The most important distinction
This treatment does not serve to enlarge the lips. The aim is to hydrate, smooth and improve the condition of the skin of the lips, while keeping their size. If you expect clearly larger lips, the right page is augmentation and shaping.
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The content is for information. It does not replace a consultation, an examination or an individual medical assessment.
The treatment involves an injection, that is breaking the continuity of the tissue, which is why it is carried out by a doctor after a medical history and after ruling out contraindications.
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How it differs from lip augmentation
Both treatments use hyaluronic acid and both are carried out by a doctor, but they serve different aims, and the difference starts with the choice of product.
Hydration
Lightly cross-linked hyaluronic acid, which binds water in the tissue. It works on the hydration, springiness and tone of the lips. The size of the lips stays essentially unchanged.
Augmentation and shaping
Products of greater density, chosen so as to add volume, restore the contour or even out asymmetry. Changing the shape and size is the aim of the treatment here.
From this difference follows a practical order worth knowing about: hydration is sometimes a first step for people who are considering lip shaping but want first to learn what an injection in this area is like and how they themselves react afterwards. The decision about volume can be made later. The full picture of treatments in this area is on the page about lips in aesthetic medicine.
Why lips dry out
The skin of the lips is thinner than on other parts of the body and has fewer sebaceous glands, which is why it loses water more easily. On top of that it is constantly exposed to wind, cold and ultraviolet radiation.
Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the skin as a component of connective tissue and is responsible for hydration, and through it for the springiness and density of the tissue. With age the body produces less and less of it. Around the lips this shows as a loss of volume, fine wrinkles and a less even tone, sometimes fading or a bluish tinge.
Dryness and laxity of the skin of the lips are not solely a matter of age. They also occur in younger people, in women and in men, and then too they can be a reason to come to the clinic.
When dryness needs a medical assessment
Persistent dryness and cracking of the lips is not always a skincare problem and an aesthetic treatment is not always the first step here.
See a doctor if dryness and cracking of the lips persist despite skincare and proper hydration.
Chapped lips are sometimes a sign that the body is not properly hydrated, and drying and cracking of the lips is a recognised side effect of some medicines, among them retinoids, corticosteroids and preparations used in acne. In such situations the cause is established first, because hydration with hyaluronic acid does not remove the factor causing the dryness.
How the treatment goes
The treatment is carried out by an aesthetic medicine doctor. The first visit takes about 45 minutes, the treatment itself 30 to 45 minutes.
The product is injected with a fine needle or a cannula, and after the injection the doctor gently massages the lips so that the product spreads evenly through the tissue.
Anaesthesia
We use two options, and the choice depends on the patient's sensitivity and the doctor's decision.
An anaesthetic ointment with lidocaine
Applied to the lip area before the treatment, it works at the surface and needs time to take effect. The standard option, chosen for comfort.
Computer-controlled anaesthesia
A controlled delivery of anaesthetic into the tissue, that is infiltration anaesthesia carried out with a dosing device. It works faster and deeper than an ointment. It is sometimes chosen for people with a low pain threshold. This option is familiar from dental practice.
What you feel during the treatment is individual. Afterwards, when the anaesthesia wears off, the lips can be tender.
The results and how long they last
The result is visible practically at once, but for the first 2 to 3 days swelling clouds the picture. The lips are gently filled, though not enlarged, fine wrinkles smooth out and the skin of the lips is better hydrated.
The results last on average 9 to 12 months. How long depends on the type of product, the rate of metabolism and how expressive the lips are. Smoking, exposure to the sun and sunbeds shorten how long the product works.
The treatment does not take you out of everyday activities, but that does not mean there is no reaction afterwards. For 2 to 3 days the lips may be slightly swollen and tender, so it is worth allowing for those few days when planning important events.
Who it is for
The treatment is most often carried out in people aged 30 to 40, but there is nothing to prevent it in younger and older people. Suitability is decided by the state of the lip area and the medical history, not by age. We carry it out for women and for men, for whom the absence of any enlarging effect is sometimes the deciding argument.
Recommendations after the treatment
Keeping the lip area clean, without touching it with your fingers.
For 2 to 3 days no alcohol, hot drinks or spicy and salty food, because they can increase the swelling.
Avoiding heavy physical exercise for a few days.
No sauna, swimming pool or sunbeds for about a week.
No dental treatment for at least 2 weeks, because strong pressure can displace the product.
Moisturising the lips and sun protection as recommended by the doctor.
With recurrent cold sores the doctor may recommend antiviral prevention before and after the treatment. Whether it is needed, which medicine and at what dose is decided by the doctor, so raise this at the appointment. Patients receive the full aftercare recommendations at the clinic.
Contraindications
The doctor takes a medical history before every treatment and rules out contraindications then. Tell them about all your conditions, the medicines you take and any treatments carried out around the lips recently.
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NL Clinic, Katowice
How the content is created
Last updated
13 August 2026
This material is for information purposes only and does not replace a medical consultation or qualification.
The questions we are asked most often
Will lip hydration make my lips bigger?
That is not the aim of this treatment. Lightly cross-linked hyaluronic acid is used, which binds water in the tissue instead of building volume. After the treatment the lips are gently filled, but a change of size is not the intention here. If you expect clearly larger lips, the more appropriate treatment is lip augmentation and shaping.
How long does the result last?
On average 9 to 12 months. How long depends on the type of product, the rate of metabolism, how expressive the lips are and on lifestyle. Smoking, exposure to the sun and sunbeds shorten how long the product works.
How does anaesthesia with an ointment differ from computer-assisted anaesthesia?
An ointment with lidocaine anaesthetises at the surface and needs time to take effect. Computer-assisted anaesthesia involves a controlled delivery of anaesthetic into the tissue, which works faster and deeper. It is sometimes chosen for people with a low pain threshold. The doctor decides on the method of anaesthesia at the appointment.
Will there be visible swelling after the treatment?
For 2 to 3 days the lips may be slightly swollen, tender and red. That is an expected reaction after an injection, not a complication. The treatment does not require taking time off everyday activities, but it is worth allowing for those few days when planning important events.
When do dry lips need a visit to the doctor?
When dryness and cracking persist despite skincare and hydration. Drying of the lips is sometimes a side effect of medicines, for example retinoids, corticosteroids and preparations used in acne, and also a sign of other conditions. In such a situation the cause is established first, and an aesthetic treatment is not the first step.
Is the treatment carried out for men?
Yes. It is precisely the absence of any enlarging effect that makes it one of the treatments chosen by men. The assessment and the course of the treatment are the same.
Can this treatment be done before deciding on lip augmentation?
Yes, and it is sometimes a sensible order. The treatment lets you learn what an injection around the lips is like and how you react afterwards, without changing the size of the lips. The decision about shaping or augmentation can be made later, after talking to the doctor.
The content is for information. It does not replace a consultation, an examination or an individual medical assessment.