We all want luscious Angelina Jolie lips, right? Ok, maybe not. But I’m sure most of us smaller lipped people wouldn’t mind having a fuller pout!
My lips have always been on the thinner side—my top lip seeming a little more so than my bottom lip. I noticed that I actually had a hard time closing my lips (without chin dimples) because my upper lip was not as full as it should be. So, I thought that I would be brave and give lip injections a try (Eeek!).
I have to be totally honest, and tell you I was freaking out about ending up looking like a duck. And I had no clue what to expect. Would my lips be hard?
I had been getting fillers in my cheek/under eye area for a while so I felt comfortable going to this doctor for fillers. Plus, he has a very large gallery of lips that he did. And I thought they all looked pretty natural, which is definitely my goal.
Here are some before pictures (the ones in the maroon shirt I took the day of treatment):
Lip Injections – Day of Treatment
The first thing I was instructed to do upon arrival was put numbing cream on my lips.
Man, oh man, it’s weird having your lips numb. I had to let it sit for 45 mins, and somehow I managed to get it on my finger and slowly it was in places it should not be (like my eye)—and you don’t even know that you did that until it’s too late! So just keep your hands off.
Once the 45 minutes were up, the doctor came in and we discussed the potential filler options. We decided that Restylane was going to be the best option for me (not sure about syringe size but I’m sure it was the smaller one). As I mentioned above, I have had fillers in the past (multiple times)in other areas of my face but holy cow did these injections hurt— not so bad that I would never do it again, but definitely a lot more than I was expecting.
The entire procedure only took about 15-20mins. I was then handed the mirror, and I could tell my lips were already swelling and (obviously) a little funny looking. But I knew that the swelling would be gone in a few days and I’d just have to wait for the final product — I secretly kind of liked seeing my lips so full.
Here are my pictures immediately after the procedure:
By the time that I drove home (which is an hour drive) my whole lower face was aching, my lips had gotten really swollen like a cartoon (pretty funny, actually) and my face was swollen too. I hung out for a little bit but the swelling was fairly painful, so I took some Ibuprofen and went to bed early with a very swollen face and lips.
These pictures are at night after I was home and when the swelling was killing me:
Day 2 After Restylane Lip Injections
The swelling in my face had gone down a little bit, but my lips were still pretty swollen. Thank gosh I had nowhere important to be for the next couple of days. It hurt to smile or laugh; actually, anything that made my face move too much hurt (but not as bad as day of treatment).
Here are the pictures (Ignore my zit cream. Or don’t. Whatever.):
Day 3 After Restylane Lip Injections
Still swollen, and still a little bit of discomfort. I actually went out in public this day. A friend of mine saw me and said, “Hey, did you color your hair? You look different.” I said, “No.” To which they replied, “Oh. Well, something looks different. You look good, whatever it is.”
Haha I just thought to myself, “I am so glad you can’t tell my face is swollen!” It made me laugh.
Day 4 After Restylane Lip Injections
I can’t believe that my face is still swollen! But not that badly. With the other injections I’ve gotten I’ve never stayed swollen for this long. Luckily, there is no more pain/discomfort.
They do feel soft and natural. Which is a relief, because I thought the product might make them feel hard.
Day 5 After Restylane Lip Injections
I’m pretty sure most of the swelling is gone in my face, but the lips are still slightly pouty.
1 Month After Restylane Lip Injections
This is when I really started to like my lips most. The first couple of weeks I still had a pout going on, but after all the swelling went away they looked very natural.
They still feel soft, and not hard or anything weird. I really love the results and I can actually put my lips together! Wooo-hoo! (yes, I know I’m weird). I do think that I have developed a mucocele on the inside of my upper lip though (it’s small so no biggy).
3 Months After
7 Months After
10 Months After
I think that there may still be a little left, I did notice it takes more of an effort to keep my lips together these days. I think the injections actually helped “train” them though.
I can tell my lips are not as full as before, but they still seem fuller than they did before the injections (wouldn’t that be awesome to get some long term benefits?! Yes. The answer is yes.) I’m considering going again, but I think I’d like to try something a little more permanent/lasting. So we shall see.
My final comments on the subject
I think that the injections are definitely worth it. Restylane lasted a decent amount of time, although I wish it had lasted longer. I will say that the fullness of my lips would fluctuate, and sometimes seemed a tiny bit uneven (after the 4 month mark). I do think that the doctor did a good job with the lip injections, and I didn’t get bruised at all. He was friendly, and gave me pretty natural looking results.
I will keep you guys updated (of course) on that “permanent/longer-lasting” decision—let you know how things go! Please let me know in the comment box if you have given lip injections a try.
*UPDATE: I tried Juvederm for lip injections and OMG. That’s a good OMG. lol*
Hi ive recently just had lip fillers and experiencing similar symptoms to you and im very paranoid that my lumps will stay within my lips… i also have a wonky smile at the moment as i one side of my lip is more swollen and puffy than the other side, so just wondering did you experience anythin like this as im also really scared it will stay this way ):
Hi Lauren. I definitely understand how that can be a little nerve wracking! I’ve gotten lumps 2x but every time they’ve gone away. And my smile was a little crooked. Usually takes anywhere from 3-7 days for things to start looking normal, then regular movement and such return after 4 weeks. Of course, it all depends on the practitioner and how you heal. But most things turn out ok if you give them time. 🙂 I’m going to be posting some new blogs and videos about lip injections so if you’re already subscribed you will be able to check those out!
Reading someone personal experience is always great and beneficial. I really appreciate your post.
hey big thanks for sharing your experience <3 i was really doing some digging in lip augmentation and you made lot easy for me to know what is lip augmentation and how it will looks after the treatment! i would really appreciate that if you see this Lip augmentation link and answer me that is this place better for me i have seemed many good reviews about this place!
