How we approach the lip
Before any product is placed, we look at three things: the ratio between your upper and lower lip, the position of the lip border, and how your mouth moves when you speak and smile. Most lips that read as "overfilled" were treated for volume alone, without respecting those proportions. We usually start with a small amount — often half a syringe to one syringe — and build over more than one visit if needed.
What lip filler can and cannot do
- Add volume to thin or flattened lips
- Define a soft or blurred lip border
- Even out asymmetry between the two sides
- Soften fine vertical lip lines
- Improve the balance between upper and lower lip
It will not lift a heavy upper lip, change the shape of your teeth or gum show, or remove deep smoker's lines on its own. If that is your concern, we will say so at the consultation and discuss other options such as a lip flip with Botox or resurfacing.
The appointment, step by step
A lip appointment takes roughly 45 minutes. Numbing cream sits for about 20 minutes, the injections themselves take 10–15 minutes, and we finish by shaping the product by hand and checking symmetry with you in the mirror while you are still sitting up.
Swelling and recovery
Lips swell more than any other area of the face. Expect noticeable swelling for the first 48 hours, some unevenness during that window, and a settled result at around 7–14 days. Bruising is possible at injection points. We ask patients not to book lip filler within two weeks of a wedding, photo shoot, or event.
How long lip filler lasts
Most hyaluronic-acid lip fillers last 6–12 months. Lips metabolise product faster than cheeks or jawline because the area moves constantly. Many patients maintain with a small top-up once or twice a year rather than repeating a full syringe.
Safety and reversibility
Hyaluronic-acid filler can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if you are unhappy with the result or in the rare event of a vascular complication. We keep it on hand, inject slowly with low pressure, and review your medical history and medications at every visit. Lip filler is not performed during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Booking
Consultations are complimentary, and you are never committed to treating the same day. See dermal fillers for cheeks, jawline, chin, and non-surgical rhinoplasty, or the price list for current pricing.
Serving La Crescenta, Montrose, La Cañada Flintridge, Glendale, Pasadena, and the greater Los Angeles area. All treatments are performed under physician oversight, by appointment.