Are you considering lip fillers?

While previously only famous stars sported plumped lips, today you see more and more people opting for lip augmentation. At The Body Clinic, we have performed the lip filler treatment thousands of times, given much advice, and now know which technique best suits the desired result. What strikes us is that clients do not always know what they are getting into before the treatment. With the knowledge we have gained over the past 15 years, we want to inform you through this blog so that you can make a well-considered decision if you are considering lip fillers.

Lip filler trend

More and more people desire full, sensual, and symmetrical lips. This trend has made lip fillers one of the most popular treatments in the cosmetic sector. The high demand for lip fillers ensures a continuously growing supply. Unfortunately, the supply varies widely in quality. Increasingly, people come to our clinic who have not had a good experience with lip fillers and now want to have it done properly and professionally. Below you will read the most important do's and don'ts for beautiful, natural, fuller lips.

Do's of lip fillers

• Ensure the correct filler is injected It is very important that you take your time to learn a lot about the different types of fillers. This is because not all fillers are legal, and therefore there is a chance that poor quality lip filler will be used. This can lead to complications. At The Body Clinic, we use a hyaluronic acid filler. This is a temporary filler that strongly resembles the hyaluronic acid produced in our body. Hyaluronic acid fillers are therefore safe and can even be dissolved using 'hyaluronidase', which makes the treatment extra safe. At The Body Clinic, we use the brands Restylane and Saypha. These are A-brand hyaluronic acid fillers and have been used for a long time. Tens of millions of treatments have now been performed with them. It has therefore been shown that these are safe fillers, which makes the risk of complications very small.

• Go to an experienced doctor In addition to using safe fillers, it is also very important to go to an experienced doctor in the field of Botox and fillers. Fillers may only be administered by doctors. If you want to know if a cosmetic doctor is suitable for a lip filler treatment, we advise you to research that doctor. You do this by reading reviews of the doctor and the clinic where the doctor works. This can be done, for example, on www.Kliniekervaringen.nl or via Google Reviews. The doctor must also be BIG registered, which you can find in the BIG register. Feeling comfortable with the doctor is also important. Therefore, it is good to first have a consultation with the treating doctor. At The Body Clinic, you always have the consultation, treatment, and follow-up with the same doctor. Moreover, a consultation is free!

• Make an informed choice It is important that you make the choice about your own face. Think in advance about how you want your lips to look after the filler treatment. Are you aiming for a natural result, i.e., youthful and fuller lips, or do you not mind if it is clear that you have had the treatment? This is all your choice. It is important that the doctor understands your choice and has the same vision. If you are not yet sure what exactly you want to do with the shape or volume of your lips, let an experienced doctor advise you. They will see what looks beautiful in proportion to your face. Various scientific studies have shown that lips are at their most beautiful when the upper to lower lip ratio is as follows: 1.0 : 1.6 to 2.0. This means that the lower lip should be approximately 1.6 to 2 times larger than the upper lip (Mandy, 2007, Sarnhoff & Gotkin, 2021).

• Build up the quantity gradually Are you having a lip filler treatment for the first time? Then take into account the amount you have injected. It is difficult to estimate the final result then; perhaps you will be shocked by lips that are too large. Therefore, it is wise to start slowly with small amounts. This way, you can clearly determine how you want the shape and volume of your lips. You can always add a little extra later. The doctors at The Body Clinic will always provide expert advice during the consultation on what best suits your face shape and contours.

Don'ts of lip fillers

• Do not inject yourself Nowadays, we see many people experimenting with filling their lips with fillers purchased online. These are fillers that have not been approved and whose safety is not guaranteed. Please do not do this; it is extremely dangerous! In the Netherlands, you need the right training and experience to administer injectables, as there are many blood vessels and arteries in your face. The fillers that doctors inject have been extensively tested for complications and side effects and have a quality mark. A risk of self-injecting lip fillers is thick, hard bumps and discoloration of the lips. There is also a risk of 'vascular occlusion'. This means that a filler enters a blood vessel and becomes blocked. If this happens, the tissue dies. There are also many risks associated with using a 'hyaluron pen'. With a hyaluron pen, the filler is shot through the skin under high pressure. This can cause your blood vessels to become blocked and can disfigure your face. Enough reason never to inject lip fillers yourself. “Be careful. Trying to make yourself more beautiful can turn out ugly. A successful procedure starts with a good doctor.”

• Beware of permanent fillers If you like your lip fillers and want to maintain the result, you should return for a repeat treatment once every 9-12 months. Permanent fillers remain in your skin for the rest of your life because your body cannot remove them. Permanent fillers consist of unnatural materials that can cause inflammatory reactions and abscesses. The filler can also migrate in your body. For these reasons, permanent fillers are prohibited by the health inspectorate in the Netherlands. Our advice is therefore never to have permanent filler injected, but instead to have temporary hyaluronic acid fillers, which are safe and dissolvable, injected by a doctor.

• Do not undergo an extremely cheap filler treatment Always be critical if you see extremely low prices for lip fillers online. A lip filler treatment costs an average of €300 to €600 (1ml). These prices are based on the materials, the doctor, and the treatment itself. It is therefore very suspicious if a lip filler treatment is offered somewhere for a much lower rate. These could be fillers that are not certified in the Netherlands. You do not know if the fillers are safe and what complications you may experience. Cheap is often expensive in the long run!

References: [1] Mandy, S. (2007). Letter: Art of the Lip. Dermatologic Surgery, 33(4), 521-522. [2] Sarnoff, D. S., & Gotkin, R. H. (2012). Six steps to the” perfect” lip. Journal of drugs in dermatology: JDD, 11(9), 1081-1088.