Among all cosmetic procedures, lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid is one of the most popular. With its help, it not only adds volume, but also corrects the shape of the lips, eliminates asymmetry, if any, smooths out wrinkles around the mouth, and makes the face more attractive. Just 1 hour - and your new lips are ready! However, you need to be prepared for the fact that after the procedure for 2-3 days you will feel slight discomfort, swelling in this area and bruises may appear, because lip contouring is performed using injections of special drugs.
Why does swelling occur after lip augmentation?
Swelling on the lips after injections appears due to changes in the structure of the layers of skin tissue.
Hyaluronic acid (and it is more often used for beauty injections) saturates the epidermis and subcutaneous layers with a significant amount of moisture. As a result, the area where the event was held is rejuvenated.
At the same time, injections lead to swelling, which unpresentably changes the area of its impact.
Although thin needles are used for injections, the integrity of the skin surface is compromised. At the puncture sites, the formation of mild inflammation is inevitable, leading to changes in appearance.
The cosmetologist performing the procedure will definitely inform the patient about how to care for the lips to get rid of swelling. And if the specialist’s recommendations are followed, the swelling usually goes away after 2-5 days, but sometimes it disappears after 7-12 days.
Some fillers cause more swelling because they are hydrophilic and absorb more water from surrounding tissue.
Dermatologist Heidi Weldorf
TOP 10 reasons
Pathological changes worry patients if swelling on the lips persists for a long time, up to several weeks. The reasons for this are considered:
- Lack of experience of the specialist (unsuccessfully carried out lip augmentation).
- Non-sterile instruments.
- Deep penetration of filler into the structural layers of the skin.
- The body’s tendency to develop edema is explained by disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys, with disruptions in the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Fragility of capillaries, which confirms the occurrence of hematomas and bruises on the lips.
- Injection of an excessive volume of filler.
- Herpes in the mouth area, which appears as a result of a decline in immunity in this area.
- Incorrect lip care during the post-procedure period.
- Infection of the treated area.
- The patient is predisposed to allergies to the ingredients included in the drug.
It is the lips that swell the most (when compared with other parts of the face). This occurs due to the characteristics of tissues and blood vessels.
Plastic surgeon Steven Weber
The most common miscalculations of the doctor are: exceeding the volume of injected hyaluron, unsterilely processed medical instruments.
And if the doctor is found guilty of poor-quality surgery with hyaluronic acid, which was a consequence of exceeding the duration of lip swelling, the doctor is obliged to eliminate the defect at his own expense.
Often the patient himself becomes the culprit of the complication. He risks getting the wrong result if he does not adhere to certain rules.
One of them is not to require the introduction of the maximum permissible volume of filler during the first session. A competent specialist will select the required dose, taking into account the individuality of the patient.
You should not remain in a horizontal position for a long time in the first few hours after the injection. You need to sit on the sofa with your head lying on high pillows.
Dermatologist Sean Allen
During menstruation, for 2-3 days before and after it, you should not plan to enlarge your lips, since hormones affect the duration of swelling around the mouth.
As a result, the lips will be too swollen and have a blue-violet tint for a longer period. In addition, sensitivity to pain will increase, and this will cause aggravation of discomfort.
When swelling after lip augmentation with Juvederm 3, Princess Volume or other filler does not disappear for a long time, balls appear in the injection areas. They appear on the lips after manipulation with hyaluronic acid in all patients. This indicates collagen production.
Dermatologist Sean Allen
How to dissolve hyaluronic acid introduced during lip augmentation?
Dissolves hyaluronic acid - hyaluronidase. Many people mistakenly believe that it should not be used as it can damage the tissue. In fact, hyaluronidase only dissolves hyaluronic acid, but without recognizing which acid is its own and which is artificial.
This fact is not significant since the half-life of hyaluronic acid in the skin is only two days. Thus, even if your own hyaluronic acid dissolves, a new one is formed in its place. An important condition is that you need to know where and how much hyaluronidase to inject. Therefore, you need to address such a question only to a specialized clinic, and not to another eatery.
