Gianna Palumbo always felt that her lips were too small for her face. She decided to get the injections herself at age 20 when she saw a photo on social media of a woman who had fillers in her lips.
Palumbo, now 22, said people often compliment her on her lips, and when they thank her, she also mentions where she got them done.
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to improve something about your body, so I want to normalize that,” said Palumbo, who lives in Buffalo, New York.
Lip fillers, which inject hyaluronic acid to plump up the lips, are becoming increasingly popular among young patients like Palumbo.in Report from According to the American Society of Facial Plastic Surgeons, about 75% of plastic surgeons surveyed said more people under the age of 30 are seeking injectables such as lip fillers and other cosmetic procedures.
Some health care providers said they routinely see patients who make specific requests based on images they see online. This includes images of influencers, which are sometimes enhanced with photo and video filters. In recent years, celebrities like Kylie Jenner have also increased their interest in lip fillers.
“People are getting educated on social media,” says Dr. Ashley Amalfi, a Rochester-based plastic surgeon and chair of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ social media subcommittee. To counter misinformation and provide context, she and her own practice post about fillers and other procedures on her Instagram and her TikTok, and encourage other surgeons to do the same. We encourage you to do this.
If you’re considering getting lip fillers, here’s what your medical professional wants you to know.
Choose your provider wisely and consult with them.
Start with a consultation to share your goals and concerns, and learn what your provider can do for you in a safe and natural-looking way.
Find board-certified qualifications plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeona dermatologist, or a medical professional working directly under their supervision, experts say.
“If you go to a doctor’s office, there’s a good chance they’re well-trained and use good products,” says Dr. Theda Contis, a facial plastic surgeon in Baltimore and past president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. is high,” he said. Surgery. “If you go to a hotel room or a spa, you don’t know what they’re using, and you don’t know if trained medical professionals will be readily available if you need them.”
Think about what you want and why.
Healthcare providers said patients should avoid using fillers to mimic beauty standards they see on social media. It’s not safe, it’s not achievable, and it may not look natural for your face.
Dr. Amalfi said you can always be conservative and start with just one syringe or half a syringe of filler, and then add more later. She does this to create a natural effect and to ensure that the patient is happy with the change. She and other experts emphasized that patients really want and will benefit from fillers, and have realistic expectations about their results.
For example, suppose a patient feels that their lips are not symmetrical. “If I look at it and agree with their assessment and believe I can make them happy, I will do it,” Dr. Contis said. But if they have very thin lips and want to look like Angelina Jolie, “it’s not going to happen,” she says.
Know what happens.
During the procedure, your doctor will apply a numbing cream and give you several injections of hyaluronic acid to reshape your lips. Even with the numbness, the procedure can be painful, Dr. Contis said. In some cases, your doctor may administer an anesthetic injection into your mouth, similar to a dentist.
Afterwards, the lips may become swollen or bruised. Ice packs can help alleviate these symptoms. It takes about two weeks for the filler to set.
If you don’t like the results, your provider can dissolve the filler in another injection. Otherwise, your lips will return to their normal size in about 6 to 12 months. Dr. Contis says that if you’ve been taking fillers for years, your body can build up collagen in response, increasing the “normal size” of your lips.
Investigate health risks.
The biggest risk with this procedure is accidentally hitting a blood vessel with the syringe. This can cause loss of blood supply to the area, leading to tissue death. “If you were an experienced person, that wouldn’t happen,” Dr. Contis said.
Doctors advise against using fillers in patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding, have scars such as acne or burns, and who have had an allergic reaction to products containing fillers. doing.
In addition, people with a history of cold sores or fever blisters may need to be given antiviral drugs after surgery, as the shot can flare them up, Dr. Contis said.
Some beauty companies and social media users Hyaluronic “pens” – which use high pressure to force hyaluronic acid into the skin – are used as a needle-free alternative to injections.but The Food and Drug Administration warned: Be aware that using these unregulated products can lead to infection, scarring, and other serious complications.