems with hyaluronic acid fillers but these are in general fairly rare. These issues should be discussed with your aesthetic practitioner to ensure you know he or she is properly qualified and that you yourself won’t be added to a list of unsuccessful treatments and remain in safe hands.

We always book clients in for a consultation prior to any treatment. This will be with the doctor who is going to treat you, should you decide to continue and will ensure you understand the process and associated risks. The actual process of treatment varies between 40 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on what treatment you are wishing to receive.

There is not any down time required following lip filler treatments. Clients may experience redness and minimal swelling for a day or two, very occasionally a client may experience some bruising, but this is rare. The treated area should be left alone for 48 hours to let it settle. We advise that you do not have a facial or similar treatment that may disturb the products or expose the newly-treated areas to strong sunlight for 2-3 days.

The lips are extremely sensitive and as such cause most discomfort. We use dermal filler products containing local anaesthetic which ease any discomfort, alternatively some clinics request local anaesthetic cream which can be applied 30 minutes or so prior to treatment, which will ease any discomfort.

The effect following treatment is instantly noticeable and this will develop with time as the area increases in hydration.

The effective duration of this treatment varies between 6 months and 1 year depending on the area treated, products used, personal conditions and the skill of the practitioner.

Product related reactions are rare. There are some injection related reactions which may occur after any injection including redness, swelling, pain, itching, bruising or tenderness at the injection site. After lip enhancement, some swelling is likely for a short period but there should be no long lasting effects.

Unfortunately the UK medical aesthetics industry is unregulated, which means that anybody can administer dermal filler treatments. As you can imagine this results in a wide variety of skill levels, safety and quality of treatments. There are currently no regulatory bodies governing Botox clinics, but you will see bodies such as IHAS who claim to be regulators. This is not strictly true as they simply charge practitioners an annual fee to appear on a register, creating the illusion of superior qualification or skill level. They do not regulate the medical background, training or skill level of those practitioners. BE WARNED!

It comes to the old saying, “You get what you pay for” Due to the lack of regulation, skill levels and qualifications of practitioners vary tremendously, therefore so do prices. The cost to the practitioner of dermal fillers themselves vary tremendously too. The better quality products are very expensive but produce the best results and have been thoroughly tested for safety.

WORD OF WARNING – Never be tempted to choose a clinic due to their low prices or the special deals they offer. These practitioners will often under-skilled and usually use inferior quality products.

Oris Medical insists of providing the best treatments, therefore our doctors are highly skilled and qualified and also the dermal fillers we use are the best on the market. We use the full range of Juvederm Ultra , Restylane and Emervel products.