Some experts suggest using HIFU or contact radio radiation to dissolve hyaluronic acid. But during these procedures, the tissues are heated, so the patient’s own fat can dissolve. And reducing the volume of skin tissue on the face even by 1-2 mm is of great importance. In addition, these methods do not provide as fast a reaction as dissolving the acid with hyaluronidase.
Why did the patient have such a reaction to the injection of hyaluronic acid? Since tests for autoimmune diseases showed nothing, we can conclude that this was a reaction to low-quality acid. Buying counterfeit products is another “disease” of beauty salons.
Share link:
Duration of swelling
How many days does swelling last? Typically, swelling after lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid persists for 2-3 days and subsequently disappears. A period of 3-5 days is also considered standard, which is explained by the individual characteristics of the patient.
It takes longer for tissue to recover if blood vessels are damaged during needle manipulation. This is indicated by the bluish discoloration that appears on the lips. In this case, a decrease in swelling in the form of hematomas and excessive volume occurs within 7-10 days.
Due to the incompetence of the cosmetologist or the patient’s allergic reaction to sodium hyaluronate, the swelling persists for more than a week. You need to take help from doctors.
The appearance of edema is also associated with the filler that is used. For example, Radiesse, Restylane Silk and Juvéderm Ultra Plus provoke more swelling.
Plastic surgeon Steven Weber
Effect of hyaluronic acid
It has long been known that a hyaluron molecule is capable of holding 500 molecules of water. This fact is very important for the skin, because the hydro-lipid balance is restored. However, problems may arise if there is a large amount of liquid in the filler injection area. They could appear as a result of improper diet, problems with the functioning of the kidneys, or endocrine glands. Therefore, in such situations, hyaluronic acid will contribute to the appearance of severe swelling, and it can persist as long as the injected filler is present in the tissues.
To understand whether you are exposed to such risks, you can use the following recommendations:
- The appearance of swelling at different times of the day, the occurrence of edema after drinking alcoholic beverages, as well as after eating salty and smoked foods.
- First use the biorevitalization procedure and check for how long the swelling persists after the injection of the gel.
If you notice a tendency to retain fluid, then before carrying out the procedure for lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid, you should first go to a cosmetologist for a consultation.
Interesting! You can reduce the risks by minimizing the dosage of the drug or use a procedure with a lymphatic drainage effect to begin with.
Ways to relieve puffiness on enlarged lips
When asked how to relieve or remove swelling after lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid, the specialist will answer the consultation at the end of the procedure. The doctor will inform the patient about methods and means that:
- will quickly relieve swelling;
- will allow hematomas to disappear if they form;
- will help not lead to allergic reactions or infections in the event area.
The swelling will subside in time if you follow the rules recommended by the specialist after lip augmentation.
To avoid puncturing blood vessels, some doctors use portable devices (such as Accuvein). The laser detects veins that are not visible to the naked eye. But there is no guarantee that there will be no swelling or bruising.
Dermatologist Heidi Weldorf
Ointments to reduce swelling (best)
You can reduce the time it takes to get rid of swelling on your lips by lubricating them with Troxevasin gel (Bulgaria) 2 times a day. The pharmaceutical drug will strengthen the walls of blood vessels, prevent fluid from accumulating in the tissues, and reduce inflammation.
The following gels have similar properties: “Lioton” (Germany), “Troxerutin” and “Troxevenol” (Russian Federation), “Venoruton” and “Venorutinol” (Switzerland), “Troxegel” (Ukraine).
Gel with bodyaga has the property of dissolving. It is also used as an antiseptic drug to reduce irritation and swelling of soft tissues.
Russian analogues are cheaper in comparison with foreign drugs, but are not inferior to them in effectiveness. It is also recommended to use heparin ointment after lip augmentation to reduce swelling.
Compresses - to the rescue
Swelling after injections will decrease if a cold compress is applied to the lips at the end of the procedure.
