Having naturally beautiful, luscious lips is on most women — and some of men’s — minds. Fortunately for these patients, lip fillers are more accessible than ever before. However, with astute professional injectors alongside ‘coupon code’ and discounted novices, it’s hard to know where to spend your hard earned money on lip augmentation. More amateurs are advertising themselves as ‘lip specialists’ without the proven experience and skill, making it quite easy for a patient to leave their office or facility with subpar results and more swelling and bruising than needs be. In this blog, we’ll be discussing why you may get swelling and bruising from lip fillers and what you can do to prevent it!

Lip fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, a natural bodily substance that has the remarkable ability to attract water and hydration, making the injection site appear more plump, full, and hydrated. For experienced injectors like board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr. Adibfar, injecting filler is both a science and an art. Because every patient is different in their appearance and facial attributes, a lip shape that flatters one patient — in most cases — will not work for someone else. This is why your injector needs to have extensive experience and knowledge in facial symmetry and anatomy.

When opting for lip augmentation via lip fillers, it is important to note that you will see swelling and possibly slight bruising. This is normal for anyone receiving a needle anywhere on their body. Dr. Adibfar injects lip filler with a cannula rather than a needle. A cannula has a blunt (not pointed) tip that glides past the tissues and other underlying structures of the face doing less damage than a sharp traditional needle would. Dr. Adibfar also uses minimal entry points and glides the filler to his patients’ desired location in the lips resulting in less bleeding, swelling, and bruising. These specialized techniques have allowed his patients to experience minimal discomfort and inflammation.

After taking all the necessary precautions, patients should note that temporary swelling and bruising can still occur. If you’re concerned that you bruise easily then do take note of the following suggestions:

1) Choose an experienced injector that uses a cannula. A cannula can decrease your risk of bruising by up to 90%

2) Minimize or eliminate taking any omegas or fish oils up to 14 days before to prevent blood thinning.

3) Minimize or eliminate alcohol usage up to 14 days before to prevent blood thinning.

4) Minimize or eliminate the use of Asprin, Advil, etc. up to 14 days before to prevent blood thinning.

5) Use arnica to prevent and/or treat bruising.

6) Apply ice to lips after the procedure as needed to minimize swelling.

7) Avoid laying flat on the day of the procedure and sleep with an elevated head propped with pillows. This will allow any swelling to drain downward.

An experienced injector may slightly overfill your lips which may make your lips appear swollen immediately. This is not a reason to panic as the lips settle down into their new shape within 14 days after the swelling and any possible bruising subsides. As with any procedure, make sure you choose an injector that is qualified, professional, and experienced.

Click here to learn more or to book a consultation with one of Toronto’s leading board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeons, Dr. Adibfar.