Legal note
The content is for information. It does not replace a consultation, an examination or an individual medical assessment.
We do not give the trade names of the products, because the doctor decides which to use during the assessment. Around the lips we use fillers dedicated to this area rather than universal products, because the density and elasticity of the gel count here. We have described how hyaluronic acid works, vascular complications and the full list of contraindications on the page about fillers.
On this page
Three procedures, not one
At reception it all sounds like „lip augmentation”; in the treatment room it turns out we are talking about three different things. The distinction matters, because the amount of product and where it goes depend on it.
Shaping
Shaping the line of the vermilion, evening out the proportions between the upper and lower lip and defining the contour. The product is placed precisely, in small amounts.
Augmentation
Increasing the volume of the whole lips, using a larger dose of product. The degree of augmentation is matched to the features of the face, so as not to change its proportions.
Correcting asymmetry
Evening out a difference in the level or shape of the lips. The product goes only into the places that need filling or lifting of the contour.
There is also hydration, that is injecting a product whose task is not to change the shape but to improve the hydration and quality of the vermilion. Several of these aims can be combined in one treatment, but the plan is made after assessing the proportions of the whole face, not of the lips alone.
How much product at the first treatment
As a rule it starts with 0.5 to 0.8 ml, divided between the upper and lower lip. That is an amount which allows the response of the tissue to be judged before deciding on a greater volume.
The first treatment
As a rule 0.5 to 0.8 ml, divided between the upper and lower lip.
Thin soft tissue
The dose is sometimes smaller. With thin, delicate skin the risk of the product showing is higher, which is why the doctor may advise against a filler and suggest a different approach.
Lips of large volume
The doctor may consider 1 to 2 ml, given in one session or in two of 0.5 to 1 ml, four weeks apart.
Two sessions four weeks apart can be safer than one large volume, because they allow the distribution of the product to be judged before adding the next portion. We set the amount individually at the consultation.
Injection techniques and the shape of the lips
The technique is not a matter of fashion but a consequence of anatomy. The same way of injecting gives a different result in two people, because they differ in the height of the philtrum, the bite and the starting shape of the lip.
Russian Lips
The filler is injected vertically, from the border of the skin towards the vermilion, in order to obtain a clear central column and more strongly marked pillars of Cupid's bow. The technique emphasises the vertical stretch of the lip, which is why it is advised against with a low philtrum and with a protrusive bite, where excessive projection would disturb the profile. The direction of the needle affects the final result and the risk of the product migrating.
The M-shape
A shape in which the upper lip forms a double arch in the middle, resembling the letter M. Recognising the subtype helps to match the amount and density of the product so as to keep the natural dip in the middle of the lip and avoid an overfilled look.
The most important thing you can do before the treatment is to tell the doctor what result you expect and to listen to what is possible in your anatomy. A conversation about expectations belongs to the assessment, not to good manners.
Lip asymmetry and its causes
Small differences between the right and left side of the lips are common and in most people require no intervention at all. What matters is not the presence of asymmetry but its mechanism, because that decides whether the right approach is a filler, botulinum toxin, orthodontic treatment or scar therapy.
Asymmetry at rest
Visible with the face relaxed: one lip is narrower or set slightly lower. It follows from congenital anatomical differences, past injuries or a gradual loss of volume in the soft tissue.
The approach: filling the deficit with hyaluronic acid, improving the hydration of the skin, and in some people self-massage of the lips.
Dynamic asymmetry
It shows only in speech or in a smile. The basis is muscular: excessive activity of a single bundle of the orbicularis oris muscle or dominance of the muscle that lowers the corner of the mouth makes the corners rise unevenly.
The approach: after a medical assessment, botulinum toxin at points in a minimal dose. With one-sided lowering of the corner this can be one or two injection points, with a result lasting several months.
Bite problems
The position of the teeth and jaws affects the position and tension of the lips. This applies both to a retruded lower jaw and to a protruded one.
The approach: a multidisciplinary assessment. If the cause is the bite, adding volume to the lips will give only partial improvement, and orthodontic treatment can be a more appropriate first step.
After-effects of injuries
Injuries within the vermilion, scars after a cleft lip or after a piercing can disturb the proportions at rest and in movement, and sometimes make speech and expression harder.
The approach: scar therapy matched to its state, including laser methods. It is worth starting the therapy about a month after the injury, because statistically this reduces the final number of treatments.
