Another extremely common and unattractive potential side effect is bruising, Dr. Doft adds. Think about it: your lips have a ton of blood vessels, so when that sensitive area is poked, prodded, and poked by a giant needle, patches of black, blue, and/or purple skin are pretty typical reactions to physical trauma. she says.
Both swelling and bruising are, again, short-term and should subside within 10 to 14 days of your appointment, according to all the experts SELF spoke to. In very rare cases, Dr. Bosley notes that mild inflammation can persist for up to four weeks. Any side effects that last longer usually indicate poor technique and can also be a sign of infection. So if your lips are still swollen after two weeks or you notice things like pus or experience severe pain, see your provider as soon as possible to rule out complications.
Use ice or arnica to reduce swelling.
Waiting even two weeks can feel like a lifetime if you’re self-conscious about your lips. While it’s always best to seek professional guidance, there are some at-home steps you can take to relieve inflammation.
For swelling or bruising, Dr. Doft suggests applying a cold compress to your lips (several times a day for 15 minutes at a time) for the first few days after getting filler. You can also try an over-the-counter topical arnica treatment (eg this lip balm from Amazon) Products containing the herb are commonly used to relieve pain and muscle soreness and can be applied to your lips twice a day after filler, says Dr. Doft. Research shows that both strategies may help reduce swelling as well as skin discoloration caused by bruising.
If you’re dealing with little hard balls on your lips (which can be a sign of hyaluronic acid build-up or, again, poor technique), Dr. Doft recommends gently massaging the area with your fingers at two- to three-minute intervals. sporadically during the day. This can help smooth out and break down unset or migrating filler, she explains, thus encouraging the natural process of dissolution (because yes, hyaluronic acid fillers do degrade on their own over time).
Keep in mind that the convenient methods listed above may not work if you have been over-injected. In this case, the problem may not come from normal swelling or the fact that the filler was placed incorrectly, but rather that there is too much in your lips to begin with. It’s a mistake poor providers are more likely to make, so again, you should always see a dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or other licensed doctor with years of experience with any type of filler, as SELF previously reported,
If you’re still unhappy after two weeks, consider dissolving your lip filler.
Once you’ve ruled out temporary, initial swelling as the culprit for your overdone or puffy appearance, the best course of action is to tell whoever injected your lips that you’re not happy with the results. In this way, they can evaluate possible solutions such as strategically adding more filler (in case of slight asymmetry) or dissolving it altogether. The latter, according to Dr. Goldberg, would involve more injections, this time with a liquid enzyme called hyaluronidase that works to specifically break down the hyaluronic acid filler. This will speed up the dissolution process to help your lips regain their natural shape faster.
