So it doesnt take a rocket scientist to see that Lip fillers are on an all time high. It took a little social media push from the famous Kylie Jenner and her volumptuous lips to send the treatment into overdrive. I want to share my top 11 tips of the do’s and don’t’s before you go ahead with treatment. I would also like to take this opportunity to stress that like with any procedure, the risks and benefits should be researched and your practitioner should always answer any queries  you may have pre or post procedure. If you do choose to go ahead, it should be your own decicion and not anyone elses influence. As some of you may already know I have had lip fillers myself and I wish I had looked into everything I am about to explain to you all.

1. Research the doctor

This is probably the most important thing. I wish I had looked into who I used to do my treatment the first time. I saw an ad on facebook, a “promotion’ for 1ml of lip filler. Naturally I was like “well why not”. I drove 30 minutes to see this lady, The scary thing is I didn’t once ask what qualifications she had, what insurance she had, or what product she was using. I was completely clueless.

So, I walked in, she took one look at me and said how much would you like…. 0.5ml or 1ml. I literally said I just don’t want to look like a ‘duck’. She clearly didn’t find this funny and opted for the 1ml.

So needless to say, my first experience was actually a total disaster – the beauty therapist inserted way too much filler, and in all the wrong areas, so instead of a perfectly plump pout, my lips just looked uneven. With this being said when I went home and reflected on it for 2weeks for the swelling to subside, I rang her and asked if I could have it dissolved. Her response was “I am not trained in dissolving”.

I would like to stress that I would like people to please learn from my mistake; read the reviews, study the pictures, and most importantly make sure it’s a board-certified practitioner. A good practitioner will be able to ensure your smile remains in balance and that you look authentic. We know it’s tempting to go for that facebook/Groupon deal, but you really want to make sure the person knows what they are doing, know the anatomy and know how to rectify any problems.

My lips post treatment disaster

    

2. Take it slow, you can always get it topped up 

When it comes to fillers, you should take it slow. Some practicioners will suggest/ allow you to have half a ml and come back for a top up if you feel you still want more. The problem with having too much is the implications it may have. There are risks involved when going “too big” from occluded (blocked) blood vessels where you decrease the oxygen to the skin and risk loosing you lips or deforming them permenantly. You can also cause the lip to tear where you will find the filler seeping out.

3. Consider how big is big?

Prior to making an appointment you need to think hard about what your desired image is post procedure. As well as this you need to take into consideration the size of your lips now. For me, I just wanted my lip liner to go on easier, defined lip lines essentially. However some people can walk in and leave unhappy. They may have wanted a dramatic change and feel that there has been an insignificant change. You need to make your practitioner aware of your desired look and they can let you know whether it is achievable or not. There are different ways in which the practitioner can alter the image of your lips but unless they know what you want you may leave unsatisfied. For a juicier lip, we insert the filler directly into your lips, but if you want something more natural, we insert the filler on the rim of your lips.

4. Prep before each and every appointment

You need to ensure that it not on a whim. There is prepping to do prior to you appointment that have medical implications if not abided by. The week before your appointment you can’t take any aspirin, anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen, fish oil, multivitamins or vitamin E. You may be thinking a vitamin will not alter your treatment however you would be very surprised. The vitamins can interact with the product again altering your desired outcome. The medications cause thinning of your blood which can cause bruising or even not allow you to stop bleeding post procedure. I usually also recommend to be alcohol and caffeine free 24 hours prior to your appointment to optimise treatment and reduce any swelling.

5. Carefully choose the type of filler and how much 

So 10 years ago there was only one type of filler known as collagen. Now the market is infiltrated with various different products. The most common of these is hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvederm, teoxane and Restylane. I will do a blog post about each product and the negative and positives of each.

6. The procedure is really quick and your results are almost instant

So it would usually take me around an hour to do the consultation and the procedure. The procedure itself takes about 20 minutes, the rest of the appointment is where I take a full medical history and talk to the patient about what their desired outcomes are. I also use anaestetic so this takes around 10 minutes to kick in, ensuring an almost pain free experience. I do need to warn however that some people may not be selfie ready immediately. Some will experience swelling others may experience bruising, however the technique I use ensures that this is very minimal. Swelling is usually expected to settle around 5 days post procedure however; this can vary between pateints. I will discuss the do’s and don’t’s post procedure and what to do if you experience any lumps or bumps in another blog. With saying this the products and technique used at L1P ensures that these issues are rarely experienced.

7. Snap the process – keep it confidential

Pre-procedure try to take as many photos from every angle as possible. It may sound silly however you wold be surprised how quickly you get used to your new plump lips and forget what they were before. A quick comparison will ease all of your questions. We would ask your permission to use your photos however we are obliged by our governing body for doctors to ensure patient identity is kept confidential. I would like to stress that if at any point you have a procedure anywhere in the UK to ensure you state that you do not want your images used on social media, if you feel strongly against it. If you would like any advice regarding images used on other websites and you are not happy about it, please contact us and I will guide you on how to get them removed.

 

8. Know the risks of lip filler

The renowned lunchtime procedure is not as risk free as people may think. As with any procedure big or small there are risks that come hand in hand. There are risks of infection, swelling, bruising and in more severe cases, permanent negative alteration. With any infection or allergic reaction ensure you consult with your practitioner if they are qualified to give advice, if not please don’t hesitate to consult your doctor. Here at L1P we are all medically trained so if the unfortunate rare case does arise we are able to guide and assist you.

9. Expect to splash the cash – it’s not cheap

I am not sure if many of you are aware however lip fillers are not permanent. They are made of bonds which you can read further in my blog about the different fillers. These bonds degrade over time and depending on the filler you opt for they may last from 3 months up to a 6 months. it’s usually never a one-off, so consider how much you could be spend. People say it can be addictive and this can be true. You may get used to the plumper look and hence may want to top up a couple of times a year, so please be aware it may be an expensive treat.

10. Dissolving the filler

Back to my own experience, the lady I used was completely clueless on how to reverse what she had done to my face. This lead me to research further, attend courses to ensure anyone who comes to me never feels that they are stuck with filler if it really isn’t what they want. It was only once it had gone wrong on me that I decided to research, which now looking back it was really silly. We at L1P use hyaluronic based products ensuring that if on the rare occasion there was an issue with the outcome and image, that we can reverse it. We use hyaluronidase, an enzyme that speeds up the degradation of hyaluronic acid, quickly and safely.

11. Dr. Ranjbar’s Top 4 Tips

1. You should always go slow. It is beneficial to try small amount of filler over 2 to 3 sittings to enable a fuller look and at the same time maintain the beautiful shape of the lip. This would ensure that risks are reduced. Remember little is more.
2. Research your practitioner, whether it is a doctor or a beautician, ensure that they know their anatomy and have the correct qualifications and insurance in place. The most common side effects are bruising, swelling and tenderness but there are also important vessels in this area. It’s very important that the person injecting understands anatomy very well and knows how to avoid hitting or getting any product into those vessels to help avoid permanent scarring and disfigurement.
3. Look at your face as a whole and try to determine whether a fuller lip would be in proportion to the rest of your face. Obviously, we at L1P will discuss this with you during your consultation, but it does help if the patient has thought through this prior to their procedure. Sometimes volume loss in other areas can affect the way the lips look, and especially the chin can affect how you see the lips and the balance of lower to the upper lip. All this can be discussed in a consultation with the doctor.
4. Research the filler you have opted for. Each product has varying qualities and though you will be consulted, it is always up to the patient what product they choose to go ahead with

 

 

 

 

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