With asymmetry that follows from a bite problem, adding volume to the lips gives only partial improvement, because the cause lies in the position of the teeth rather than in the soft tissue. A multidisciplinary approach reduces the risk of overfilling the lips here.
How a lip augmentation treatment goes
The first treatment takes 60 to 90 minutes, including the consultation and the anaesthesia. During the injection you feel a sense of pressure in the lips.
The treatment on video
A recording from the treatment room will show how the product is injected around the lips and the technique of working with the needle.
We publish photos of results only with patients’ consent and under comparable conditions: the same framing, light, facial expression and time interval. The result is always individual.
The results of lip augmentation and how long they last
A filler can add volume, even out asymmetry, restore the contour and define the philtral columns and Cupid's bow, which lose their outline with age. The scope depends on what you agree with the doctor and on what the anatomy allows.
The result usually lasts 6 to 12 months. The time depends on the type of product and how expressive the lips are, and also on lifestyle: smoking, exposure to the sun and sunbeds shorten how long the product works. It is worth knowing that around the lips the product is absorbed faster than in areas that move little.
The result can be extended with another injection of the same product, and top-up sessions usually need a smaller amount. Most people come back for such a treatment after 6 to 12 months. That the product is absorbed is an advantage here: the decision to repeat the treatment is yours and you do not have to make it under pressure to keep the result.
Lip shaping in men
The treatment is associated with an offer for women, but we carry it out for men more and more often. The reasons differ: naturally narrow lips, a loss of volume and firmness with age, or chronic dryness and cracking of the vermilion.
The principle here is the opposite of working on full lips: it is about keeping a clear lip line without adding volume. We use soft fillers, injected in minimal amounts at selected points, in order to define the shape rather than change it. Combining this with gentle volumetry of the chin and jawline, described on the page about facial volumetry.
Preparing for the treatment
Seven days before the treatment stop taking preparations that increase bleeding, after agreeing it with the doctor treating you.
On the day of the treatment avoid alcohol, coffee and intense physical exercise.
Make sure you are well hydrated.
People prone to cold sores should, after consulting the doctor, take antiviral medicines before and after the treatment. Do not stop any medicine on your own.
Reactions after the treatment and recommendations
Immediately after the treatment reactions typical of any injection may appear: swelling, redness, bruising, pain, itching and excessive sensitivity to touch at the injection site. The lips are most often swollen for one to three days.
Cooling the area
In a cycle: 10 minutes of cooling, 20 minutes' break. It limits swelling in the first hours.
An ointment from the second day
From the second day an ointment with arnica or heparin can be used. In practice it shortens the phase of a bruise being absorbed by about a day.
Sleeping with the head raised
For a few days sleep with your head higher than usual. This limits swelling of the lips in the morning.
Make-up and skin care
Bruises are easy to cover with make-up. It is worth using a cream that speeds up their absorption and healing.
No sunbathing
Avoid exposure to the sun and sunbeds while it heals.
If you are prone to cold sores
Antiviral medicines before and after the treatment, after consulting the doctor. A treatment around the lips can trigger a recurrence.
Some people use nothing after the treatment and go through this period without difficulty. The recommendations above are for those in whom the swelling or bruising is more pronounced.
Complications, migration and dissolving the product
Swelling, bruising, pain, tightness and redness at the injection site are expected reactions and settle on their own after a few days. We list separately the rare situations you need to know about before deciding.
Migration of the product
The gel moving beyond the area it was injected into. It happens rarely, but it is described in the literature. The mechanisms include excessive pressure during the injection, weak tissue support and intense movement of the lips in the first days after the treatment. The approach is a targeted injection of hyaluronidase under ultrasound guidance, repeated if needed.
An inflammatory reaction and infection
Inflammation and, in rare cases, ulceration or scarring. Growing pain, warmth and redness a few days after the treatment require a medical assessment.
Vascular complications
Abnormal changes in the blood vessels of the injected area. This is the most serious group of complications with any filler, described in detail on the page about fillers. It requires immediate contact with the clinic.
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the symptoms. It may include antibiotic creams, antibiotic therapy, anti-inflammatory medicines, preparations that reduce swelling and enzyme preparations that dissolve hyaluronic acid. In some cases hospital treatment is indicated.
Dissolving the product under ultrasound guidance
We dissolve hyaluronic acid with hyaluronidase, under ultrasound guidance. Imaging lets us see where the product actually is, instead of injecting the enzyme where it ought to be. We see patients after treatments carried out at other clinics, including after a product has been injected badly.
