October 08, 2020 | Blog, Medical Spa Info & Tips
10 minute read
Do you find yourself preoccupied with the appearance of your lips? Are you unhappy with their overall shape or volume? Are you concerned by signs of aging like fine lines or wrinkles? Do you want to see your youthful appearance revitalized without invasive surgery? If so, you could be a good candidate for lip fillers, a popular, non-invasive cosmetic treatment that can instantly restore your lips and deliver long-lasting results. This service is just one of the quality treatments and procedures we offer at Capitis Medical & Aesthetics in Roseville and San Diego, CA.
What Do I Need to Know About Lip Fillers?
Lip fillers are designed to provide a volumizing boost to your natural lips, redefining shape and borders and correcting signs of aging in one simple step. In the past 10-15 years, hyaluronic acid gel has become the most popular choice for a filler base thanks to its naturally hydrating properties and smooth texture. Injections can also help boost collagen, an essential structural protein that helps keep the skin lifted and firm over time. This may help the results of filler injections last longer and offer anti-aging benefits over time.
Which Concerns Can Be Addressed?
Lip filler injections can successfully correct several common concerns in patients of all ages. Here are several of our most popular areas of correction or enhancement:
Volume
Lip volume is often viewed as a representative of health, vitality, and youth. Many patients are unsatisfied with their current lip volume and wish to achieve a noticeable yet natural boost to enhance their features or combat the aging process, which can cause loss of volume. A lip filler adds instant volume to the lips through several easy injections. Typically, our providers are able to build your desired level of volume in just one appointment.
Definition
The borders of our lips often begin to fade as we grow older. This can contribute to the appearance of thin or undefined lips, which may make you look older than you actually are. Lip fillers can be used to rebuild your lip borders, giving you an optimal definition. This, combined with new volume, can completely transform your lips.
Shape
Some patients wish to alter the shape of their lips by accentuating some areas, such as the Cupid’s bow. We can perform targeted injections to subtly reshape your lips and highlight your favorite areas.
Fine Lines
Fine lines in and around the lips can become more and more noticeable as we grow older. Lip filler injections can help fill lines, tightening the skin to make signs of aging all but invisible. In addition, regular filler treatments can help slow the development of new lines and wrinkles by keeping the skin taut and firm and combatting natural collagen breakdown.
Will My Results Look Natural?
In the past, lip filler injections gained a somewhat negative reputation due to some rare instances of unnatural-looking results and even permanent damage. Unfortunately, these injections were likely performed by untrained providers using permanent substances like silicone. When you decide to pursue lip filler injections, it’s essential to seek care from a trained and experienced provider. Our staff is dedicated to creating attractive, long-lasting lip enhancement results using top-quality products.
The fillers we provide are designed to create a soft, skin-like texture that blends effortlessly into your natural lip. We fill each lip carefully to achieve results that are both natural and in line with your ideal image. Once your final results are visible, no one will know that you had injections performed unless you choose to tell them.
Will Fillers Permanently Stretch My Lips?
Some patients are concerned that their lips will become stretched out by fillers, especially if they use them over a long period of time. Our staff uses non-permanent, body-friendly fillers to provide you with natural-looking, long-lasting results. We do not overfill your lips, and once the results of your treatment fade, your lips will return to their original shape and size. In fact, the injection process can help stimulate small amounts of natural collagen in your lips, which natural firms and tightens the skin to create a more vibrant result.
How Long Will Results Last?
The longevity of your results will depend on the filler used during your treatment. Our doctor will determine which filler is best for you during an initial consultation. However, our patients find that they can enjoy their final results for 6-18 months before deciding to return for follow-up treatments. With ongoing appointments, you can maintain your ideal results for as long as you desire.
Can I Change My Final Results?
Some patients wish to further enhance their final results after treatment. It is normal for the product to settle slightly after injection, which may result in a minimal loss of initial volume. Our staff can perform touch-up treatments to build volume and further enhance your lips. These are performed approximately 2-3 weeks after your first treatment to ensure that your lips have healed and that your final results are fully visible.