Hi Emma.
While I’ve never been to that place nor do I know anyone who’s gone there, I followed my research checklist and I would be cautious about that place. Here’s why: They do have good reviews, however none of the reviews are for lip injections. Majority are about wonderful facials. Which is a completely different skill set. The second thing is that they have ZERO pictures of the lip injections that they’ve done, so only god knows how you’re going to look once you walk out of there. My advice would be to go to someone who has a lot of experience with the procedure you want done, and when it comes to cosmetic services, that they also have a gallery of their work. Everyone has a “style” and you want to make sure theirs aligns with yours naturally. I hope that that was helpful! Best of luck!
Reading someone personal experience is always great and beneficial. I really appreciate your post.
Hi thank you for sharing your experience in detail. I had my lips injected yesterday and I wanted to ask after what day do they start to feel natural?
It’s been more than 24 hours and I can still feel the filler and it’s quite hard in my lip, not soft to the touch. I have trouble rolling my lips into my mouth because they feel so full.
Does that hardness go away and do you stop actually feeling the filler eventually (what day was it for you)?
Hi Hannah. I’m actually working on some vlogs right now about lip injections, as I just had mine done again last Friday. But to answer your question, for me personally it takes about 3 days before I feel like I can move them. At 7 days is when they are dramtically softer, and at the 14 day mark pretty much back to normal. As far as feeling the product, I can’t really feel it at the 2 week mark with my lips, but if I use my fingers then there is product there. That typically takes a few months to go away but at that point my lips have deflated a lot. So, it’s normal to be able to feel the product with your fingers. But give it 1-2weeks and they will feel soft and much more normal.
Thank you for your post!
I have been looking into this myself and have been unable to find a Doctor with natural results. I was wondering if you would share who did your lips and also where they are based.
Jess.
Hi Jess,
Dr. Grigoryants is who has been doing fillers for me in Glendale, CA. I am with you on wanting natural results! And he is absolutely amazing at that. Take care!
I’ve just had my lips enhanced by Dr Assal Tabatabai in Devon, I love them, they’re amazing. http://www.drassal.co.uk
Hi
Really great article and photos – good to see some before/afters/long after photos. I’m currently doing some research on lip fillers as well as other facial aesthetic treatments so this article has been very useful. Thanks 🙂
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thanks for this
on day 2 and mine are still way too big for my liking..hoping they will go down a bit like yours did
They typically do. Just give it time. Sometimes it can take a few weeks. But typically by that point you become used to the fullness.
Thanks for your article about the procedure and post augmentation results. I do love those luscious and pouted lips. My lips are kind of full not flat ones. I need to do more research for a makeover on my lips before considering a non surgical lip augmentation. Also little worried about the pain and the outcome of the procedure. Coming week,I have fixed an appointment with my doctor. Lets see what his suggestions are. 🙂
I Justus’s had my lips done with restylane the actual procedure didn’t hurt but now 5 hrs later my lips are killing me! And I can handle pain. Did yours hurt bad
Hi Laurie. Yes with Restylane they did hurt. That pain subsided for me within 24hrs. I took some OTC pain med; I can’t remember what exactly but I typically take Ibuprofen. The next day they still felt tender but much better than the day before. Give it a few days and all pain will be gone. However if things get worse by the 3 day mark I would contact the doctor, as you may be having an allergic reaction. Hang in there! It gets better. 🙂
I loved this blog. I appreciate an honest answer. I am 20 years old and feel that I may be too young to be thinking about a procedure like this. What do you think? Also, who is your doctor and how much was it for you?
Hi there! I think 20 is a fine age to have fillers. I think as long as you are mentally stable, doing it for yourself, and/or to balance/enhance your features in a conservative way, then you have a good head on your shoulders. And you should totally go for it! As far as price goes I would hate to misquote you, as it really depends on the product and how much is needed. So it’s a case by case bases. It would probably be best to set up a consultation so you can discuss any concerns you might have. There is a link to my doctors website in the post. I just recently did lip fillers again, and I will be blogging the journey and results soon! (So make sure you are following the blog, in order to be notified of new posts). I hope I answered your questions, and Im just thrilled that people are finding this blog beneficial. Take care! And of course, stay lovely.
Loved this post, it was honest and infomative. Greatly appreciated 🙂
Did you end up going for the permanent results?
I recently got a chin implant and it made my lips look so much smaller so I’ve been considering fat grafting to my lips.
Thanks, girl!!
Thank you! I looked into getting a fat graft but the two doctors I went to said “I wouldnt”. The thing about the fat grafting is, it’s unpredictable. Some places may retain the fat, while other places don’t. Which of course means that you’d still have to get fillers for any uneveness.
The other option is lip implants. I haven’t done a ton of research on those yet, but they seem to come with their own set of issues.
So for me, for now, I’m sticking with the fillers. One of the doctors told me about a new filler product that just came out, which allegedly lasts longer but it’s a new product; I like to let other people try things for a couple of years and see how that goes before I do. But give the fillers a try. Since they aren’t permanent, it helps you discover the right doctor, and the right way for your lips to be filled (super full, pouty, etc).
Keep me updated on your decision! 🙂
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I had restylane injections in my lips years ago, never had swelling other than in my lips , wonder if you had a bad reaction to it ! I wish I could afford to do it again! They have me dent freezing when I had mine done!
They did look great but your natural lips look great too.
You’re blog is awesome. Would love to ask you more questions about your surgery. Can I private message you?
Thank you. I can do private messaging but I encourage public questions because I’m sure others are wondering similar things as you. And you never know who it might help. 🙂