With swelling, redness, pain or abnormal changes in the appearance of the lips, contact an aesthetic medicine doctor as soon as possible. Many of the more serious complications can be avoided if treatment starts in time.
+48 881 202 202The best prevention remains choosing a doctor with the right qualifications, a proper assessment of suitability for the treatment and following the recommendations before and after it.
Contraindications to lip augmentation
Menstruation is listed separately, because sensitivity to pain can be greater then and the tendency to bruise higher. It is a relative contraindication, to be discussed when setting the date.
What the treatment will not do
It will not change the position of the teeth or the bite. If the asymmetry follows from an orthodontic problem, a filler will give only partial improvement.
It will not remove dynamic asymmetry, that is the kind that shows in speech and in a smile. There the work is on the tension of a muscle, not on volume.
It is not a method for chronic cracking and dryness, if their cause lies outside the lip area. It is worth establishing that first.
It will not give the same outcome in everyone. The starting shape of the lips, the height of the philtrum and the proportions of the face set the limits of what can be achieved.
The questions we are asked most often
How many millilitres of filler at the first treatment?
As a rule 0.5 to 0.8 ml, divided between the upper and lower lip. With thin soft tissue the dose is sometimes smaller. With lips of large volume the doctor may consider 1 to 2 ml, given in one or in two sessions of 0.5 to 1 ml, four weeks apart. We set the amount individually at the consultation.
How does lip shaping differ from augmentation?
Shaping means shaping the line of the vermilion, evening out the proportions between the lips and defining the contour, with small amounts of product. Augmentation focuses on increasing the volume of the whole lips and requires larger doses. Both procedures can be combined in one treatment.
How long does the result of lip augmentation last?
Usually 6 to 12 months. The time depends on the type of product and how expressive the lips are, and also on lifestyle: smoking, exposure to the sun and sunbeds shorten how long the product works. Around the lips the product is absorbed faster than in areas that move little, for example around the jawline.
Can hyaluronic acid migrate beyond the area it was injected into?
Migration of a filler happens rarely, but it is described in the literature. The mechanisms include excessive pressure during the injection, weak tissue support and intense movement of the lips in the first days. The approach is a targeted injection of hyaluronidase under ultrasound guidance, which dissolves the deposited gel. If it recurs, the procedure can be repeated.
What is the Russian Lips technique and who is it not recommended for?
The filler is injected vertically, from the border of the skin towards the vermilion, in order to obtain a clear central column and more strongly marked pillars of Cupid's bow. The technique emphasises the vertical stretch of the lip, which is why it is advised against with a low philtrum and with a protrusive bite, where excessive projection would disturb the profile. Today techniques matched individually to the anatomy are used more often.
Does lip augmentation hurt?
Most patients judge the discomfort as bearable. We use a product containing an anaesthetic, an anaesthetic cream or anaesthesia by injection, of the kind used in dentistry. During the injection you feel a sense of pressure in the lips. We discuss the method of anaesthesia at the consultation.
How should I prepare for the treatment?
Seven days before the treatment stop taking preparations that increase bleeding, after agreeing it with the doctor treating you. On the day of the treatment avoid alcohol, coffee and intense exercise, and make sure you are well hydrated. If you are prone to cold sores the doctor may recommend antiviral medicines before and after the treatment.
How can swelling and bruising after the treatment be reduced?
Cool the lip area in a cycle: 10 minutes of cooling and 20 minutes' break. From the second day an ointment with arnica or heparin can be used, which shortens the phase of a bruise being absorbed by about a day. Sleeping with the head raised for a few days limits the swelling. The lips are most often swollen for one to three days, and some people use nothing at all.
Can lips be filled with your own fat?
An autologous fat graft is a recognised method of lip augmentation. It involves harvesting a small amount of fat tissue, preparing it and micro-injecting it into the vermilion. It is, however, a surgical procedure, carried out in a sterile operating field, with swelling both at the harvest site and in the lips. Some of the transferred cells are resorbed in the first months, which is sometimes a reason to repeat the procedure. The choice is decided by a full anatomical assessment and a medical history.
How much does lip augmentation cost?
The cost depends on the number of millilitres of product used, which is why we keep one current aesthetic medicine price list rather than scattered amounts on separate pages. You will learn the price at the consultation, once the plan is set.
The content is for information. It does not replace a consultation, an examination or an individual medical assessment.