In addition, hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved with hyaluronidase. This means that you can easily undo your final results and restore your normal lips without waiting for the fillers to dissolve naturally.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate?
If you are a man or woman who is unsatisfied with the appearance of your lips, you could be an ideal candidate for filler injections. To be a good candidate, you should be generally healthy and free from any medical conditions which may interact negatively with this treatment. We serve a wide range of patients with this treatment, which you can begin pursuing at age 21 and which can be successfully used to combat signs of aging later in life.
This treatment may not be ideal for patients with diagnosed bleeding disorders or for patients who have had previous permanent lip enhancements performed. If you’re unsure whether you’re an ideal candidate for this treatment, our doctor can help you evaluate your situation and answer any questions during an initial consultation.
What Can I Expect?
When you choose to visit one of our offices for your cosmetic needs, our professional staff is ready to walk with you through each step of treatment. While every patient has unique goals and different experiences, here is a basic overview of what you can expect from a typical treatment process:
Consultation
Your treatment will begin with a brief consultation with our doctor. This appointment allows our doctor to examine your lips, discuss your ideal goals, and review your medical history to ensure that this treatment option is best for you. During this appointment, you can ask any questions you may have about the fillers or the treatment process. Once our doctor has evaluated your candidacy, you’ll be provided with instructions to help you prepare for your first treatment. You should try to follow these instructions carefully to ensure successful results.
Preparation
To prepare for treatment, you should try to avoid irritating your lips or the surrounding skin for approximately one week before your appointment. This may include avoiding exfoliating treatments, peels, new or untested products, and even some foods that could cause irritation. You should also make sure that your lips are free from small injuries, such as external cuts or sores, before treatment. Our provider will examine your lips before beginning the injections to detect any irritated or injured areas.
You should stop taking blood-thinning medications like ibuprofen or aspirin four to five days before treatment. In addition, you should not drink alcohol for 48 hours before treatment to decrease your risk of bruising. We recommend scheduling your appointment a week in advance of any major events or social gatherings to ensure that your recovery will be complete and that you’ll look your best.
Treatment
You should not apply any lip product or makeup in the target area on the day of your appointment. Our provider will clean your lips and examine them for any areas of irritation. Next, they will apply a numbing agent to keep you comfortable during the injection process. Once your lips are numb, our provider will use a fine needle to make several injections in your upper and lower lips. These injections will be strategically placed to maximize volume and definition according to your ideal image.
A normal appointment takes less than 30 minutes. Thanks to the instant filling effect achieved by the product, you can look into a mirror immediately after your appointment to admire your new results. You should notice that your lips appear fuller and more defined. In addition, any aging concerns, such as fine lines, should be noticeably improved. You can return to your normal activities with zero downtime as soon as your treatment is complete.
Recovery
While you can begin enjoying your results right away, it could take up to two weeks for the lip fillers to permanently settle into place. During this time, we recommend that you avoid rubbing or pressing on your lips, which could displace the product. After two weeks, you should be able to touch your lips normally, and we can perform quick follow-up injections to restore any volume lost during the settling process. Most patients can begin wearing lip products one to three days after your treatment.
Results
Once your final results are visible, you can expect to enjoy them for six to 18 months, depending on the products used. You should not need any touch-up appointments during this time, although some patients choose to return to our offices for regular enhancements. Once your results begin to fade, you will notice that your lips begin to lose volume and return to their previous state. At this point, you can return for follow-up treatments to re-volumize the area and maintain your ideal results.
Thanks to the body-friendly formula in modern lip fillers, you can continue having injections indefinitely to keep your lips looking youthful and fresh. Our skilled providers can work with you to treat ongoing signs of aging and can customize each treatment session to meet your needs. Most of our patients find that they are able to achieve long-term cosmetic success and rejuvenate their lips with just one to three appointments each year.
Contact Us to Learn More!
Don’t let thinning lips or fine lines steal your confidence or prevent you from living life to the fullest. With lip filler injections, you can see attractive, younger-looking lips restored instantly. To learn more about this treatment option, contact our team of experts at Capitis Medical & Aesthetics in Roseville or San Diego, CA, to schedule an initial consultation today! We look forward to serving you!