Lip Fillers

Lip fillers are arguably one of the most popular facial aesthetic treatments today and are heavily endorsed by celebrities and influencers.

There are many reasons why someone may be unhappy with the size and shape of their lips. Ageing can cause the lips to appear thinner and less defined. For others, their lips may be naturally narrow with a less prominent cupid’s bow.

At Dr Olivia Clinics, our lip filler treatments have been developed to specifically enhance the natural pattern of your lips, helping you achieve more defined, beautifully shaped, bigger lips. Our semi-permanent fillers are a man made, non-animal gel that mimics the body’s natural hyaluronic acid, providing you with a safe, long-lasting and natural looking result.

Results

How Long Do Dermal Fillers Last?

This will differ depending on product choice, method of administration, and personal factors. Your practitioner should explain this to you based on their approach.

Dr Olivia’s approach is using a robust filler that moves with facial expression, giving natural results lasting a medium term of approximately 6 months or more (6-9 months on average, gradually decreasing back to your normal sized lips).

If you decide to get your treatment topped up at regular intervals (usually with smaller amounts of product), you’ll generally find the results hold for longer.

We do NOT want permanent results from lip fillers. As we age our look will change, lips naturally decrease in size, and a permanent pout would look unnatural! Plus you may change your outlook on what you want based on trends and lifestyle.

Does Lip Enhancement Hurt?

Traditional lip filler techniques vary in terms of discomfort.

Some techniques are known to be less comfortable than others. This should be communicated to you before undergoing any treatment.

At Dr Olivia Clinics our priority is the quality of your experience, and so we will aim to make the treatment as painless as possible.

Before your treatment begins we will apply a strong numbing cream to the area. This cream should be left on for up to 30 mins prior to commencement. You can apply some before you arrive at your appointment should you wish; we can supply this to ensure it is a safe product.

Another method of pain relief is the use of a dental block anaesthetic. This is a more drastic method as you will be entirely numb in the affected areas around and inside your mouth.

This is possible and can be carried out on request, however we prefer to avoid it if possible as it will distort your facial expression temporarily and mean you cannot feel sensation. This can make the treatment trickier to administer and carries the risk of you traumatising the area by accident when still numb post operatively.

All our filler products contain lidocaine, a strong numbing agent. This means the procedure remains comfortable throughout.

Products not containing anaesthetic are widely used in other clinics, and are much more painful to inject, invoking a stinging sensation in the lips!

Techniques used at Dr Olivia Clinics are the main factor in differentiating our lip fillers from competitors.

We use a tiny, 30 gauge (a minuscule needle bore) 4mm length needle to administer the filler. We use a minimal number of injection points. This technique is highly specialised and expertly conducted by Dr Olivia. This means your procedure will be entirely comfortable, atraumatic ie there is a much reduced risk of bruising and swelling, and the results will follow the natural anatomy of your lips.

How Quickly Will I Notice Filler Results?

Dermal fillers are a gel-like substance used to volumize, define, or add a hydrated effect to the lips. 

The nature of adding the filler to your lip tissues means that you get an instant after effect. 

Straight away you will leave the clinic with a natural volumizing effect to your lips. 

This however isn’t the ‘true result’ of your lip filler treatment, as there will be a degree of post operative swelling immediately after the treatment is carried out. 

This is usually very minor and self limiting, but it can come and go for approximately 48 hours after your initial visit. 

Some people will have virtually no swelling and their immediate result will barely change over the healing phase. Others will have more sensitive skin and may see an increased amount of swelling, especially after sleeping horizontally all night. This will reduce throughout the day.

The fully settled result will take 2 weeks to appear. This is when the deeper tissues of our lips will have fully healed, and the filler material will have full integration into your natural lip tissue.

Over the two week period any swelling and bruising will dissipate, and the filler will soften to leave a natural result.

The fillers we use in our clinic are developed using the most sophisticated technology, and so the result should be virtually undetectable from that of your natural lip tissue. The fillers move with facial expression, giving you a soft, natural pout.  

How Much Do Lip Fillers Cost?

The price of our lip fillers at Dr Olivia Clinics reflects the skill set of our Dr, the time taken to carry out the procedure, and the quality of the products used. 

We set extremely fair prices in order to be competitive with other clinics and give you a service that you feel has met your needs satisfactorily.

Pricing is set based on the nature of the procedure, in this instance dermal filler to the lips, and the amount of product used.

We have set prices for 0.7ml and 1ml of filler product. 

Should you decide to ‘top up’ your lip fillers within a set period of time agreed with Dr Olivia, we may be able to offer additional product at a slightly reduced price than at your initial visit. This will be determined by your Dr and is not to be expected without having had this discussed as part of your treatment plan. 

The choice of product doesn’t affect the price, as Dr Olivia does not believe in offering a ‘cheaper alternative’ at the expense of your result!

Prices start at £150 for 0.7ml of premium dermal filler. 

We will also offer prices based on a treatment plan that involves adding toxin to your lips, known as a ‘lip flip’. 

This is because here at Dr Olivia Clinics, we believe in giving you the best service to suit your needs, rather than charging you extra for a treatment that isn’t in your best interests. 

What Are The Potential Side Effects?

You should expect mild post operative swelling (this varies and is usually completely manageable without intervention). This can be minimised by cold compresses, antihistamine tablets, rest, avoiding touching the treated area, avoiding alcohol, and hot environments. Swelling may be uneven and this does not mean your results will not settle beautifully.

You may get some element of post procedural bruising. Dr Olivia uses a specialised method to minimise the trauma and bruising risk. Most clients will have none or very minimal pinprick bruising. Some will have slightly more bruising; but it is usually coverable with lipstick/concealer. It’s entirely impossible to predict who will and who won’t bruise, but there are steps you can follow to minimise your risk which Dr Olivia will discuss with you before the procedure. Aftercare information will detail how to further reduce the risk.

Small lumps are a rare possibility post treatment. If these do not settle within the first two weeks after treatment, please return to the clinic and these can be easily rectified. You end result should feel entirely smooth and natural, just like your own lips.

How To Prepare For Lip Filler Treatment

To get the best outcome there are a few factors to be aware of.

If you suffer from cold sores, let your practitioner know in advance.

If you tend to bruise easily, consider taking arnica tablets the week before your treatment. Pineapple contains a substance called bromelain, this may help with post operative swelling. Arnica cream can be applied to post operative bruises.

Have a dark lipstick and good concealer at the ready increase of bruising.

If you take supplements containing fish oils or similar, stop taking these 2 weeks prior to treatment. These substances put you at a largely increased risk of bruising following treatment. Dr Olivia’s vast experience in aesthetics has lead her to include such considerations as part of her treatment provision; as these are the kinds of side effects that can be avoided with meticulous planning.

Freeze a few individual baby wipes, applying these is a nice clean way to soothe your lips after treatment.

Have a brand new clean Vaseline or chapstick on hand. You should NOT apply make up directly after treatment, only after 24 hours have passed. However you can apply new Vaseline or similar with clean fingers afterwards.

If you are self conscious that people will notice, plan your treatment before a weekend or when you have a few days off work.

Avoid aspirin (unless prescribed) and ibuprofen around your procedure. They increase bruising risk.