Fresh, plump, and natural-looking lips are the new trending facial appearance on most social media platforms. When can one resume their daily habit if they are a smoker? This article has put together everything you should know about lip filler treatments and smoking by first explaining what lip fillers are and why people try lip fillers.
The popularity of lip fillers is growing daily. In the UK, more than a million patients annually are administered cosmetic procedures to improve their lips’ volume and appearance. Lip fillers are primarily hyaluronic acid and collagen stimulators that contribute to the uplifting effects. However, after one has gone through lip fillers, it is okay to wonder when one can resume smoking without affecting the plumpness of lip fillers. Fortunately, a qualified cosmetic doctor will lay down all lip filler aftercare one must adhere to; smoking is one of them.
What Are Lip Fillers?
According to Yamasaki et al. (2020), lip fillers are cosmetic procedures used to restore or increase the size of your lips without performing a surgical treatment. The procedure involves directly injecting filler materials into the lip tissues. Lip fillers provide a quick result that lasts for an estimated 3 to 12 months, depending on various factors like the professionality of the cosmetic doctor, the amount injected, the type of lip filler, and the patient’s metabolic rate. Nonetheless, apart from providing plump lips that feel natural, lip fillers are also known to eliminate deep-rooted fine lines and wrinkles surrounding the mouth.
Why Do People Try Lip Fillers?
Wick et al. (2022) stated that as people grow old, their body glands gradually reduce the release of skin proteins and surgeries that help to maintain a youthful look. Most lip fillers contain hyaluronic acid, popular for preserving lips plumpness by attracting body fluid 1000 times its weight. Lips tend to have massive reductions in volume due to low production of hyaluronic acid and collagen. In addition, lip fillers like calcium hydroxylapatite and poly-l-lactic acid are familiar with stimulating the natural production of collagen and lip fats.
Although, ageing is not the only reason people engage in lip augmentation. Some people are genetically born with thin lips, while others can develop premature ageing signs like wrinkles and thin lips due to environmental factors and chronic diseases. Nonetheless, one might wish to join a lip filler regime for the following benefits:
- Restoring youthful lip volume
- Correcting the shape and symmetric of your lips
- Softening fine lines around the mouth
What Danger Does Smoking Impose After Lip Filler Treatments?
Smoking involves inhaling and exhaling tobacco, marijuana, and other smoke. As a result, it primarily harms mental, respiratory, and physical health. One of the common adverse effects of smoking is dry and cracked lips. It hinders the production of lip fats and proteins that keeps lips hydrated. Unfortunately, most lip fillers contain hyaluronic acid, which is dependent on body fluid to make lips appear plumper. Therefore, smoking immediately after lip filler treatments can hinder the goal of full lips. Lip injections are safe cosmetic procedures that provide immediate results. But cosmetic treatments can accompany mild side effects such as swelling and bruising that go down after a few days. According to Auslaner et al. (2020), smoking can negatively interfere with the lip’s natural healing process, prolonging the mild side effects for days or weeks. Smoking also makes the injected more susceptible to bruising by reducing blood flow in the lip blood vessels. Lastly, lip darkening is a rare complication in lip filler treatments. But immediate tobacco smoking can prolong the time required for filler material to settle in lip tissues. It might make the lips appear darker or develop infections. The more lip filler materials take to set, the more pronethe lips are too cold to sores or activation of the herpes simplex virus.
How Long Should You Wait Before Smoking After Lip Fillers
Smoking is an act that is known to cause addiction or high dependency depending on the substance being heated. Although to achieve the lip filler goals, one should wait a day or two before vaping or smoking marijuana, nicotine, tobacco, etc. However, as anxious as one might be to return to their regular smoking habits, they should wait at least a day after the lip filler treatment. Additionally, some cosmetic doctors may preferably wish you to wait for at least two days until filler materials settle before smoking. Shirshakova et al. (2020) explained that there is no definite time to resume smoking; it all depends on the guidelines prescribed by cosmetic doctors, which are based on body diagnosis results and the type of lip filler injected.
Is Smoking the Only Thing That Is Avoided After Lip Filler Injections?
Smoking is one of the many instructions that cosmetic patients should avoid immediately after lip filler injections. The following are other don’t ones that should keep in mind:
- Avoid vigorous exercises like gym activities for at least 24 hours. Extreme activities increase blood flow in all body parts, including the treated lip areas. Asa result, the migration of lip filler materials to untargeted areas might occur, thus, uneven results.
- Avoid flying for a week after lip filling. The air pressure in planes has proven to worsen bruising effects caused by injections.
- Don’t wear makeup for a day or two after the treatment. It is because makeup worsens bruising effects and prematurely uses cosmetic brushes on the lips, which can move the filler materials to unwanted areas.
- Avoid oral sex, kissing,or brushing the teeth for at least 24 hours after the treatment. Applying rough touches on the lips can make the injected area more prone to bruising or infections.
- Avoid taking alcohol for at least a day after the treatment. Alcohol causes body dehydration, negatively interfering with filler materials’ interaction with body fluid.
- Avoid sleeping on the face but rather rest with the head elevated
- Don’t stay in high-temperature rooms or try sunbed for at least 48 hours after the lip filling.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fillers
Can I Eat After Lip Fillers?
Of course,one can eat after lip fillers but with a few considerations. First, one should avoid complicated-to-eat foods that can require wiping your lips. Avoid also hot foods or drinks that might burn your lips. Avoiding spicy or salty folds that might cause irritations on the injected lip areas is also recommended.
Can I Shower After Lip Filling?
One can take a shower after lip filler injections but avoid directly touching the lips when showering. It is essential to avoid hot showers for a day or two since high heat can increase blood flow in the lips, thus worsening swelling and bruising caused by lip filler injections.
Conclusion
Human lips contain soft and thin skin that makes them more susceptible to the adverse effects of smoking. Most smokers are characterised by darker and thinner lips caused by premature ageing signs of smoking. Smoking worsens the bruising effects, dehydrates lips, and prolongs the time required for lip filler materials to settle. Fortunately, lip fillers are popular in restoring lost lip volume due to smoking. However, one should wait for at least a day before smoking after the lip filling.
References
Auslander, A., McKean-Cowdin, R., Brindopke, F., Sylvester, B., DiBona, M., Magee, K., … & Group, O. S. I. F. S. (2020). The role of smoke from cooking indoors over an open flame and parental smoking on the risk of cleft lip and palate: A case-control study in 7 low-resource countries. Journal of global health, 10(2).
Shirshakova, M. A., & Morozova, E. A. (2020). A difficult patient at a cosmetologist appointment: early lip changes in women smokers: causes, and methods of correction. Russian Journal of Skin and Venereal Diseases, 23(1), 57-64.
Yamasaki, A., & Lee, L. N. (2020). Facial fillers in lip reconstruction. Operative Techniques in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 31(1), 38-44.
Wick, E. H., Ostby, E., & Grunebaum, L. D. (2022). Lip rejuvenation and filler complications in the perioral region. Plastic and Aesthetic Research, 9, 8.
- Delta: A Review from My Perspective - April 10, 2024
- JustCBD UK: A Comprehensive Review - April 8, 2024
- Dermal Fillers, Anti-Wrinkle Injections in St John’s GU21 - March 15, 2024
