If you want to have fuller lips, you may feel it is time for lip augmentation. Various techniques are used to plump up lips including collagen and fat injections. However, the most common and safest option is the injection of dermal filler called ‘hyaluronic acid’ which is marketed under the name Juvéderm or Restylane. The effects of hyaluronic acid injection include increased lip volume and an improved shape and last for around 6 months, before a top up is required.
If you are considering lip augmentation, here are five things to check before you take the plunge.
The experience and qualifications of your doctor
Make sure you only trust your lip augmentation to a fully qualified specialist who is experienced in giving lip filler injections. Don’t be tempted to go to a beauty salon or beautician at a spa. Plastic surgeons, cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists are among those who may be trained in lip augmentation. Check with the General Medical Council or your General Practitioner for recommendations or advice. You can also check more here from Ramsay Health Care on what we provide to all of our customers with the following quality assurance guarantees.
The suitability of your chosen clinic
The clinic for your consultation and treatment should be scrupulously clean and professionally run. The doctor should work in surgically sterile conditions and should be qualified to administer a local anaesthetic or a nerve block if required, although a numbing cream is often sufficient.
Whether you are a suitable candidate for lip augmentation
There are particular medical conditions which could rule you out from having lip filler injection, including diabetes, blood clotting disorders and active infection such as cold sores. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have an allergy to any medicines, including local anaesthetics and antibiotics.
Potential side effects
You should see the beneficial results of your lip augmentation immediately, although it could take a few days for any swelling to settle down. Application of ice can help.
If the filler needs to be quickly removed, for example in the case of an allergic reaction, injection of the enzyme hyaluronidase can dissolve it rapidly, to remove it from the lips. However, only a qualified doctor can administer this and other medicines, so once again, it is really important to go to a registered medical practitioner.
Other possible side effects include bleeding, tenderness and reactivation of cold sores. More serious, prolonged side effects can include lip asymmetry, infection and scarring.
Is any preparation required prior to lip augmentation?
Your doctor will advise you if you should do anything in particular in the run up to your lip filler injection. However general advice would be to avoid tablets which can thin the blood, such as aspirin, in order to reduce the risk of severe bruising.
About Ramsay Health Care
At Ramsay Health Care we are proud to work in partnership with some of the highest qualified and experienced cosmetic surgeons, ophthalmologist, orthopaedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, pain management consultants and physiotherapists in the UK. Our holistic care offers you the best treatment!
At Ramsay you won’t have to wait for an appointment for your lip augmentation. Your treatment may be covered by medical insurance and self-pay packages are available on request. We have first class facilities and all self-funding and most privately insured patients can enjoy our Private Patient Pledge offering exclusive benefits including superb food, a relaxing environment, priority access and appointments to suit your lifestyle. Our aim is to help you feel like a guest as well as a patient.
Please contact us for more information.