Lip Filler

A little! However, the vast majority of patients agree that the small degree of discomfort⁠—which is over in a matter of minutes⁠—is worth it. On top of their inherent compassion and constant mindfulness of each individual patient's experience, there are many things that the expert injectors at 8 West Clinic do to make you more comfortable, including:

• Application of a topical anesthetic to numb the lips
• The use of dermal filler products containing lidocaine for further local numbing in the treatment area
• The use of vibration anesthesia devices during treatment
• Providing ice before, during, and after treatment

Many patients have had multiple lip injection treatments without any anesthetic at all! Your preference will be discussed during the consultation.

The specific areas of your lips that are injected will depend on your consultation and objectives. Typical areas include: The Red (or Vermillion): Placing dermal filler into this area plumps it up, making it either project forwards more or increasing the vertical height of the lip. The Lip Margin (or Vermillion Border): For patients whose lip border is poorly defined, placing filler along the edges of the lips looks really lovely. The Cupid’s Bow: Filler can be used to accentuate or de-accentuate a cupid’s bow. Aging Areas: As we grow older, it's inevitable that we begin to lose volume in our perioral region. Dermal filler strategically placed in and around the lip area can be used to recreate shape and restore volume, giving structure and lift back to the lips in a natural manner.

As you will learn in your consultation, some risks do come with any lip filler treatment, which is why safety is so crucial. There are a number of FDA-approved dermal fillers that have a long history of success and a high safety profile, and we utilize several types of these filler products specially designed for the lips when doing lip injections. They are all temporary products that are made of hyaluronic acid (a substance that is naturally-occurring in the body), as opposed to permanent and semi-permanent products that are irreversible. Your consultation will include a discussion of which product will work best for you and your objectives.

Lip fillers are a medical procedure, and only physicians can have access to the safe, FDA-approved pharmaceutical dermal filler products. So, any medical professional doing your lip injections must be working under a doctor. On top of this, knowledge, experience, and specialization with injectable procedures matter. Be sure to not only confirm your treatment provider's qualifications, but also look for examples of their work in before and after photos, as well as reviews from other patients' experiences. Our treatments are executed only by qualified injectable specialists handpicked and led by Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Thomas Buonassisi. Our wonderful injectors carry over 20 years of extensive experience specializing in aesthetic injectables, and have performed thousands of lip filler procedures for a countless number of happy patients.

Lip fillers are great treatment options for anyone looking to add lip volume or definition. Lip injections are best-known for plumping the lips, but there are many other ways fillers can augment the lip area. Most common treatment areas:

‍Vermillion border (edge of the lip): Patients looking to accentuate the look of the lip without adding excessive volume, while creating beautiful and natural lips.

‍Cupid’s bow: Filler can be used to accentuate the cupid bow, or soften the shape, depending on your preference to enhance the look of the upper lip.

‍Lower lip: Typically slightly thicker than the upper lip, so it’s important for our aesthetic nurse injectors to inject the correct amount of filler to keep proportions natural looking.

‍Gummy smile: Greater upper-lip volume, often used together with wrinkle relaxing injections, may help disguise a gummy smile.

Enjoy one of our complimentary consultations to discuss your lip and aesthetic goals. Afterwards, you’ll come away with a comprehensive lip augmentation treatment plan that’s right for you, designed to meet your needs and create the look that you desire.

At 8 West Clinic, we use only the highest-grade dermal filler products for our lip injection treatments. We are extremely selective with our lip filler products, using only those that meet the highest standards set by the FDA and Health Canada and are considered the gold standard in lip augmentation. Our dermal fillers are designed specifically for the lips and are made with hyaluronic acid—a substance naturally found in the body, which is a sugar that binds together water molecules. The dermal fillers also contain the local anaesthetic lidocaine to numb the area and make the treatments more comfortable.

Lip filler treatments are customizable, based on the results you want to see. Some patients want to add volume to thin lips, create shape and contour, increase the vertical height of the lip, accentuate or de-accentuate the cupid’s bow, or rejuvenate the area surrounding the lips.

Our highly experienced aesthetic injectors will ensure that you are informed on the treatment process, and that you are as comfortable as possible. Before your treatment you will have a topical ointment placed on your lips to aid in numbing them for a more comfortable treatment. Once your lips are sufficiently numb, your treatment provider will gently inject the dermal filler into several strategic areas to achieve the desired results.

Lip augmentation typically lasts for 6 to 8 months, but varies from person to person, depending on how fast their body metabolizes the product. Immediately after treatments, you’ll notice the results right away. Post-treatment swelling and possibly minor bruising may occur, and mean that your lips look larger than they will eventually settle down to be. It takes about 2 to 4 weeks for the filler to settle in and fully integrate into the tissue to give you natural, plump lips.