1. What is the Best Lip Filler in 2020, or 2021, or now in 2022?
Many people considering lip injections in the Toronto area ask this question. Lots of different hyaluronic dermal fillers can achieve beautiful results, so while clients come asking for Juvéderm® lips, or Belotero® lips, the truth is that both these manufacturers, as well as others such as Restylane®, make several different products all designed to offer customized results for individual patients. There is no one “best” lip filler. Which product will be best for you depends on your age, the size of your lips before injection, your skin quality, and your desired result.
For example, many mature faces, or those starting off with very small lips, may look best with natural looking lip fillers, i.e. small amounts carefully placed to avoid so-called “duck lips.”
Conversely, younger patients with larger lips to start with often ask, “What kind of lip fillers do the Kardashians use?” These patients are looking for a lot of plumping. In these cases, though Kim Kardashian is reputed to like Juvéderm Volbella, the patient might actually wind up better off with a thicker or stiffer product like Restylane Kysse.
Some popular lip filler products we use in Mississauga include Belotero Shape, Belotero Contour, and Restylane Kysse, as well as the already mentioned Juvéderm Volbella.
2. What is the Best Lip Injection Technique?
You may have heard of “keyhole lips,” or the “Russian lip technique.” Often people have read about injection techniques that emphasize lip definition, or that specifically enhance the Cupid’s bow.
Keyhole lips are shaped in such a way that a gap or “keyhole” is left between the upper and lower lip.
The Russian lip is so named because the emphasis is on the central portion of the lips, such that the lips are pouty, like those of a traditional Russian doll.
In both these techniques, the Cupid’s bow of the lip is emphasized.
A defined lip is often achieved by injecting along the border of the lip ( the so called “vermillion border”). This can help reduce lipstick “bleeding” into the lines above and below the lip and reduce the appearance of those lines.
While it is sometimes helpful to use these terms to let your lip augmentation doctor know what lip shape you like; and bringing a photo with you can also facilitate this, in the end, your own natural lip size and shape will ultimately dictate what technique will be best suited to you.
Very small lips cannot look like Angelina Jolie after injections. That is why some people opt for lip augmentation surgery with lip implants at our Mississauga and Toronto plastic surgery practice locations.
3. How Long Do Lip Fillers Last?
Which lip fillers last the longest? There is considerable variability in how long lip fillers last, and no head-to-head studies proving one filler product is longer lasting than another.
In general, one can expect the effects of lip augmentation injections to last anywhere from 3 to 12 months. However, this can depend on several factors, including your own metabolism and how much filler was used. For example, many patients are looking for very modest lip enhancement sometimes just wanting to smooth the lips and eliminate lines. In these cases, ½ syringe of lip filler may be all that is needed. However, this will not tend to be as long lasting as a full syringe, which for most manufacturers contains 1 ml of product.
How long do 1 ml lip fillers last?
On average, lip filler treatments using 1 ml of dermal filler last 4-6 months.
4. How Much Lip Filler Do I need?
Overdone lips have gotten a bad name over the years. Unfortunately, everyone knows someone who has had a “bad lip job” and wound up with huge, unnatural-looking sausage lips. However, how lips look after injection often has more to do with the injector’s technique than it does with the amount of lip filler injected.
And while no one wants to look overdone, sometimes young patients really want a sizeable enhancement. Sometimes ½ syringe of lip filler gives the subtle improvement one is seeking. While 1 syringe of Juvéderm is probably the most common lip treatment we perform at our Mississauga plastic surgery office, some patients will need a second syringe to achieve the full, pouty lip look they are wanting.
5. How Much Do Lip Fillers Cost in Toronto and Mississauga?
Cost will depend on several factors, including which product we use for your lip filler treatment.
For example, how much does 1 syringe of Juvéderm cost? There is more than one Juvéderm product for lips, and again, cost will vary by product. Juvéderm Ultra will usually be less expensive that Juvéderm Volbella, for example.
