Lip Fillers

As we age our skin's underlying structure gradually begins to break down and we begin to lose skin volume, elasticity and firmness. This occurs all over the face and body to leave us with lines and wrinkles and sagging skin.

In the lip area, the ageing process is particularly noticeable. Over time lips become less full and plump and begin to lose their definition around the borders both on the top of the mouth (Cupid's Bow) and around the corners of the mouth. Vertical lines and folds also begin to appear around the mouth, particularly among smokers.

Lip filler is a quick, safe and effective treatment for rejuvenating the lip region and restoring a youthful appearance to these age-related mouth and lip conditions.

We only offer consultant-led lip filler treatments, performed by highly trained cosmetic dermatologists or plastic surgeons.

Dermal Filler treatments in the UK are currently unregulated meaning any aesthetic practitioner can perform them. This has led to the proliferation of low quality 'high street' providers, and filler treatments even being made available in non-medical environments such as gyms.

At the Cadogan Clinic, we believe such practices are extremely risky and highly correlated with unsafe and poor aesthetic outcomes.

It is best to arrive at the clinic with your skin as best prepared for your dermal filler treatment as it can be. This would ideally include not drinking alcohol for 2-3 days prior to your appointment to lessen the risk of bleeding and bruising, as well as having had plenty of rest the night before your treatment to ensure you arrive feeling calm and relaxed.

It is also advised that you do not consume ibuprofen and aspirin for 1 week prior to your appointment as these can also thin your blood making bruising more likely.

Dermal filler treatments are generally not painful, although the amount of discomfort you experience may vary depending on the area.

Treatments around the lip are typically the most uncomfortable but the pain can be easily tolerated through the anaesthetic included in the filler and the application, if required, of an additional topically applied anaesthetic cream.

Your lip enhancement treatment should be virtually painless.

There is typically no downtime at all.

There may be a slight mild redness, swelling, tenderness, bruising, or itching which usually subsides after a few hours following treatment - most patients can return to work or to their regular activities immediately after receiving treatment, although we recommend 24hrs before doing any vigorous exercise.

Dermal fillers work instantly so you should start to see the results immediately, and certainly within the first 48 hours. We typically recommend allowing a week or so before expecting to see the final results, in order to allow for any minor swelling or bruising to subside.

The beauty of lip fillers is the results can be as subtle or dramatic as you would like them to be. Our consultants can control the outcome based on a patient’s stated personal preferences. Some patients prefer an extremely subtle change, whilst others may prefer something more impactful.

Either way, your results will look natural, as our specialists will use your natural contours to deliver the very best outcomes. You will also retain a full array of facial expressions after your lip filler treatment.

If you are looking for a permanent change in the shape or volume of your lips, you may wish to consider an alternative treatment, such as fat transfer to face.

Fat transfer to face, also referred to as facial fat grafting, is a surgical treatment that sees fat taken from another area of the body and processed before being reintroduced to the relevant part of the face, in this case, the lips.

This treatment will add volume to the lips and rejuvenate the appearance of the lower part of the face. Your consultant will be able to discuss this treatment option with you in more detail.

Lip fillers are extremely safe when delivered by a trained medical practitioner. Outcomes can be managed precisely by a technical practitioner, and results are also not permanent and can be rectified ('dissolved') if they are not to your satisfaction.

That said, whilst extremely rare when fillers are delivered in a medical environment by a medical professional, possible risks include:

• Asymmetry, or uneven result
• Allergic reaction
• Bruising, bleeding on injection site, swelling
• Damage to skin and possible scarring
• Lumps of filler under the skin
• Skin necrosis
• Infection

These risks will be fully discussed at your consultation.

We typically recommend you wait at least 12 hours before applying any makeup, lip liner or lipstick. This is because lip filler injections can leave the area feeling tender and bruised and applying any make-up on the affected area may exacerbate this tenderness and cause some discomfort of the lips. When applying lipstick or lip liner, be careful not to put too much pressure on the lips in order to avoid disturbing and moving the lip filler around and risk compromising the result of your filler.

During your consultation, you will discuss your expectations in detail with your trained medical consultant, so there really should not be any surprise when it comes to the results.

That said, if you are unhappy with the results you are free to revisit the Clinic to see if your concerns can be rectified by the addition of further lip filler, or neutralised by administering a solution that dissolves the filler almost instantly, leaving no lasting damage or effect.

Over time the naturally-occurring active agent in dermal fillers – hyaluronic acid – will wear off. 

The filler will be reabsorbed into the body, leaving no lasting damage or effect. Your lips will return to their pretreatment state. 

There are some misconceptions that lip fillers stretch your skin, leaving wrinkles and sagging skin behind once the lip filler wears off. There is no truth in this. In fact, dermal fillers can increase the body’s natural collagen production, improving skin laxity and leaving you with younger-looking lips and skin.

If you want to maintain the result of your dermal lip fillers, you will need to visit the clinic for follow-up treatments.

Bruising and swelling after lip filler can occur so we recommend following the below guidelines before and after your treatment:

• Not taking aspirin or ibuprofen in the week prior to treatment and the two days afterwards
• Avoiding alcohol at least 24 hours before and after your treatment
• Avoiding strenuous exercise for 24 hours after treatment
• Avoiding extreme temperatures wherever possible (e.g. steam rooms, saunas)

Juvederm is an extremely popular form of injectable filler, commonly used for lip enhancement; however, it can also be used to treat natural wrinkles and folds in the skin, which are commonly found around our eyes and can appear on our foreheads.

Juvederm is composed mainly of a natural material called hyaluronic acid, which is found in the skin of mammals and is responsible for holding in the skin's moisture. As our bodies begin to age, the skin gradually begins to lose its hyaluronic acid, which in turn, results in thinner and more wrinkled skin. This is often noticeable around the mouth lips and eyes.

Juvederm Lip enhancement is a treatment designed specifically to restore the moisture in the lips to provide fuller and more youthful lips. To achieve the appearance of a more youthful and fuller lip, the Juvederm filler is carefully injected, using a tiny needle, into the desired area and the area surrounding.

Juvederm is made primarily of natural substances, and over time, it will gradually be absorbed back into the body. Once a desired look has been achieved, it is common for a patient to require repeat procedures in order to maintain this more youthful and fuller face.

Initial treatments usually last for approximately 10 – 12 months; however, this can often vary depending on each patient. Due to the nature of Juvederm, and the fact that the effects can be reversed over a long period of time, it is extremely popular amongst patients who have no experience of cosmetic surgery.