Lip Fillers 101

Lip fillers are a great, non-surgical procedure to enhance your natural look. Since 2000, lip injections have shown staggering growth and increased popularity. Over time, the lips and lines around the mouth thin and lose their shape. Both Restylane® and Juvéderm® are popular dermal filler brands that help add volume and are hyaluronic acid-based.

Restylane

Restylane® created Restylane® Silk, an FDA-approved dermal filler designed for lip augmentation and smoothing of fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth. Restylane® Silk adds fullness in the center of the lips, defines the cupid’s bow, and helps overall symmetry for an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Results are seen within a few days after the procedure. Patients can swell at first due to the lidocaine but the swelling subsides within a few days. Results from Restylane® Silk typically last 10 months.

Safety

Restylane® Silk is the first-ever FDA-approved dermal filler for lip enhancement in patients over the age of 21 and has been on the market since 2015. Patients should talk to their provider if they have a history of allergies to lidocaine or hyaluronic acid, bleeding disorders or anaphylaxis. Restylane® Silk is only available through a licensed provider.

Minor side effects include:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Tenderness

More serious side effects are rare, but include:

• Skin color changes (hyperpigmentation)
• Infection

You may be at increased risk of side effects if you are a smoker, have a bleeding disorder, or have any inflammatory skin conditions. Make sure to talk to your provider and discuss any medications that could increase the chance of infection. Patients who are breastfeeding, pregnant, or trying to become pregnant should also talk to their provider as the safety has not been studied. For more information, read the full patient safety information for Restylane® Silk.

Juvéderm

Juvéderm has two popular options for lip fillers: Juvéderm® Ultra XC, and Juvéderm® Volbella XC. Both are FDA-approved for lip augmentation. Juvéderm® Ultra XC adds more fullness and plumps thin lips, regardless of if your lips have thinned over time or if you just want fuller lips. Juvéderm® Ultra XC also helps with smoothness, softness and overall structure of the lips and mouth. Juvéderm® Volbella XC is a soft, smooth gel injectable that adds subtle volume to the lips and smooths vertical lip lines. Additionally, Juvéderm® Volbella XC helps add fullness to already great lip structure and smooths and improves the texture of the overall lips. Both Juvéderm® Ultra XC and Juvéderm® Volbella XC have been shown to last up to a year with optimal treatment. Results are seen more instantly with both Juvéderm® Ultra XC and Juvéderm® Volbella XC, but full effects can be seen within a few days after treatment. Similar to Restylane® Silk, Patients can swell at first due to the lidocaine but the swelling subsides within a few days.

Safety

Juvéderm® Ultra XC was FDA approved in 2011 as a dermal filler and became FDA approved for lip augmentation in 2015 for patients over 21. Juvéderm® Volbella XC gained FDA approval in 2016 for use in the lips for lip augmentation and for correction of perioral lines in adults over the age of 21. Patients should talk to their provider if they have a history of allergies to lidocaine or hyaluronic acid, bleeding disorders, or anaphylaxis. Both Juvéderm® Ultra XC and Juvéderm® Volbella XC are only available through a licensed provider.

Like Restylane®, there are minor side effects to Juvéderm® lip injections, which include:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Tenderness
• Itchiness
• Dryness

More serious side effects are rare, but include:

• Skin color changes (hyperpigmentation)
• Infection

You may be at increased risk of side effects if you are a smoker, have a bleeding disorder, or have any inflammatory skin conditions. Make sure to talk to your provider and discuss any medications that could increase the chance of infection. Patients who are breastfeeding, pregnant, or trying to become pregnant should also talk to their provider as the safety has not been studied. For more information, read the full patient safety information for Juvéderm Ultra XC and Juvéderm Volbella XC.