Lip augmentation allows you to make them attractive and beautiful. Additionally, you can correct asymmetry, restore contour and even somewhat rejuvenate your face. Typically, injection methods are used for lip augmentation. They are safe and are not associated with excessive injury. However, they still involve intervention in the human body. Therefore, the final result largely depends on post-injection care. If you strictly follow the recommendations, you can significantly speed up the process and also minimize the likelihood of side effects.
Recommendations before the lip contouring procedure
It is better to start preparing before the procedure. The further speed of healing largely depends on this. First of all, you need to make sure there are no contraindications. You can clarify their list during the initial consultation. You should pay attention to the presence of damage in the area of upcoming injections, as well as the presence of herpes. It is recommended to refuse the procedure in case of exacerbation of chronic diseases, infections, etc. Particular attention should be paid to the presence of herpes.
After examining and consulting the patient, the doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs. This is due to the fact that intervention can provoke a recurrence of infections. But starting to take them on your own without first consulting a specialist is highly discouraged. Additionally, before the procedure you should not take blood thinners. They increase the likelihood of bleeding.
The method cannot be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Additionally, drinking alcohol before lip augmentation is prohibited. This increases the likelihood of swelling and bruising. Sports activities and visiting the solarium are also prohibited. If you follow the recommendations correctly, you can significantly reduce the risk of complications.
Recommendations after lip augmentation
When the procedure is completed, the main period of care begins. Initially, severe redness and swelling may appear. The process is considered natural. Over time, such phenomena disappear.
Injection marks may also be visible. They are especially pronounced in the first two days. Then the swelling and inflammation go away. Lips acquire the desired shape.
There is no need for long-term rehabilitation after lip augmentation using injections. However, it is necessary to understand that the sensitivity of the skin in the affected area will increase. Therefore, it is highly recommended not to touch or rub it in the first few days. Additionally, massage is prohibited. If the patient is hypersensitive, an anesthetic ointment can be used. The doctor will prescribe a suitable drug.
You can massage the lip area only 4 weeks after the injections, unless the cosmetologist says otherwise. In this case, exposure is permissible only after the swelling has subsided. To speed up healing, you can use Panthenol. Additionally, the following recommendations must be observed:
- during the first week it is better not to use decorative cosmetics;
- you must stop drinking alcohol;
- on the first day, the consumption of hot foods is prohibited;
- until the lips have healed, it is better not to smoke;
- During the recovery period, you cannot do permanent makeup or use peeling.
Excessive physical activity is prohibited. They can be resumed after 7 days if the patient feels well. Despite the fact that the lips themselves are not involved during physical activity, the temperature rises. This can slow down the healing process. Additionally, sunbathing and tanning in a solarium are prohibited. Sauna and steaming procedures are generally prohibited. It is better not to swim in the pool or sea temporarily, as this can lead to allergies or irritation, as well as infections.
How to reduce swelling?
There are several options here:
- Refrain from visiting the sauna or bathhouse after the procedure;
- Try not to eat spicy foods for 14 days;
- Do not touch your lips with your hands or kiss intensely.
Before the procedure, the doctor must fill out an informed consent, which indicates the name of the drug, its dosage, and also contains rules of behavior after filler injections. If there is something you don’t understand, don’t hesitate – ask your doctor all your questions! Do not experiment under any circumstances, do not apply compresses unless your doctor advises you to do so, and do not use the first anti-edema ointment you come across.
If severe swelling is observed after injections and it lasts for a long time, you need to consult a cosmetologist - only he can give correct and safe recommendations on how to relieve swelling.
Immediately after the procedure
In fact, the entire healing procedure can be divided into several stages. Initially, swelling appears. Then hematomas may occur. This reaction is considered normal. Additionally, there may be a feeling of tightness and fullness in the mouth area.
You should not evaluate the result immediately after the procedure. It will change somewhat in the future. To understand what your lips will look like, you need to wait a few days. In general, the result is visible within a week.
If bruises appear, there is also no need to panic. They occur if the cosmetologist touches a vessel. The situation is not dangerous. However, this may not look aesthetically pleasing. They will go away on their own within a few days.
On the first day after the procedure, you should not drink hot drinks. It is better to minimize the use of cosmetics. Additionally, you should not swim in the pool or overheat. If you follow your doctor's recommendations, the likelihood of developing side effects is minimal.
Complications due to the use of non-absorbable gels for contouring
Biopolymer and silicone non-absorbable fillers are prohibited in most countries, but some homeworkers work with them. Patients are tempted by the affordable price and the “forever” result, and completely in vain. Over time, non-absorbable drugs begin to shift relative to the original injection area, distorting facial features. Inflammation and chronic infections often develop, and the body may simply begin to reject the drug. To remove gels, complex and expensive plastic surgeries are required, so do not skimp on beauty and health - in the end you will have to pay a lot more.
In order to avoid unwanted effects after contouring, trust only professionals, strictly follow all doctor’s recommendations, and if you have any disturbing symptoms, do not hesitate to immediately contact the clinic.
Be beautiful and healthy with GMTClinic!
