Going from zero to a hundred with your lip filler is not the right approach. Here’s how to properly and safely build more volume in your already beautiful lips.

I get it. When you saw the picture of Kylie Jenner’s profile, you instantly saved it and fully intend to share it with your cosmetic injector as your inspiration photo for what you want. I’ve seen it countless times and there’s nothing wrong with this–as long as you set your expectations ahead of time. Here are three things to remember when beginning your lip filler evolution: 

1. Your lips are your lips.

Everyone’s lip shape is different and while filler can add symmetry and volume, the shape of your lip is the shape of your lip. When approaching lip filler (especially if you have inspo photos saved), try to remember that your results will be unique to you. I strongly believe that all lips are beautiful and that we can enhance your natural shape to give you that confidence you desire. We can tweak your lip shape slightly, but your lips suit your face and really shouldn’t change drastically. 

2. Trust the cosmetic injector you’ve chosen. 

Though you can (and should!) have input in your lip filler treatment, it’s important to remember your cosmetic injectionist has studied and treated hundreds of lips. There are informed decisions that can be made together, but also standard best practices that need to be adhered to. For example, the proper ratio for your lips is 40 percent top lip and 60 percent bottom. Sometimes people opt for a 1:1 ratio, but this can cause the top lip to overpower and become “ducky.” I’ll be evaluating all these things and giving you my professional preference along with taking your preference. All appointments with me include time for consultation for this reason.

3. Don’t expect everything from your first.

Building voluminous lips with lip filler takes time. It’s likely that the lip inspiration photo you saved is the result of many, many treatments over multiple years. Your lip filler evolution should not be rushed if your goal is natural-looking lips. For that reason, I always recommend patients new to lip fillers to start with just a half syringe (0.6 ml). If you opt for too much lip filler at once, it may give a balloon look or even migrate beyond the lip borders, which is what happened to the patient below.

This patient came to me, after seeing another doctor for lip filler, for a correction after her lip filler migrated past her lip border. To correct and treat this, I used enzyme. Regardless of who has done your previous work, I am happy to work with any patient to ensure they feel confident and secure in their results. Multiple factors could have contributed to this patient’s migration, but too much product at once can be the culprit. 

For this reason, I will never offer more than a full syringe (1.2 ml) during one treatment and oftentimes will suggest a half. When we use less product, we can have more control over the results. For example, it’s natural to have lines in your lips. Depending on how your lips settle after each injection, we can adjust and target different pockets to avoid gaping and keep that overall natural appearance. These smaller adjustments help me as an injector understand how your lips respond and the best plan to get to your ideal results.

This patient transformation is the perfect example of a gradual increase of half syringes of Revanesse® Kiss. The results achieved after two half syringes of 0.6ml were a lot easier to control compared to if we went ahead with a full syringe out of the gate. Now with this foundation, this patient can continue to touch up with half syringes when necessary without losing her natural shape and lip lines. 

Lip Filler on Vancouver Island 

I offer lip filler at four locations (Elegance Sculpting, Xpose Salon, The Refinery House and Avenue 42) using Revanesse Kiss, a crossed-linked HA formula specifically designed for lip augmentation. I personally prefer using this brand because the particles are uniquely spherical which provides my patients results with the perfect balance of smoothness and volume. For more information on lip filler on Vancouver Island and the surrounding area, check out this next article: 6 Things You Need To Know About Lip Filler.

To book your next lip filler appointment in Parksville, Nanaimo, Chilliwack or Langley, click here.