Are lip fillers safe?

‘Are lip fillers safe’ is probably the most common question my clients ask about all of my injectables – particularly lip fillers. The next most common question is ‘are lip fillers painful’! Before we start, I want to say that safety is ALWAYS my number one priority, and knowing that lip fillers are safe was a huge one for me to start offering this treatment to my clients! Fortunately, most clients I treat actively seek qualified, trained medical professionals to do their lip fillers because they know some risks associated with these treatments – and they value their faces!! Sadly, this isn’t always the case – a frightening number of people out there will put price before safety without realising the potential risks of doing so.

So… are lip fillers safe?

If lip fillers are done properly within guidelines and with high-quality, industry-recognised products, then yes, lip fillers should be safe. To be sure, ask your practitioner about the following.

1. Is the practitioner medically qualified (i.e. nurse, doctor, dentist – and a member of an official body such as the NMC/GMC etc)?
2. Is the practitioner properly insured?
3. Does the practitioner have evidence of training and qualifications?
4. Have you a reliable word-of-mouth recommendation?
5. Does the practitioner have a transparent policy regarding treatment, review, and problem-solving if something should not go according to plan?
6. Do they have good, genuine reviews?

You may have seen in the press recently that there is currently a movement to make injectable cosmetics such as fillers and botulinum toxin (or ‘botox’) ONLY available through registered medical professionals, as well as a lot of support for making dermal fillers prescription only – as botox currently is. There are many reasons for doing this, although, as in any industry, there are good and bad on both the medical and non-medic sides. However, you get an added layer of protection when you use a registered medic – they have a Professional registration to protect, so they are far less likely to be reckless with your treatment and usually have many years in clinical environments before even starting their aesthetics training.

Most lip fillers are formulated with Hyaluronic Acid, a naturally occurring substance in the skin that is dispersed and reabsorbed into the body over time. However, a needle used to inject a substance into the skin can lead to swelling and bruising, and even some numbness following a treatment. Lumps and nodules are common, although they should settle over a few weeks. These side effects are very common (although I have a pretty good track record for bruising!). When done correctly, most side effects should be mild and resolve within a few weeks. Fillers take a couple of weeks to settle, so you don’t need to panic if it doesn’t feel quite right for a few days!

Swelling is the most common side effect of fillers – and I always advise clients that their lips will look swollen and not how they will eventually be for up to a week following their treatment. This is entirely normal and nothing to be concerned about! I usually tell my clients that if they love their lips in the immediate few days after treatment, they will be back asking for more!! Conversely, if you hate me for a few days because your lips look too big, chances are they will be perfect when they have settled!! (I can confirm this – it was exactly me last week!!)
Another method to ensure even safer fillers are to ask that your practitioner uses a cannula, rather than a needle, to perform the treatment. A cannula is a long, blunt needle used to insert the filler product into the desired areas. This means fewer injection points, reducing the risk of infection and bruising. A blunt needle means a dramatic reduction in the (already low when appropriately done) risk of vascular occlusion (see below for information on this!), as it is far harder to insert a needle into a blood vessel.

Issues that need urgent advice and possibly treatment are severe pain, sudden bruising or an area that appears white or cold and doesn’t settle. On very rare occasions, a blood vessel can become blocked with the filler (‘occlusion’). If it is not treated immediately, it can lead to tissue death (‘necrosis’) and even blindness if the filler is accidentally injected into an artery that supplies the eyes. A good practitioner should know where to inject – and more importantly, where not to inject, so these problems should be rare. However, because everyone has different anatomy, it is possible that even the most experienced injector could end up with what is known as vascular occlusion in a filler client. What is important here is how that practitioner deals with it! If recognised quickly and dealt with appropriately, it is entirely possible to manage it without any long-term problems.

To reduce the chances of problems, all of my clients agree to contact me first and straight away if there are any concerns, particularly in the first 24 hours following a filler treatment. I won’t do fillers if you are going away in the following 5-7 days, and I will never do it just before you fly. Also, if I am planning on going away, I will either delay your treatment until I get back or potentially speak to my colleague in Sutton Coldfield, so she could be an emergency contact if there are any concerns in my absence.
A good practitioner will never ignore a client if they believe there is a problem – sometimes reassurance that the symptoms they are experiencing are normal may be all that is needed, and sometimes you may need to be reviewed. There are many horror stories of therapists blocking clients with problems because they don’t know how to treat them and don’t want to take responsibility!

So, to recap, are lip fillers safe?

Yes, when they are performed properly and safely, you must feel comfortable and safe with your chosen practitioner. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and if things don’t feel right, go somewhere else.

Most of all – PLEASE don’t buy on price – if it’s cheap, it’s usually cheap for a reason!!

Best of all, come to me for your safe lip fillers – I am a registered nurse and independent prescriber and am fully trained and insured. I will listen to what you want, advise on the best course of treatment for you, and be there for you afterwards if you need me. What’s not to love?