How Long Do Lip Filler Results Last?

Facial soft tissue fillers are the second-most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States. Over 3.4 million people elected to use fillers in 2020 to enhance the appearance of their skin and reduce visible signs of aging. 

Lip fillers are a type of soft tissue filler which restores or adds volume to your lips. Many people – both men and women – use lip fillers to change the shape of their lips, smooth wrinkles, and thus, increase confidence in their appearance. 

Cosmetic fillers contain synthetic hyaluronic acid, a naturally-occurring substance in the body that increases skin elasticity and helps skin heal. While adding hyaluronic acid does not slow down or stop the aging process, it does reverse the effects of aging on the lips and skin. 

If you are considering lip fillers to augment thin or flat lips, you may be wondering how long the results will last. Keep reading to learn more about how lip fillers work and the factors that influence the longevity of the results.

What Affects Lip Filler Results?

Most lip fillers last between 12 and 18 months. However, the exact longevity of your lip fillers will depend on a variety of factors including age, metabolic rate, and the experience level of the medical professional administering it. 

Age

The body naturally starts to lose bone and collagen after the age of 26, making your mid-to-late 20s a good time to start getting lip fillers. You have to be at least 21 years old to get FDA-approved lip fillers. 

Most younger lip filler patients are looking for aesthetically-pleasing plump lips that are increasingly visible on celebrities. While it may seem excessive to start using dermal fillers at a young age when the skin is still elastic, many experts argue that fillers work better when started at a younger age. 

One of the benefits of getting fillers at a young age is that you prevent the visible consequences of aging skin, including wrinkles. Younger generations in general are shifting toward pre-juvenation rather than rejuvenation. That means, stopping the visible evidence of aging before it appears on the skin rather than waiting for wrinkles and then addressing them.

Some experts even believe that starting lip fillers in your 20s may result in younger-looking skin than those who begin using fillers in your 40s and 50s. 

Still, a majority of people who use dermal filler injections are between the ages of 40 and 55. At this age, the results of lip fillers will appear more dramatic as they combat flat lips from the loss of collagen and wrinkles around the mouth. 

No matter what your age, lip fillers change the shape and volume of lips, resulting in an overall younger-looking face.

Metabolism

The metabolism controls the body’s ability to convert food and drink into energy. As you age, your metabolism naturally slows down because of the loss of muscle mass. 

Your body burns fewer calories, but it also breaks down the hyaluronic acid in lip fillers much more slowly. For this reason, lip fillers do not last as long for younger people since their metabolisms are naturally faster. 

However, age is not the only factor that affects the speed of metabolism. Muscle tone, activity level, diet, hormones, sleep quality, and disease all influence your metabolism, and therefore the speed at which your body processes the lip fillers.

Why Choose An Experienced Plastic Surgeon

Injectables like lip fillers deliver more natural-looking results than more invasive lip augmentation options. However, using fillers incorrectly can have disastrous results. Some of the risks include permanently stretching lips, tissue death around the mouth, and hardened lip filler leaving permanent lumps or bumps.

Working with an accredited plastic surgeon reduces the risk of infection or unsatisfactory results. They will also advise you on the best lip fillers for your specific goals.

To get the most out of your lip filler treatment, you need to go into the appointment with a good idea of what you want and a realistic idea of what your surgeon can achieve. 

If you want your lip fillers to look the way they used to, ask for it. Or maybe you want a dramatic change to the shape and volume of your lips – that’s okay too! Knowing what you want will help your surgeon supply you with the most satisfactory results.

Lip fillers come from a variety of brands, each of which has its benefits. Once your surgeon has time to go over your goals and expectations, they will choose the right type of lip filler to achieve the results you desire. A few commonly used lip fillers include Juvéderm, Juvéderm Ultra, Juvéderm Ultra Plus, Juvéderm Volbella, Restylane, Restylane-L, and Restylane Silk.

Benefits and Risks

Overall, the benefits of lip fillers outweigh the risks. If you have thin lips or an excess of wrinkles around the mouth, lip fillers will boost your self-esteem and confidence in your appearance.

The minimally-invasive procedure has a low risk of complications and side effects. Bleeding and pain are common at the injection sites but typically go down after icing. A few less common reactions may also include reactivation of cold sores, discoloration, tenderness, infection, tissue death, and asymmetries (one lip or one side of the lip is larger than the other).

The procedure itself is reversible. If you are unhappy with the results, your healthcare provider will inject hyaluronidase to dissolve the lip filler. Since lip fillers are a medical treatment, you are better off receiving them from a plastic surgeon, dermatologist, or cosmetic surgeon rather than at a salon or spa.

Try Lip Fillers for Yourself!

Dr. Shah offers lip fillers in Chicago, IL, with a preference for a longer-lasting filler that will provide visible results for a year or more. Interested in trying lip fillers for yourself? Contact us to schedule a consultation or call (312) 944-0117.