Lip Filler, Explained

What Is Lip Filler?

Lip filler is a soft gel, usually hyaluronic acid, a substance found naturally in the body, placed carefully in or around the lips to add volume, shape or definition. The gel holds water, which is what gives the lips a fuller, smoother look, and it's gradually broken down by the body over time. Because it's hyaluronic acid, it can also be dissolved early with an enzyme if you ever want it gone.

Our approach is subtle: lips that look like yours, only refreshed. That often means less product than people expect. At St Vincent Smile all facial aesthetics are carried out by Dr Jacqueline Eow, a dentist registered with the General Dental Council with a special interest in facial aesthetics, in a regulated dental practice with the same standards of hygiene as your dental care.

What Lip Filler Can Do

Used well, filler can:

• Add definition to the border of the lips, so they look crisper
• Balance an upper lip that's thinner than the lower, or one side that's fuller than the other
• Add a little volume to lips that have thinned with age
• Soften fine lines on the lips themselves and improve hydration

It can't change the shape of your face or the position of your teeth, and it shouldn't be used to chase a size your lips weren't built for. Over-filled lips look obvious, and more isn't better. If what's bothering you is how your lips sit over your teeth, the answer is sometimes dental rather than filler: Dr Eow is a dentist as well, so she'll say so. If a treatment won't give you the result you want, we'll tell you and suggest what might. For skin quality rather than shape, see our skin boosters guide.

Consultation and Appointment

Every treatment starts with a face-to-face consultation with Dr Eow: what you'd like to change, your medical history, and a full facial assessment. She explains your options, the likely result, the risks and the fees, and you have time to think it over. The consultation is free, secured with a £50 deposit that's refunded within 7 days of attending. Please give us at least 48 hours' notice to cancel or move your appointment. The deposit isn't refunded if you don't attend.

Treatment goes ahead only once you're sure, and only if it's suitable for you. On the day:

• Numbing cream is applied, and the filler itself usually contains local anaesthetic
• The gel is placed in small amounts, checking the shape as she goes
• Treatment takes around 30 minutes
• You're booked for a review to check your result once it has settled

Treatment appointments are also secured with a £50 deposit.

Prices

BabyTweak lips is the smallest lip treatment on our menu, for a subtle tweak rather than added volume. The 0.7ml and 1ml options are the amount of gel used; which suits you depends on your lips and what you want to change, and natural-looking results often use less than people expect. Final treatment plans and product volumes are confirmed after your assessment.² There's no pressure to use a particular amount, and you can build up gradually over more than one visit if you'd rather. Lip dissolve is priced separately because it's a different treatment, used if you want filler removed.

How Long Does It Last?

For lips, from several months to around a year. Most fillers last between six and eighteen months depending on the product and the area, but the lips move constantly when you talk, eat and smile, so filler there tends to be broken down sooner than in stiller areas such as the cheeks. How quickly it fades also varies from person to person.

Results show straight away, though what you see on the day includes some swelling; the true result is clearer once that has settled, which is when we review it. When the filler starts to fade, a top-up restores it. You don't have to top up: if you leave it, the gel simply breaks down over time and your lips return to how they were.

Recovery, Aftercare and Risks

Swelling and some bruising are common for a few days, and the lips can feel tender or slightly lumpy at first as the gel settles. Most people go straight back to work or their day. For the first 24 hours, avoid strenuous exercise, saunas and alcohol, and don't press or massage the treated area unless we've asked you to. We'll explain your aftercare, and how to contact us if anything worries you.

Rare risks include infection, an allergic reaction, and filler placed in or pressing on a blood vessel, which can cut off the blood supply to the skin. Dr Eow explains these at your consultation, along with how they're managed, including dissolving the filler. Contact us straight away if you have increasing pain, skin that turns pale or dusky, or any change in your vision.

Who Can Have Treatment?

Adults aged 18 and over, in good health. We don't treat during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and we'll ask about your medical history and any medicines at your consultation. Like every treatment here, filler is placed only after a face-to-face assessment with Dr Eow, and only if she thinks it will give you a result you'll be happy with.

If you're not sure whether filler is right for you, book the consultation anyway. It's a relaxed conversation, there's no obligation, and the honest answer is sometimes that you don't need it. Our other treatments are on the facial aesthetics page; if your concern is really about your teeth or smile, a smile design consultation may be the better place to start.

Questions

This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.