Swelling after lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid, how long does it last, when does it go away, how to reduce it

Every woman, despite her age, wants to look beautiful and attractive. In search of improving their appearance, ladies are increasingly turning to the services of cosmetologists. The brightest part of the face is the eyes and lips. Plump and seductive forms attract special attention from others. If you decide to have specialist intervention, remember that the body will inevitably react to this. After making the injection, there will inevitably be swelling after lip augmentation. The body reacts to the drug.

If the work is done well, the swelling after lip augmentation goes away within 3–4 days. It is impossible to give an unambiguous forecast for everyone. Healing occurs differently for each patient, depending on the body's response to the drug. Before going to a cosmetologist, you need to be examined by a doctor: you may be allergic to the drug.

Causes of swelling after lip augmentation procedure

The causes of swelling following manipulation with the introduction of hyaluronic filler into the mucous membrane of the lips can be physiological or explained by a complicating pathology. A local reaction to a synthetic substance follows. With the lowest content of allergenic components, the body “calms down” and takes the drug. Therefore, it is important to individually select the best option. Hyaluronic acid, when injected, penetrates the intercellular space and stimulates the production of collagen and elastin.

To create additional volume, synthetic drugs are used. Cosmetology has abandoned fillers made from animal tissue due to the increased risk of allergies. Excessive adverse reactions often occur if contraindications are not taken into account during manipulation. The use of injection contouring is strictly prohibited against the background of:

acute infectious disease;
any oncological processes, autoallergic and endocrine diseases;
unclear increase in body temperature;
existing inflammation of the skin of the face, herpes on the lips;
pregnancy and lactation;
decreased blood clotting;
course of treatment with antibiotics, Aspirin-based medications, vitamins.

The duration of swelling after lip augmentation is affected by the functioning of the kidneys and cardiovascular system. With increased capillary permeability and fragility of the vascular wall, water leaves the bloodstream and rushes into the tissue. In women during menstruation, blood loss contributes to fluid retention, so the procedure is temporarily not recommended.

Pathological causes include:

incompetent injection by a doctor, violation of the technique, excessive injury;
infection with a violation of sterility (dangerous during a home procedure);
incorrect calculation and administration of too much drug;
hypersensitivity to filler components;
neglect by the patient to follow the rules of preparation and care.

Side effects after a few years

When injecting fillers, consequences can occur even after many years:

Fibrosis is a strong proliferation of connective tissue, but it is worth noting that the appearance of fibrosis is a normal phenomenon, this is how the body responds to the appearance of a foreign body in the body - filler. But if this process becomes uncontrollable, then as a consequence, after a few years, seals appear that are not only palpable, but also protrude above the surface of the skin, stretching it.
Scarring - this pathology occurs only in those patients who have a tendency to form keloid and peripheral scars on the skin. In this case, the wounds from the injections do not heal, but begin to turn into scars. This happens because the direct contraindication to the “beauty injection” was ignored.

Some women refuse the injection of fillers because they believe that it can stretch the skin, and after resorption it will become even more wrinkled - this is a myth.

Hyaluronic acid, which is part of the filler, tightens the skin , as it stimulates the production of its own elastin and collagen, the face becomes natural with the natural elasticity of the skin.

How long does swelling last after lip augmentation?

The most acceptable fillers for the body with hyaluronic acid, as a “related” substance, cause swelling after lip augmentation in response to mechanical compression and hypersensitivity. In the absence of complications, it disappears on its own after 2–5 days. In people with low skin regenerative abilities, the process is delayed for 7–10 days.

A long period is considered normal if the manipulation used drugs with a high concentration of hyaluronic acid (for example, Juvederm Ultra 3, 4, Sculptra, AestheFill) or those with the ability to retain fluid (Ziderm, Surgiderm). When working with low- and medium-viscosity fillers, the doctor pays attention to undesirable reactions and suggests measures to eliminate the causes.

Immediately or after?

