Plumper for lips - pros/cons, experienced users only

Experienced users only? Alright then, that ain't me. The most I've done is use collagen ointment ON my lips, in injected into them. That did work mind you.

Hi,

I have had Juvederm fillers done and love the results. The most important thing is to check that your plastic surgeon is board certified, and to become acquainted with the possible side effects. Juvederm is low risk, but things can go wrong very occasionally and that is just one of those things you need to know before you do it. It's also good to have a serious think about what you are expecting from your fillers before you go ahead. They are never going to fix serious self-esteem issues, but if you just think that having fillers will improve you slightly, you may well be happy with the results. I am! There is some bruising that you can expect, but recovery time is really very minimal and you do not have to take paid leave from work or anything like that.

Restylane is what I had done. I warn you, I had some serious bruising and swelling afterwards that had me incredibly worried about the end results. The procedure was scary and painful as well, though that part was probably mostly in my mind. The swelling really freaked me out, but at least that part wasn't painful. I used Bioque Serum K1 for after care and the swelling has since gone down. I am pleased with my lips. I do wish I had been better prepared for this though, because it was not what I expected.

I had collagen fillers, ooph, like perhaps 12 years ago? They were good. I have recently read that they're not used all that much any more and that it's now all about hyaluronic acid fillers. These fillers can alter the shape of your lips, make them plumper, and give them more structure. Hyaluronic acid fillers wear off after about six months and then you either go back to normal or have another lot done. Restylane, which was mentioned upthread, and Juvederm, also, they're both hyaluronic acid fillers. There's others too though... HylaForm and Captique? I'm hoping to get some done in the relatively near future and have no doubt that they are very safe as well as that the results are very easy to control, so you get exactly what you want.

Yes, the major disadvantage of collagen injections is that they are made using animal tissue. This means that some people have allergic reactions. The injections also need to be topped up more often for users who want to continue having the same results. HA injections are synthetically made and are much more like the HA naturally present in the body. Results last around 6 months and you can easily have botox at the same time to reduce lines around the lips, making you look plumper and younger at the same time.

Had lip injections once, never again. It wasn't that the result was bad, but it hurt like hell and I looked like a battered woman for about 10 days afterwards. EVERYONE who saw me during that time knew I had had the injections done. And to be honest, my lips were slightly on the fuller side compared to what I was hoping for. I wanted a natural result and what I had bordered on the unnatural. I know many people have great results with lip fillers but for me, I know I am not going to have it done again. I am now trying with angel lift dermastrips and so far they definitely seem to be working.

Hi everyone!

I had restylane three days ago. I always had thin lips and I also developed under eye circles which I really wanted to get rid of, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I was terrified of the pain before I went in but in the end my desire to have fuller lips and better looking eyes trumped the fear. No pain, no gain as they say!

Right now, I am very sore and puffy, especially in the lip area. For the lips I got 1.5ml in total, 0.5 for the bottom lip and 1ml for the upper lip. I had six injections in the lip area in total. I can't wait to see what I'll look like once the swelling goes down so I know the final result. So far it does look great though, and the process was not nearly as scary as I had worked myself up to believing! If you really want fuller lips I just wanted to encourage you. It's nothing to be scared of really. They do use a numbing cream also.

Hey,

Have you by any chance looked into non-surgical lip plumpers? I hate needles myself and I have tried several products that promise to give you thicker lips. Not all of them are good. Too Faced "Lip Injection Extreme" is the one I keep using time and time again because it actually works. Your lips instantly look better (though warning, it does sting a bit) and all that without any injections. I am a fan and if you would like to even just get a good idea of what your lips may look like with surgical plumpers, this is a good thing to try.

Oh yeah, I'm up for some of THAT. My lips are alright the way they are yeah, but anything that makes them look even better without any needles involved sounds good to me, LOL. It's good to hear from someone who's actually used a particular product 'cause half the time you don't know whether something's OK or like total rubbish basically. I don't mind a bit of stinging (I've had my brows waxed before and that was alright) but I do mind needles, pretty much. Does the effect last all day then? And what were the rubbish products we should all be avoiding, out of curiosity?

Before having Juvederm done, it is good to keep in mind that:

• This procedure should be carried out by a board-certified professional. However, that doesn't mean a plastic surgeon will do it: very frequently, these injections are administered by very competent and qualified nurses. That is absolutely fine, but you may want to check how many times they have administered Juvederm. You want someone experienced.
• Juvederm can be given along with a topical anesthetic, in which case it may not hurt one bit. Do not drink any alcohol a few days prior. Do expect some very minimal bruising and, if you like, drink vitamin C-rich juices in the days after to speed up healing. 

HA fillers last around six months. That is, if you are happy with the results. If you hate your lips after an AH injection, the good thing is that you can ask your doctor to inject you with a solution that erases the effects in an instant. That is their real pro, in my book: even if you don't like what you see, you're not sentenced to living with those lips the next half year.

HA injections are also good because they don't feel different than your real lips, either for you or for anyone kissing you :) and also, you see results immediately with very minimal side effects.

The downside? Oh, well, that's got to be the cost. HA injections will set you back between $500 and even up to $2000. But you do get something in return, so it's worth it if you really want plumper lips!