Lips fillers: How long do they last? How much do they cost? This is everything you need to know

Lips tend to lose their juicy volume with age and get thinner and drier, and it’s all for the same reasons as with other parts of the face. The collagen that plumps lips up gets gradually broken down, thanks to the daily assault of daylight. As a result of the natural ageing process. Plump lips are one of those eternally appealing, sought after looks, hence the big appeal of lip fillers – both to the older person whose lips are thinning and to the younger ones who would simply like their lips a little bigger, juicer, and poutier.

Whether you’re seriously considering venturing into the world of lip fillers yourself or are simply intrigued, consider this your comprehensive guide.

How do lip fillers work?

As with any aesthetic procedure, the process will begin with a consultation with your chosen practitioner where they will assess your lips and discuss your concerns: What are you hoping to achieve from the procedure? What is it about your lips that bothers you? Are you looking for bigger lips? More definition? Or both?

During your consultation, your practitioner will map out a treatment plan based on what you’ve discussed so that you can make a decision.

When it comes to treatment, your practitioner will take a very fine needle and a syringe of an appropriate filler and inject the filler into your lips. Depending on their preferred technique, they may make a series of tiny injections along the border of the lips to put the product in place, and then again in the middle of the lip. Or they may slide the needle into the lip border and along to the cupid’s bow, then gradually pull it back to where they started, injecting small amounts of filler as they go.

Your practitioner may use a cannula instead, which is essentially a thin blunt needle that’s eased along under the surface of your lips, distributing the product as it goes.

Does it hurt?

It’s hard to imagine a scenario where placing a needle into an area as sensitive as the lips isn’t painful, but, these days there are so may anaesthetic options available – numbing cream, dental blocks, vibrating devices and VR headsets – that the treatment will hurt a lot less than you may expect.

After treatment, however, it’s common to experience achy, sore, and stiff sensations where the lips have been injected. This usually lasts for just a few days while the area heals.

How long do results last?

This is entirely dependent on factors such as the patient’s age and the brand of product used. Top-ups are typically required every four-to-six months to maintain the desired result.

How much does it cost?

Lip fillers typically cost between £250 and £600 per ml, depending on the amount and type of dermal filler used and where in the country the injector is based. Never base your decision solely on price. There are a lot of practitioners out there who aren’t medically qualified to perform dermal filler procedures. Choose a practitioner with a medical background (a doctor, nurse prescriber, or dentist), ask about their experience and previous work and make sure that you know which product they’re using.

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