Side effects and complications after fillers are also divided by time of occurrence and severity.

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 - infection of the injection area, hyperpigmentation at the site of the hematoma, etc. - appear after a few days or later. Late-term complications after fillers also include “remote hypersensitivity reaction.” It is the result of an immune conflict - the immune system spends a long time trying to “come to terms” with a substance introduced from outside and still recognizes it as foreign. This extremely rare complication most often occurs with the administration of biodegradable drugs.

By severity, adverse events can be divided into mild, moderate and severe.

If unwanted side effects after fillers (the same hematomas) most often go away on their own, the doctor should respond to complications immediately. If you suspect the development of necrosis, the cause of which is compression of a vessel or nerve, the doctor first needs to leave the surgical field and immediately stop administering the drug. And then carry out certain manipulations. For example, a hard massage of this area using a drug with an anti-inflammatory and stimulating blood circulation effect. And then - cold lotions to avoid further compression of the blood vessels. If extensive hematomas and swelling occur, systemic anti-inflammatory and decongestant drugs may be prescribed.

How to remove swelling from lips after lip augmentation?

Swelling after lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid is associated with a reaction not only to the base of the drug, but also to additional components of the filler. Therefore, the doctor selects special fillers for contouring of the area and does not use other combined agents indicated for mesotherapy or biorevitalization. Optimal fillers should not contain:

amino acid complexes, carotenoids from seaweed (“Hialripayer”, “Meso-Xanthine F199”);
animal components;
stem cells (“Mezovarton”).

The purpose of measures that relieve swelling:

elimination of allergies;
suppression of the inflammatory response;
strengthening blood vessels and fighting hematomas.

To accelerate the disappearance of edema, the following rules must be followed:

Injection sites become infected by touching hands, so for several days it is forbidden to touch the mouth area or use scrubs.
It is possible to reduce blood flow to the face and swelling by maintaining a forced position on your back while sleeping. It is not recommended to sleep on your stomach or side.
Great importance is attached to nutrition. You will have to exclude from your diet all foods containing salt and hot sauces (salted and smoked fish, meat products, cheeses). You cannot drink strong coffee, tea, or alcoholic beverages. Cooked dishes should have a temperature no higher than 38 degrees. Hot food increases blood flow in the mouth and increases swelling.

The simplest way is to use cold compresses immediately after the procedure and during the first day (hold for 5 minutes 4-5 times a day). From the second day, rubbing with a warm decoction of herbs (chamomile, calendula, sage) is allowed.

Taking antihistamines (Diphenhydramine, Suprastin, Loratadine) helps eliminate allergic reactions. Doctors recommend taking 1 tablet in the morning on the appointed day before the procedure.

If the cause of swelling is an excess amount of the drug, then in extreme cases, a drug with the enzyme hyaluronidase is administered. The procedure is undesirable, since premature destruction of hyaluronic acid will begin, and the duration of the filler will be shortened.

You can additionally read how to eliminate swelling in the article “How long does it take for swelling to subside after lip augmentation?”

Who is to blame and what to do?

The occurrence of problems after contouring is associated with two main factors. 95% of complications and side effects after fillers are due to errors in injection technique. This could be simple failure to comply with the rules of hygiene, treatment of the surgical field (insufficient cleansing of the skin before the procedure), too deep or superficial injection of filler, or exceeding the recommended volume of filler. And only 5% of complications after fillers are associated with defects in the injected material. With the vast number of fillers on the market, there are not many low-quality materials. These include illegally imported drugs or newly introduced products that have not undergone sufficient clinical trials.

Let's figure out what measures the patient can take to avoid these complications.