To do this, ice from the freezer is placed in a bag and wrapped in a sterile cloth. At home, it is permissible to replace such a cold lotion with food frozen in a bag, wrapped in a sterile cloth napkin.
The use of a compress from a decoction of herbs such as chamomile, marigold, string, and walnut leaves helps reduce swelling on enlarged lips immediately after the procedure. Tea lotions made from black/green tea will also help.
Instead of ice, use chilled spoons. 3-4 tbsp. l. Cool either in the freezer or in a glass with ice, placing them in the chosen environment until they become cold.
1 spoon is applied to the lips and held until it becomes warm. This will take a few minutes, after which the cutlery should be changed to cooled one.
Hypothermia of the skin surface and tissue in the problem area is not allowed.
Dermatologist Anthony Perry
Other techniques to relieve swelling (3 ways)
Below are some other ways to reduce swelling:
- An unmistakably chosen filler will help remove swelling faster. The leader in the list of fillers with hyaluronic acid is Juvederm. Non-sulfonated glycosaminoglycan (as GA is scientifically called) is of non-animal origin. This reduces the patient’s risk of an allergic reaction and adverse events in the form of heterogeneous distribution of filler in the tissues. Juvederm contains lidocaine - a substance that transforms pain during surgery into a less noticeable one, minimizing tissue injury.
- It is possible to shorten the duration of edema and reduce swelling by dieting 2-3 days before and after surgery. The diet excludes the consumption of canned food, salted and smoked fish, sausages, cheeses, hot and spicy dishes, and alcoholic beverages. Hot soups, drinks, and solid foods are prohibited due to possible injury or irritability of the epidermis in the problem area.
- Antihistamines are included in the arsenal to combat swelling. By taking them, you will be able to speed up the disappearance of swelling and eliminate the possibility of symptoms of excessive sensitivity to the ingredients of the filler. Among the antihistamines is Suprastin. After injection with it, the swelling decreases due to the neutralization of the allergic reaction.
Using the options listed above, it is possible to cope with the removal of swelling from the lips in a normal time frame.
Reasons for appearance
Injecting filler into the sensitive area of the lips
Lip volume is increased by injecting filler. That is, the skin is punctured, muscle tissue and blood vessels are damaged. The procedure is quite painful, since lips are one of the most sensitive places in the human body. There are many nerve fibers and pain receptors here.
All this makes bruising inevitable. The reasons for their formation are several inevitable factors:
- Hematomas are nothing more than the result of damage to blood vessels with the removal of blood from them and the preservation of its clots under the skin. The capillaries that are injured during lip augmentation are very small, but there are many of them. Therefore, bruises are normally superficial, appearing almost immediately and in almost everyone who has undergone the procedure.
- Filler and anesthetic substances play a special role in the appearance of hematomas . The first fills the muscle space, causing compression of intact vessels. The larger its volume, the higher the likelihood of hematomas. An anesthetic substance, if contained in a filler or administered separately by injection, helps to dilate blood vessels. That is, the likelihood of their damage increases, as does the amount of blood entering the soft tissues from the capillaries.
- Destruction of a large vessel can cause the formation of a large hematoma. This is possible due to the cosmetologist’s violation of the procedure technique and his insufficient qualifications. Such a formation on the lip requires close attention. Due to the prolonged persistence of dried blood in the tissues, suppuration may occur.
We recommend reading about methods of non-injection lip augmentation. You will learn about procedures such as thermage, electroporation, vacuum lip augmentation, as well as how to increase natural volume using decorative cosmetics. And here is more information about the causes of dryness and burning of lips.
#10 prohibitions when swelling occurs
After increased lip plumpness performed by contour surgery, the following measures cannot be carried out until the skin tissue is restored:
- professional and other massages of various types, unless they are recommended by a specialist;
- touching your lips with your hands and near them;
- heavy physical activity;
- going to baths, saunas, staying in a solarium, training in a gym, fitness club;
- drinking strong alcoholic drinks;
- smoking to avoid infection in the injection area;
- use of decorative cosmetics;
- use of scrubs and peelings;
- waxing;
- visits to the dentist in the first 14 days after injections.