Contraindications after lip augmentation
Lip contouring is considered a safe procedure. After it, you can almost immediately return to your normal lifestyle. The need for care and healing is still present. Although the doctor uses anesthesia, the procedure may be painful. Unpleasant sensations persist in the future. They can follow the patient for up to 3 days. In order not to worsen the condition, it is important to follow a number of recommendations. Thus, the following contraindications apply:
- It is recommended not to eat food for 3 hours. The greatest number of restrictions concerns hot dishes. It is better not to eat them during the day. Otherwise, there is a risk of spoiling the result, as well as injuring the treated area. Therefore, it is recommended to give preference to products at room temperature. Hot and spicy dishes should be excluded from the menu. Eating such food is fraught with inflammation and swelling. It is advisable to cut the food into small pieces. It's better not to open your mouth wide. This increases soreness. On the first day after the procedure, it is highly recommended not to touch the treatment area. This is fraught with infection. It needs some time to heal.
- While your lips are healing, it is better not to use decorative cosmetics. The use of lipsticks, lip pencils, balms, and glosses is prohibited. Their use is fraught with the occurrence of infections.
- Overheating must be avoided. Otherwise, restructuring of hyaluronic acid is possible. It is also better not to use cooling compresses too often. Otherwise, the skin will become excessively dry and microcracks may appear.
- It is recommended to limit physical activity. Also, doctors do not recommend showing facial activity.
- Tanning is banned for one to two weeks. During this period, it is also not recommended to be in the open sun. The above procedures lead to excessive sweating, which increases the risk of infection. Additionally, the development of hyperpigmentation and swelling is possible. All warming procedures are also prohibited. They can lead to the breakdown of hyaluronic acid.
Inflammatory processes at injection sites
A minor inflammatory reaction is considered a variant of the norm - it develops as a result of a foreign substance entering the body (despite the complete biocompatibility of hyaluronic acid with the human body, fillers trigger standard protection against “external invasions”). If the process takes place in 1-3 days, everything is fine, if it persists for a longer period:
- an infection has penetrated into the tissue - with injections (due to improper treatment of the skin before injections, or the use of a low-quality drug or consumables);
- the injection provoked an exacerbation of the infection, which was “dormant” in the tissues;
- There are autoimmune pathologies, against the background of which, as a result of the injection of filler, the patient begins to experience uncontrolled inflammatory reactions in the treatment areas.
To effectively treat a pathological condition, it is important to accurately determine the cause of its development; based on the results, the patient may be prescribed antibiotics, NSAIDs, antihistamines or steroids.
Lip care after augmentation
You need to take good care of your lips. This will speed up healing and also minimize the risk of negative consequences. Care includes the following activities:
- Using moisturizing balms or hygienic lipsticks. They will saturate the area with liquid and prevent cracking.
- Minimizing physical activity. It is better not to go to the gym for about 2 weeks. Visiting him is fraught with increased blood pressure, which is extremely undesirable.
- To relieve swelling, it is recommended to use special ointments. The doctor will prescribe them.
- If inflammation or herpes appears, you must inform a specialist. He will examine the area and then suggest treatment.
In general, the healing process proceeds quite quickly. The injected gel will saturate the skin with hyaluronate, and the area will take the required shape. To quickly relieve swelling and redness, you can apply a cold compress. It is not recommended to perform them too often. Extreme cooling can lead to dryness, resulting in a risk of chapped lips. This is fraught with the appearance of new wounds and an increase in healing time.
Complications and side effects after injection of fillers
Contour plastic surgery with fillers based on hyaluronic acid is considered one of the safest aesthetic procedures. However, complications are still possible. What are these complications and can they be managed?
Contouring specialists are often compared to sculptors. Smooth out wrinkles, give youthful roundness to the cheekbones and cheeks, straighten the oval of the face, add volume to the lips - fillers based on hyaluronic acid can do all this.
Side effect or complication after fillers?
When injecting fillers, two groups of problems are possible: unwanted side effects and complications.
Unwanted side effects after fillers
These include conditions that do not directly threaten the patient's health. These problems include:
- Hematomas. Small bruises in the injection area occur due to damage to small vessels by the needle.
- Swelling after injections. It is a natural inflammatory reaction of tissues to any injury. Remember how the bruised area swells.
- Impaired sensitivity. Appears due to temporary “compression” of the nerves by the filler.
- The appearance of pigmentation at the sites of filler injection. In response to injury to skin cells, melanocytes sometimes begin to produce the pigment melanin.
- Tyndall effect. Due to prolonged tissue swelling after trauma, the functioning of skin vessels is disrupted. As a result, when light is refracted, bluish or pinkish stripes “shine through” under the skin, and sometimes nearby vessels become noticeable. Most often, this side effect after injection of fillers occurs when too dense a product is injected close enough to the surface of the skin.
Complications after fillers
Complications can also often be predicted. But. Unlike side effects, their consequences are unfavorable, affecting the health and aesthetic result of the procedure. Complications are always associated with the prescription of some type of treatment, that is, they require direct medical intervention.
- Tissue necrosis. This is the most serious complication after fillers, occurring due to the gel getting into the vessel or compression (squeezing) of the vessel.