Carry out the procedure only in a specialized clinic, where all septic and antiseptic rules are observed and the necessary emergency equipment is available.
Take the time to make sure your doctor is qualified. Unfortunately, in the practice of a cosmetologist, adverse events are not so rare. And the more often, the more experience a cosmetologist has. 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, and medications taken. Such a conversation allows you to avoid complications and side effects after fillers. Various autoimmune diseases can cause granulomas, and taking certain medications can lead to immunosuppression.
When performing contour plastic surgery, only certified drugs should be used. This information must be available in the clinic. Before the procedure, their name and number must be entered into the medical record.
Strictly follow your doctor's recommendations before and after the procedure.

When to see a doctor if your lips are swollen

If swelling lasts longer than 10 days and is accompanied by pain and redness of the surrounding skin, then you should contact the cosmetologist who performed the procedure. An examination will help determine the cause and select treatment. Repeated consultation is necessary if dense lumps persist at the injection sites, or asymmetry in the shape of the lips.

Short term difficulties

Undesirable consequences from contouring with fillers occur very rarely, approximately 1-5%, but this is not a reason to think that it is difficult to get into this number.

You need to know about the consequences and complications before going for the procedures.

Bruising and swelling. Small vessels are often injured during injections, no one is immune from this, but you can try to avoid this trouble. How to avoid? If you have naturally weak blood vessels, then you should contact an experienced cosmetologist, who will suggest that you undergo a course of treatment to strengthen blood vessels before the procedure.

It is important to know how to remove swelling and bruising after contouring, because it is unknown how long they last in one case or another. For quick elimination, creams or gels are prescribed, which include: heparin, horse chestnut, bodyaga.
Read also: Beauty injections - Botox in nasolabial folds. Photos before and after the procedure
Puffiness.
It arises due to the hydrophilic properties of HA - it not only accumulates, but also retains moisture in the space between the cells. Usually this unpleasant symptom goes away on its own after 2-3 days.
To speed up the process, you can simply apply ice to the problem area for 10-15 minutes.
Cones.
The gel can sometimes bleed out, forming bumps or bumps. The reason for this is incorrect administration of the drug: too close to the surface, short needle, rapid introduction of the gel, without distribution.
If the filler was injected too deeply, it may begin to migrate, thereby forming a lump in a place far from the injection.
In this case, you will have to carry out a course of injections with drugs that break down hyaluronic acid. But if the filler was synthetic, then surgical intervention simply cannot be done.
Heat at the injection site .
Such a symptom may indicate that the cosmetologist has entered the vessel. If it does not disappear after 24 hours, then perhaps an inflammatory process has begun, so there is no need to wait for it to resolve on its own - see a doctor immediately.
Erythema (redness) .
These symptoms almost always appear - this is a normal reaction of the body to the administration of the drug and injury to the skin at the injection sites. How long does erythema last? The redness goes away on its own within a few hours after the procedure. The main thing in this case is not to touch the injection sites with your hands, otherwise there is a possibility of introducing a third-party infection into the wound.
Pain.
Injecting any drug under the skin or into muscles is painful. And filler is no exception.
The fillers contain lidocaine, which reduces sensitivity by 40%. At the clinic, they can apply a special gel to your skin, which will numb the top layer of skin, and the pain will not be as severe.
Scabies.
This nodular type disease can occur due to the introduction of scabies mites under the patient’s skin. At the same time, itchy nodules appear on the skin.
Only a doctor can prescribe competent treatment, so at the first symptoms you need to urgently go to the hospital in order to prevent the spread of the disease - the tick multiplies very quickly.
Pigmentation.
The appearance of pigmentation at the injection sites of the filler is a response of the body. Injured cells begin to produce a coloring pigment - melanin.
As soon as pigmentation appears, you need to urgently consult a doctor; independent treatment in this situation is unacceptable. All preparations aimed at skin whitening contain substances such as retinol, acids, zinc, which can cause an allergic reaction. Self-treatment may result in dermatitis.

What should you not do after lip augmentation?

To prevent infection after filler injections you need to:

For the first 24 hours, avoid any touching or pressure with your hands;
apply the gel carefully;
do not use decorative cosmetics (lipstick, lip gloss).

