Nothing’s more seductive than a pair of soft, shapely lips. But if you weren’t born with a perfect pucker, there’s no need to despair—you can still get the sultry look you want with a little help from lip fillers.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, over 2.7 million Americans received soft tissue fillers in 2017, making it the second most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedure in the country. Before you make an appointment with your medical provider, though, it’s important to understand what you’re getting into. Here’s a brief crash course in lip injections, and what to expect from start to finish.

Defining Your Lip Goals

Every lip augmentation begins with a consultation. This is where you sit down with your provider and discuss your aesthetic goals. Are you looking for subtle shape or dramatic volume? Do you want to add gentle contours, or reduce fine lines and wrinkles around your mouth? Whatever your desired results, your provider will design a customized lip injection plan to help you achieve them.

Choosing the Right Dermal Filler

Most lip fillers are comprised of hyaluronic acid, a substance that naturally occurs in the body. While different lip fillers are made of this same material, there are slight variations in how each product is formulated, thus producing different results.

The Two Most Popular Lip Injections Are:

1. Juvederm

Offering a diverse collection of fillers, Juvederm products provide a wide range of volume options, from subtle to super voluptuous.

2. Restylane

Restylane is a good choice for soft, natural fullness, as well as for smoothing out vertical lines around your mouth.

After your initial consultation, your provider will be able to tell you which product will work best to help you achieve your aesthetic goals. In some cases, you may opt to use a combination of fillers, rather than just one.

What to Expect From a Lip Augmentation Procedure

Lip injections generally require no downtime and can be performed in your provider’s office in under 30 minutes. Before the injections are administered, you may have a topical numbing cream applied to your skin to help reduce discomfort. Then, your provider will slowly inject the filler in and around your lips, shaping carefully and adjusting as necessary to attain the desired results.

Side effects from the procedure may include bruising and swelling at the injection sites, but these effects are usually minimal. Many patients use ice packs or over-the-counter pain medications to control discomfort, but since every person is different, you should talk to your provider about what’s best for you.

Life After Lip Injections

While you’ll see changes to the size and shape of your lips almost immediately after the fillers have been injected, the final results won’t be visible for about two weeks, after swelling completely subsides. Depending on the types of fillers used and where they were injected, you’ll enjoy beautiful, natural-looking results for anywhere from six to eighteen months. And since lip fillers are temporary, you’ll need to repeat the treatments periodically in order to maintain your results.

Get the Perfect Pout at Siti Med Spa in Bankers Hill, San Diego

If you’re ready to perfect your pout, Siti Med Spa can help. Whether you want to pump up the volume or smooth out lip lines, we can create a custom plan for lip enhancement to make them lush, kissable, and completely unique. Our skilled medical providers have years of experience in administering dermal fillers and helping people all over San Diego look and feel their best. Give us a call at (619) 717-8484. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about the lip augmentation process, or to schedule your consultation today.