A single syringe of lip filler typically costs between $500-$700 in Mississauga, and ½ syringe of lip filler in Mississauga costs between $400-$500.
6. Are Lip Filler Injections Painful?
Our lips are supplied by lots of nerve endings – more than other areas of the body. It is therefore more important to minimize discomfort when lip injections are done when compared to other dermal filler treatments. So when patients ask, “Is Juvéderm for lips painful?,” my usual answer is, “It shouldn’t be excessively uncomfortable” – because we have good methods of preventing pain.
First of all, Juvéderm, Belotero and most other lip injection filler products contain lidocaine, a numbing agent that makes the injections less painful. In addition, topical numbing agents can be applied to the lips 10 to 20 minutes before treatment to increase comfort during lip injection treatments. This is usually highly effective at reducing pain, particularly along with ice, at the time of injection.
Technique also matters – a gentle injector helps, and sometimes a lip injection with a cannula rather than a needle is possible and less painful for some patients.
7. What Are the Downsides of Lip Fillers?
As with all dermal filler treatments, it is possible to have bruising, bumps, and asymmetry after lip injection, though these problems are rare, and can typically be easily treated by a well-chosen lip filler doctor who has expertise in performing dermal filler treatments.
Bruising can be minimized by avoiding green tea, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, ASA, alcohol and anti-inflammatories like Advil for several days before treatment.
Swelling is a concern for many patients, and we are sometimes asked about lip filler swelling stages as patients want to know what to expect with respect to downtime. In most cases, swelling after lip injections is minimal and lasts only a day or so.
There are some rare serious potential complications of lip filler, including vascular complications that occur if a blood vessel is blocked by the filling agent that can be best avoided by seeking out a qualified and experienced physician for your lip injection treatment in Toronto or Mississauga.
8. What Are Common Myths about Lip Augmentation?
We often get asked, “Do lips go back to normal after lip fillers?” and “Do fillers ruin your lips?” There seems to be a belief by some that lip injections will somehow permanently alter your lips, and when the filler wears off your lips will look more shrivelled. This is untrue.
In fact, some studies suggest that even once lip filler has been metabolized, some patients may never have quite as small a lip as they did before lip injections. This is a subtle change that may be due to the stimulation of collagen deposition due to the introduction of a needle into the tissues. For the most part though, lips will return to normal appearance after the filler has worn off and will not be smaller than they were prior to injection.
9. How Often Can I Get Lip Injections?
There is no specific suggested schedule for repeating lip augmentation. Lip fillers can occur at any interval after your first injection. However, most often patients will return for repeat treatment when they start to see the treatment effect wearing off.
10. What Is the Best Way to Find Lip Fillers Near Me?
Whenever you are shopping for cosmetic medical treatments, it always helps to do your research. Word of mouth can be helpful, but there is no replacement for checking the credentials of your prospective lip filler injector.
Make sure you seek out a properly qualified medical professional who is listed by the appropriate professional college, such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons, as a member in good standing. Check out their track record – are they trained in cosmetic medicine. (e.g. Are they a plastic surgeon or dermatologist or are they a GP who is dabbling in the field?) Do they have experience? How long have they been doing this procedure?
If you are considering lip filler administered by a nurse, does she have supervision or back up from a doctor?
Lip filler is a fun cosmetic pick-me-up that can enhance your appearance, but if it is not carried out in a safe environment, it can be anything but.
Make sure your injector has the equipment, knowledge and backup needed to deal with unexpected complications.
Both our doctors are highly trained lip injectors. Dr. Weinberg is a plastic surgeon, with years of experience as a lip filler expert. Dr. Schiffer is a neurologist and has years of experience in all cosmetic injections including lip injection treatments.
You can get a better idea about what to expect from lip augmentation by viewing the Lip Fillers before and after photos in our photo gallery. Most of these photos give a good representation of lip fillers before and after 1 ml of filling product.
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