You should avoid kissing for this time and forever give up the habit of biting or licking your upper or lower lip. This will only increase swelling and cause bruising.
Helps relieve swelling in a timely manner and minimize the contact of damaged skin with food, since it prevents the provocation of unnecessary irritation and infection.
Do not epilate this area if your lips are swollen. It is also worth holding off on visiting the dentist.
Dermatologist Emily Altman
Question answer
In order not to reduce the expected effect and not to aggravate the feeling of pain, eating is allowed 4-6 hours after returning home from the clinic. The menu consists of soft dishes. They do not require vigorous mouth movements. Until the swelling disappears from the mouth, the consumption of hot, salty, spicy and smoked foods is limited.
You need to know that the effect of the event is supported by lip correction. Then the contour will look smooth and neat. The short-term preservation of the results of manipulation is explained by the fact that hyaluron dissolves after a while, and the lips take on their previous appearance. A repeat visit to a cosmetologist a year later will preserve the beauty of your face. By adhering to the recommendations, the patient will maintain the beauty and youth of his appearance.
This is a painful manipulation, after which swelling will persist for 2-3 days. If you wish to undergo lip augmentation, you will need to wait a week after the filler is removed.
How long will you have to walk with them?
Normally, bruises on the lips should disappear fairly quickly after enlargement. After a day or two, the spots turn yellow, and after a week, for most women, not a trace remains of them.
How to give injections correctly, watch in this video:
Hematomas may linger a little longer if injection anesthesia was used. This is why cosmetologists prefer to numb their patients’ lips using appropriate creams or wipes. Anesthesia that gets into soft tissues retains moisture in them and interferes with the narrowing of blood vessels. Swelling on the lips lasts longer. All this prevents blood clots from dissolving. Therefore, bruises may remain for 2 weeks.
If during the procedure a large vessel was hit, which rarely happens, the hematoma may increase in size. This is evidence of infection. Then you need to go to the doctor before it turns into a purulent sac.
When is a visit to the doctor inevitable?
You should not hesitate if you are concerned about the severity of swelling within 10-12 days after the end of the lip augmentation event.
You should immediately consult a doctor even if there is no dynamics in the decline of swelling, when swelling after lip augmentation only increases, since this is not considered normal.
It wouldn’t hurt to consult an allergist to rule out or confirm lip swelling caused by allergic susceptibility to the ingredients in the filler.
It is necessary to consult a doctor due to the appearance of local elevated temperature, pain, hyperemia - overflow of blood vessels. This indicates infection has entered the injection area.
Causes
Swelling after lip augmentation is a phenomenon of fluid stagnation, so the factors contributing to such manifestations may be different. Let's look at the main ones:
- The reaction of the skin to the impact of a needle;
- Individual characteristics of the body;
- Allergic manifestations to injected fillers;
- Damage to the vessel, which caused the formation of a hematoma.
- Hypercorrection;
- The occurrence of infection.
To distribute the filler evenly, the drug is injected along the entire border of the red lip. Watching such a procedure is quite scary, especially for those who are afraid of pain, so the occurrence of swelling is quite normal. The formation of edema can be divided into the following stages:
- The first signs of swelling appear in the cosmetologist's office.
- The swelling reaches its peak already on the first evening, possibly in the morning of the next day.
- Discomfort arises and changes in diction occur.
- On the third day, the swelling gradually subsides.
- The fifth day is characterized by a decline in swelling; it is no longer so noticeable to others.
Remember! The recovery process for most patients follows this scheme, so it is better not to plan any events or important meetings in the first days.
There is no need to use absorbable ointments to speed up the recovery process, because such drugs will only spoil the final result. After the procedure, it is worth providing the skin with additional care, because during this period the skin is very tense and can easily crack. Therefore, it is better to use balms, hygienic lipsticks and liquid gloss as care.