Patient regimen includes:

after injections into the inner surface of the lips, you should not eat hot or hard food to prevent injury;
It is undesirable to sleep in the usual position on your stomach, with your face buried in a pillow, as this will delay the outflow of fluid from the face area;
other anti-aging procedures (peeling, masks) are allowed after a month, but are carried out without pre-heating the skin;
A planned visit to the dentist will have to be postponed for 1–2 months.

How long after can you eat after lip augmentation?

Eating non-hot food is allowed on the second day after the procedure. Products irritate the lip mucosa and interfere with healing.

Is it possible to play sports after lip augmentation?

It is better to take a break from visiting the pool and fitness club for 2-3 weeks. Strenuous training and physical activity stimulate blood circulation; exercise in a supine position increases blood flow to the head. Contact with water increases the risk of infection.

Is it possible to smoke cigarettes after lip augmentation?

A cigarette is a strong mechanical and chemical irritant. Smoking prematurely destroys the effect of increasing volume and reduces the effect of hyaluronic acid.

Is it possible to drink alcohol after lip augmentation?

The ban on alcohol is caused by its ability to increase blood pressure and irritate the oral cavity and mucous membranes of the lips.

Is it possible to stretch lips after lip augmentation?

Kneading is carried out only by the doctor immediately after the procedure. It is necessary to achieve uniform distribution of the filler. Patients are strictly prohibited from receiving any type of massage. Inexperience causes infection and asymmetry of shape.

Is it possible to kiss after lip augmentation procedure?

During a kiss, mechanical pressure occurs on the lips, contact with the saliva of another person. Therefore, to prevent risk, it is better to give up kissing for 2 weeks, until the swelling goes down and the sensation of a foreign body disappears.

Is it possible to sunbathe or go to a solarium after lip augmentation procedure?

Using ultraviolet light in moderation helps support immunity. Tanning involves increased exposure to the sun to produce a darker skin color. Natural and artificial forcing is not beneficial for any person. The technique has a particularly negative effect on the effectiveness of cosmetic manipulations. Therefore, you should plan a vacation at sea taking into account the selected period of lip augmentation manipulation. Sunlight and heat reduce the duration of the effect of fillers.

Contour plastic surgery with fillers is not a cheap procedure. It is in the patient’s interests to ensure a long-lasting effect, quick recovery and a minimum of negative sensations. You cannot hide your illnesses from the doctor and risk your well-being.

Does the procedure always have negative consequences?

More recently, synthetic fillers were used in contouring, the introduction of which led to many undesirable consequences: gel migration, inflammation, and rejection of the foreign drug by the body.

Facial asymmetry often appeared, which could only be eliminated surgically, since the synthetic components of the drugs did not dissolve and remained under the skin forever.

At the moment, fillers based on hyaluronic acid are used in cosmetology, which are considered the safest drugs, after which there are practically no consequences or side effects (you can find out more about fillers for contouring based on hyaluronic acid here).
But not a single patient is immune from the risk of consequences after “beauty injections” .
It is important to find out all the information about it before the procedure and weigh whether to do it. You can find out more about whether to do facial contouring with fillers here.

You can reduce the risk of consequences and completely eliminate them by simply following the common recommendations:

Contact only trusted specialists who work in a well-known clinic, with all relevant documents and certificates. You should not contact cosmetologists who offer beauty services at home.
If filler injection procedures have previously been carried out, then it is worth informing the cosmetologist. There is a danger of filler incompatibility, so the use of such drugs cannot be combined even over time.
The filler is introduced gradually, in small doses. It is better to make a pin and additional correction than to then use an antidote to remove excess.
Do not use drugs that cause vasoconstriction at the sites where the needle and drug are inserted, for example, epinephrine. Since you can view an undesirable complication - thrombosis of an artery or vein.
Use hyaluronic acid and fillers based on it to correct wrinkles, since excess of this drug can be easily removed.
If the doctor performs an aspiration test when administering the drug, then many undesirable consequences that occur when the gel enters the vessels can be eliminated.

