Swelling is a common side effect that patients experience after the lip filler treatment. This article explains what lip fillers are, how to reduce swelling of lip fillers and the frequently asked questions.
Lip fillers have gained popularity in the recent world. It has been a great method to restore lost volume and achieve fuller, softer, more attractive kissable lips. They are mostly made with hyaluronic acid, which occurs naturally in the body. Most prefer this treatment since they last longer and are not permanent. After injection, it is normal for patients to experience swelling in the treated area. It is one of the side effects that patients encounter after the procedure, although it subsides after a short period.
What Are Lip Fillers?
This a type of cosmetic procedure that many patients undergo to add volume to their lips, make them symmetrical, give them definition and change their shape. According to Dovedytis et al. (2020), most of them are made with hyaluronic acid, which is responsible for maintaining and trapping water molecules in the body. It plays a big role since it keeps the skin hydrated, making the lips look moisturized and attractive. It is administered into the different areas of the lips using a needle. Their main benefit is to plump out thin, small lips which lack volume. During the ageing process, the lips and other parts of the face start to lose their volume. However, lip filler injection makes the lips more defined and gives them a good shape.
How to Reduce Swelling of Lip Fillers
After the lip filler treatment, patients experience swelling in their lips. Professional cosmetic doctors offer guidelines to their patientsto help them reduce swelling and help them speed up the recovery process of their fillers. Patients should follow them carefully to achieve optimal results and make their fillers last longer.
Cosmetic doctors advise patients to stop kissing immediately after the treatment. The pressure applied when kissing can increase the chances of swelling. The mouth contains many bacteria, so kissing before the puncture is completely closed can easily penetrate the area, leading to infections. Therefore, it is a great idea to refrain from kissing for at least two days after the treatment. After the treatment, your spouse may not be able to notice if one has fillers in their lips. It is good to explain to your partner to avoid kissing since the lips become swollen and tender after injection, and kissing may increase the chances of swelling. Kissing may also make the fillers move to unintended areas leading to undesired results. Until the fillers settle, patients should avoid kissing.
Many patients get to attempt to apply makeup after the treatment immediately. It is not recommended. They should avoid applying makeup immediately after lip fillers. One should wait 48 hours after the injection to give the fillers enough time to settle. The pressure put when applying makeup worsens the swelling and may make the filler move and settle on unplanned areas. The treated area takes a long time to heal, and patients may achieve undesired results. The touching of the injection site when applying makeup makes the bacteria penetrate easily, increasing the chances of infection.
After the treatment, cosmetic doctors advise patients to stop active activities and do their daily exercises. Exercises are very important in the human body. However, when it comes to lip fillers, patients should stop after a while to give the treated area enough time to settle. When patients do exercises, they increase the blood flow, making the swelling worse in the injection site. After exercises, patients sweat. According to Vedamurthy (2018), this sweating makes the bacteria penetrate the treated area more easily, increasing the chances of infection. Some exercises, like yoga, involve a lot of head movement that may make the filler move and settle to the wrong area causing complications and undesired results. Patients should relax after the treatment to make the fillers settle and heal faster to achieve optimal results.
Cosmetic doctors advise patients to stop things that can increase swelling, like alcohol and smoking. Smoking irritates the skin making the swelling worse. According to Husain et al. (2014), alcohol opens the blood vessels and acts as a blood thinner. It is very important to avoid consuming alcohol before and after the treatment. It helps in reducing swelling and bleeding after the injection.
Patients can use numbing cream to apply on their treated area gently to reduce swelling. However, it is good to consult a cosmetic doctor to help you know the best way to reduce the swelling. Some patients prefer applying cold compressors on the injected area. It is not recommended since it can irritate the injection site making the swelling worse. Before applying anything to the fillers, one should consult a cosmetic doctor first.
The cosmetic doctor may play a big role in the swelling of the lip fillers and other side effects after the treatment. When choosing a cosmetic doctor, patients should look for a well-skilled, experienced and qualified doctor. When a licenced cosmetic doctor performs the procedure, the risk chances become very low. When the swelling does not subside after a while, this implies something went wrong during the injection. This swelling can be a sign of a complication. Because of this, clients should be very careful when choosing a cosmetic doctor to treat them.
After the treatment, patients should drink lots of water and eat many fruits and vegetables. According to Bukhari et al. (2018), lip fillers are made up of hyaluronic acid that holds and trap water molecules. For this reason, patients should keep their bodies hydrated. It will keep the skin moisturized, which contributes to the healing process. Consuming plenty of hydrating fruits and vegetables also helps the body heal. It helps the body to fight any infection in the treated area and the filler’s health.Patients should avoid taking salty and spicy foods. Salty foods dehydrate the body, while spicy foods irritate the skin making the swelling worse.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lip Fillers
How Long Does Lip Filler Swelling Take to Go Down?
Patients experience swelling during the first days after receiving a lip filler treatment. However, this swelling goes away by itself by the fifth day. Patients experiencing severe swelling for a long period should see their cosmetic doctor immediately, as it may be a sign of a serious complication.
How to Reduce Swelling
Patients should avoid all the things that may put pressure on the injected area, like applying makeup, sleeping on the face, massaging, touching, kissing and doing exercises like yoga.
Conclusion
There are many ways to reduce swelling, but patients should ensure they find a licenced cosmetic doctor to avoid complications during the procedure. After the treatment, a professional cosmetic doctor offers clients guidelines to reduce swelling. Patients are advised to avoid kissing, applying makeup, exercising and active activities after the procedure. Applying numbing cream may also help them reduce their swelling.
References
Bukhari, S. N. A., Roswandi, N. L., Waqas, M., Habib, H., Hussain, F., Khan, S., … & Hussain, Z. (2018). Hyaluronic acid, a promising skin rejuvenating biomedicine: A review of recent updates and pre-clinical and clinical investigations on cosmetic and nutricosmetic effects. International journal of biological macromolecules, 120, 1682-1695.
Dovedytis, M., Liu, Z. J., & Bartlett, S. (2020). Hyaluronic acid and its biomedical applications: A review. Engineered Regeneration, 1, 102-113.
Husain, K., Ansari, R. A., & Ferder, L. (2014). Alcohol-induced hypertension: Mechanism and prevention. World journal of cardiology, 6(5), 245.
Vedamurthy, M. (2018). Beware what you inject: Complications of injectables—dermal fillers. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 11(2), 60.
GP
The work of a family doctor includes a wide range of clinical diversity, which requires extensive knowledge and erudition from a specialist. However, I believe that the most important thing for a family doctor is to be human because the cooperation and understanding between the doctor and the patient are crucial in ensuring successful health care. On my days off, I love being in nature. Since childhood, I have been passionate about playing chess and tennis. Whenever I have time off, I enjoy traveling around the world.
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