Lip Fillers are a relatively straight-forward procedure. As long as the patient is realistic and follows the post-treatment instructions carefully, there is usually little downtime, and any side effects can easily be managed.

Before the treatment, the lips are numbed with a special topical numbing cream. The doctors at SW1 Clinic will mark out the area to be treated carefully. Prior to injections, we will also use ice packs and a special anaesthetic spray to increase patient’s comfort. A few injections will be placed on the lips depending on the treatment goal and endpoint. This will usually take about 5-10 minutes and is usually very comfortable. After the treatment, an antibiotic ointment and a hydrating lip serum is applied, and the patient may put on makeup and leave the clinic.

Lip fillers tend not to last as long as fillers on other parts of the face as our lips are very mobile regions. This results in the fillers breaking down at a faster rate than other parts of the face such as the temples or cheeks. The longevity of the lip fillers will also depend on factors such as your lifestyle (whether you are a smoker) and the initial volume of lip fillers used. In general, most patients find they last anywhere between 6-9 months.

Some patients experience temporary swelling lasting 12-24 hours. This is usually mild and not very visible. This can be alleviated with intermittent ice packs to the treated area. In rare cases, there may be mild bruising which may least for a few days. This risk can be reduced by avoiding alcohol, aspirin, vitamin E and blood-thinners for a few days before and after the treatment. Oral arnica can also be helpful. In some cases, patients who experience bruising may opt to undergo our anti-bruise laser which speeds the resolution of bruises.

Occasionally as we chew and pucker our lips, some patients may feel some lumps after the treatment. This usually resolves by itself after a few weeks. While this is a rare occurrence, we ask that patients who are worried to return to have them assessed by the SW1 doctors. It is important to know that at SW1 Clinic, we only use FDA approved natural fillers for the lips. As these fillers are natural hyaluronic acid fillers, they are easily dissolved (or reversed) with an injection of an enzyme called hyaluronidase. Hence, our patients always have the peace of mind knowing that any unwanted results can be dissolved away at any time.

After lip fillers, you are certainly able to kiss without anyone knowing you’ve had anything done!