Nowadays, hyaluronic acid fillers are used everywhere. And great developments in their use in contour plastic surgery make it possible to reduce the risk of complications to a minimum.

There are quite a few anti-aging procedures, so it is important to compare them to make the right choice. The following articles will help compare fillers to other procedures:

Comparison of fillers with mesothreads and other popular anti-aging techniques.
Popular anti-aging procedures: biorevitalization and fillers - which is better?

Complications of contouring

Any complications from the injection of fillers can be predicted. But if side effects in most cases can go away on their own, complications, on the contrary, have to be treated - that is, they require medical intervention. With complications, not only the human body as a whole suffers, but also the aesthetic appearance of the patient.

Necrosis.
The most serious complication after the injection of hyaluronic acid, which occurs when the drug enters directly into a vessel or compresses the latter.
Treatment of necrosis depends on the stage at which the patient consulted a doctor and the form of the disease.
Local treatment is carried out in 2 stages:
- prevent the development of infection;

This stage is used in extreme cases, if the effect of drug treatment is not observed. The following drugs are prescribed during therapy:

antibacterial;
vascular;
detoxification.

Vascular embolism after contouring.
This is necrosis with scarring, which occurs when the drug is administered incorrectly, for example, deep injection of the gel, or the entry of a low-viscosity drug into the vessel. Usually the first symptoms can be observed after 24 hours. First, pain, severe swelling and unhealthy redness appear, and only then does scarring occur.

How to fix it? Contact the cosmetologist who performed the procedure, he will prescribe a comprehensive therapy based on the symptoms.
Granulomas and fibrosis.
Despite the fact that hyaluronic acid is completely compatible with human tissues, the body can launch a standard defense mechanism – “rejection of a foreign drug”. As a result, an acute inflammatory process develops. During this time, third-party infections that were dormant until this time may become active in the body. The result is small nodular compactions or inflammation of a large area.
The reason for the appearance of granuloma after the procedure may be the incompetence of the cosmetologist, or contour plastic surgery at home.
Let's look at how to remove granuloma and fibrosis after contouring. It can only be removed by surgery if the inflammation process has already begun to become acute. But until this point, the doctor can prescribe antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, which often prevent inflammation from entering the active phase.
High temperature of the whole body .
This symptom cannot be ignored, since the main contraindications may have been ignored and inflammatory processes began in the body. An increase in temperature may also indicate an allergic reaction to one of the components of the drug. You should definitely consult a doctor, as the consequences of injections can be severe and irreversible.
Changes in skin texture .
Occurs from improper administration of the drug when the gel begins to migrate through the tissues. To remove this side effect, you will have to undergo a course of therapy with drugs that destroy hyaluronic acid. You need to know the causes of complications, then you can prevent or control these processes. And under no circumstances let these processes take their course, the consequences may be irreversible.

We invite you to watch a video about what complications are possible after the procedure:

It is also important to know general information about fillers:

Types of fillers.
What are fillers and what areas are they injected into?

Expert opinion

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.

#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.

Is rehabilitation needed?

A rehabilitation period is needed for any intervention in the human body, the only difference is the duration of this process. When introducing hyaluronic acid, this period ranges from 7 to 14 days.

During rehabilitation, you must follow the recommendations of the cosmetologist.:

do not be in the sun;
do not visit baths and saunas;
do not drink alcohol;
do not use decorative and skincare cosmetics that can have an aggressive effect on the skin;
Do not take antidepressants or other blood thinning medications.

If you follow the above rules, many complications can be avoided and you can get maximum pleasure from the result of the procedure.

More details about what can and cannot be done after fillers and in what cases they should not be injected can be found in this material, as well as more information about whether it is possible to drink alcohol on the day of filler injection and after the procedure can be found here .