How to increase the duration of the effect?
After the procedure, the effect is immediately noticeable. Of course, due to swelling, the lips appear larger than they will be in the future.
But, unfortunately, the result does not last forever. You will have to go for a repeat procedure. The duration of the effect varies for each patient. It depends on what drug is used and what kind of metabolism the person has.
Typically, you need to go for a repeat procedure after 6-12 months (often after using Juvéderm Vollure XC, the result lasts up to 18 months).
It is recommended not to wait for the filler to completely dissolve and go to the procedure earlier in order to “add” the drug.
Dermatologist Dandy Engelman (New York)
How to extend the duration of the result? To do this, it is recommended to pay attention to lip products such as SkinMedica HA5 Smooth & Plump Lip System or iS Clinical Youth Lip Elixir. They contain peptides and hyaluron. They provide hydration and smooth out wrinkles.
Use exfoliating lotions (for example, Biologique Recherche P50).
It is the care and moisturizing of the lips that will help prolong the effect after contouring.
Doctors advise using masks, serums, and lip gels.
But remember that any products you apply should not cause pain or burning. Avoid balms containing pepper, cinnamon, bee venom and other similar ingredients.
Reviews
MARIA, 41 YEARS OLD:
“I have been doing lip fillers at a plastic surgery clinic for more than 3 years.
I turn to the chosen cosmetologist, so there are no problems with the reduction of swelling. Of course, there is no need to do the procedure before the working day. I do it on Friday, and by Monday the swelling goes away. And the lips are plump, as if after passionate kisses.”
KARINA, 32 YEARS OLD:
“Before the hyaluronic acid injections, I sinned - I drank a glass of wine in the evening.
The result is lips like a monkey. I ran to the cosmetologist, he gave me a massage in the morning and evening. I smeared myself with Bepanten at night and Badyaga forte several times a day. She also took diuretics and antihistamines. On the third day this horror subsided.
But slight swelling and pain were present. Advice to everyone: follow the rules of preparation before surgery and lip care after the procedure.”
ALINA, 25 YEARS OLD:
“The seriousness of the procedure cannot be underestimated.
I go to a plastic surgery clinic with a proven doctor. Sterility, quality of drugs, professionalism of the doctor are at their best. Therefore, there were no swollen lips in the morning, but there was slight swelling after the procedure.
In a matter of days, he disappeared on his own. True, to exclude inflammation and herpes, she took antibiotics.”
Expert opinion
- Surgeon
- Cosmetologist
Elsa Borodina
plastic surgeon
Remember that if swelling lasts more than 5 days, there is an increase in the surface temperature of the treatment area, or pain is present, you should immediately consult a good doctor.
Irina Dorofeeva
practicing cosmetologist
Today, lip augmentation is considered a popular manipulation.
I recommend taking Acyclovir 2 days before your scheduled visit to a cosmetologist; this will be a preventive measure to protect against herpes. After the injections, you should avoid visiting the sauna. In addition, you should not actively move your lips for 2-3 days. This will protect you from trouble. Swelling on lips enlarged after an event is an inevitable phenomenon. The problem will go away if you follow the recommendations agreed with your doctor. But if the swelling does not go away for a long time, you should worry and go to the doctor.
Consequences
To minimize risks, you should choose only a proven and recommended medical institution, where experienced and knowledgeable cosmetologists work. After all, errors during the procedure usually occur as a result of the administration of an excessive amount of the drug or when using non-sterile devices.
Keep in mind that if the swelling does not go away for a long time due to the fault of the doctor, then all corrections are performed at his expense. But sometimes complications arise due to the fault of patients who did not follow certain recommendations in good faith:
- You can’t take a horizontal position for the first few hours, to avoid severe swelling, your head should be high on the pillows;
- It is necessary to moisturize the skin with special means; at home, you can use a mask that contains cottage cheese and cream. These mixtures must be applied every quarter of an hour.
After manipulation on the lips, you can also apply cold compresses. This should be done within 1-2 days.