- Long-term loss of sensation at the injection site. Like short-term, it is a consequence of “squeezing” the nerves with filler.
- Contouring (blooming) of the drug under the skin
- It occurs when filler is injected too close to the surface of the skin.
- Whitening of the skin at injection sites. This complication after fillers occurs for a number of reasons. Instant whitening without pain can be caused by the presence of the anesthetic lidocaine in the drug. Whitening, accompanied by sharp pain-embolism (“blockage”) of the vessel when the drug enters it. Sometimes this condition is caused by ischemia (impaired blood supply) of the capillaries of the dermis - this condition usually goes away on its own over time. - Fibrosis. Thickening of the skin at the injection site, manifested in the production of new collagen fibers and the proliferation of connective tissue, is a natural tissue reaction to any foreign substance. Thus, the body tries to fence itself off from it. But sometimes this growth is excessive - skin thickening becomes too noticeable.
- Granulomas are tiny nodules that appear on the surface of the skin. Such complications after fillers appear as a result of the body’s desire to fence off the foreign substance. The foreign body is contained in a kind of capsule. Granulomas can be either inflammatory or non-inflammatory.
- Changes in skin texture in the area of filler injection. Occurs due to filler migration, uneven distribution, or injection too close to the skin surface.
Depending on the time of occurrence, side effects and complications can be early or delayed.
Early adverse events, such as bruising or whitening of the skin, occur immediately after filler injection.
Delayed ones - infection of the injection area, hyperpigmentation at the site of the hematoma, etc. - appear after a few days or later.
What measures can the patient take to avoid these complications?
- Carry out the procedure only in a specialized clinic/clinic where all rules of asepsis and antisepsis are observed and the necessary emergency equipment is available.
- Inquire in advance about the doctor’s qualifications. Unfortunately, in the practice of a cosmetologist, adverse events are not so rare. And the more often, the longer the cosmetologist’s work experience. This depends not only on the experience of the doctor, but also on the number of different patients. However, when communicating with an experienced specialist, this risk is certainly less. Besides, he knows how to deal with them.
- Pay attention to how carefully the doctor collects anamnesis during the consultation - he is interested in previous and existing diseases, medications taken, as well as injections that were done before. Such a conversation allows you to avoid complications and side effects after the injection of fillers. Various autoimmune diseases can cause granulomas, and taking certain medications can lead to immunosuppression. Do not hide information about your health status; this can be extremely important for the successful outcome of the procedure.
- When performing contour plastic surgery, the doctor must use only certified drugs. This information must be available in the clinic. Before the procedure, their name and number must be entered into the medical record.
- Strictly and carefully follow the doctor’s recommendations before and after the procedure (do not go to the sauna, do not sunbathe, do not massage the injection sites, etc.). If complications occur, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Chistyakova O.A.
Lip massage after augmentation
It is strictly not recommended to massage your lips immediately after the procedure. This is fraught with infection. You must wait at least a day. It is better to slightly increase this period. However, in general, massage is beneficial. It will help the drug to be evenly distributed on the lips. As a result, the risk of unevenness will be significantly reduced. Additionally, this effect helps restore blood circulation. Overall, it will be possible to significantly shorten the healing period. It is better to massage after the swelling subsides. Until this moment, there is an active recovery period, and massage can cause harm.
Answers to popular questions
To study the situation in more detail, we recommend that you read the answers to popular questions. Additionally, you can contact your doctor and clarify with him the nuances of interest. Our specialists provide comprehensive support. They work with patients both before and after the procedure. The cosmetologist ensures that the patient receives care. He clarifies all the details. As a result, the occurrence of effects is reduced.
How long does it take for lips to heal after augmentation?
Recovery takes 1 to 2 weeks. However, everything is individual. The speed of recovery is affected by proper care. If the patient uses healing and soothing ointments, discomfort will decrease, swelling will subside faster, and the recovery procedure will take less time. However, the funds can be selected together with your doctor. Specialists will find out which drugs can be used in a particular case, and then prescribe the appropriate medication.
Is it possible to drink alcohol after lip augmentation?
Drinking alcohol during the entire healing period is strictly prohibited. This is due to the fact that it has a thinning effect on the blood. As a result, extensive hematomas may appear that do not look very aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, there is a risk of developing other negative reactions. Because of this, it is recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol.
Kissing after lip augmentation
The pain persists for the first few days. Therefore, kissing can bring physical discomfort. It's better to avoid them. When the swelling subsides and the discomfort disappears, they are acceptable. However, it is best to refrain from excessive activity until healing is completely complete.
Is it possible to play sports after lip augmentation?
Physical activity increases sweating and increases blood pressure. All this negatively affects the healing process. As a result, the likelihood of infections and side effects increases. Therefore, it is not recommended to exercise for at least one week. It is better to postpone going to the gym until healing is complete.
Is it possible to smoke after lip augmentation?
Smoking is also included in the list of prohibited activities. In the first days, holding a cigarette with your lips will be uncomfortable. This will significantly increase discomfort and also slow down healing. The risk of side effects will also increase significantly. Therefore, during the recovery period after lip augmentation, smoking is prohibited.