Do you struggle with the appearance of small lips? There may be a solution for you: lip injections. Pittsburgh has many options for who can perform lip injections, but you should always go with a licensed professional. Once you’ve decided lip injections are the right option for you, here’s what you should know about post-lip injection care. 

What to expect immediately after getting lip injections

The temporary effects of lip injections

Lip injections aren’t the type of procedure that will have a long recovery time. Since lip injections are only temporary, you may experience some discomfort, but you’ll be able to go on with your daily life immediately after with some caution to take into consideration. After you get your lip injections, you can expect some temporary swelling and bruising. You may even feel like your lips are overfilled. But don’t worry. Once the initial swelling settles down, your lips will look naturally filled. Your lips also may feel numb, tender, or itchy for the first few days. 

How to reduce swelling following your procedure

Managing your swelling after lip injections

Since you are able to resume your normal activities after your lip injections, you’ll be able to do almost anything after you’re done. But, there are a few things you should do and a few things to avoid so that you can reduce your swelling.

• Ice your lips. Icing your lips immediately after your injections will help with pain, swelling and any other discomfort you may be feeling. 
• Avoid strenuous activities for 24 to 48 hours. You may want to skip any workouts or any activity that will raise your blood pressure for the first day or two. Elevated blood pressure will make the swelling in your lips worse and could result in more bruising. You can still exercise, but try going for a walk or doing other light activities to keep yourself active. 
• Drink lots of water. Staying hydrated is key for a quicker recovery. Make sure you drink enough water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. You may even want to eat hydrating fruits and vegetables throughout the day. 
• Avoid extreme high temperatures. Stay in a more climate-controlled environment and avoid high-temperature places like saunas or events like hot yoga. Extreme heat can make swelling worse. 
• Avoid smoking. Smoking can increase your risk of infection. Try to avoid smoking until you’ve properly healed. 
• Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours. Since alcohol is a blood thinner, consuming alcohol can increase inflammation and swelling. 
• Avoid flying. Doctors typically recommend you don’t fly for at least a week after getting lip injections due to the pressure in the air. It can add to your swelling and bruising. 
• Avoid drinking from a straw. Drinking from a straw can add unnecessary pressure onto your lips. Avoid using straws for at least the first day after your lip injections. 
• Sleep with your head elevated. Sleeping with your head elevated above your heart helps minimize swelling. Use pillows to elevate your head at night and avoid sleeping on your face as much as possible. 

What to eat after lip injections

What you can and should avoid eating immediately after

After you get your lip injections, you’ll want to stick with foods that are soft and easy to chew. Avoid foods that may be messy and require you to frequently wipe your lips as this may cause your swelling and bruising to worsen. You’ll also want to avoid salty foods as much as possible. After a day or two when your lips feel more normal, you can reintroduce foods that may require more chewing and are salty. 

Long-term side effects from lip injections

When to see a doctor for longer side effects

While typically, long term side effects of lip injections are rare, it’s still possible to experience side effects after the healing process. Hyaluronic acid, which is what is typically used in lip injection procedures, is a natural substance that is found in the body, so typically there will be no allergic reactions to it. While typically, long term side effects of or allergic reactions from lip injections are rare, it’s still possible to experience side effects after the healing process. If you experience any of these following symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately.

• Swelling that lasts more than ten days. 
• Lip asymmetry, or when one part of your lip is a different size than the other
• Any lumps, bumps, or other irregularities in your lips
• Injection into a blood vessel
• Scarring or stiffening of your lip
• Prolonged itching or swelling, which may be an allergic reaction. 

What to do months after lip injections

Keep your lips fuller for longer

Because lip injections are only temporary, over time they will dissipate and you won’t have the fullness of your lips anymore. What type of treatment you go with will dictate how long you’ll be able to maintain the full look of your lips. There are ways you can try to keep your fillers looking fuller for longer, though. 

• Try to avoid frequently touching your lips. Of course, because we use our lips so frequently throughout the day, it would be impossible to never touch them. What you can help, though, is touching your lips when unnecessary. 
• Avoid sleeping on your face. This will apply pressure to your lips and break down your lip injections quicker. 
• Wear lightweight glasses. If you need to wear glasses, try to opt for a pair that doesn’t put too much pressure on your nose as this can also break down your injections over time. 
• Perform regular maintenance. Since there’s no long-term option for lip fillers, you’ll need to come back in for more injections to keep up the plumpness of your lips. Of course, it’s never a requirement to do so if you don’t want to keep up with the maintenance of full lips. If you decide to stop coming in, your lips will go back to normal like you never had them in the first place. But to continue on with full lips, you’ll have to get more injections when you want to get them fuller again. 

The temporary side effects are worth it if you’re insecure about small lips and considering lip injections. Pittsburgh’s best option for lip injections is Dental & Aesthetics of Pittsburgh where the staff is professionally trained. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you with lip injections.