Lip Fillers: What Should You Consider?

Hello.

I’m Wi Yeong-jin, your beauty doctor.

These days, many people around me are looking into lip fillers for the first time to make small changes to their appearance and create a more refined image.

When searching through reviews online or on social media, you can find successful accounts saying, “I only had 1 cc injected so no one would notice.”

On the other hand, many people also ask worried questions after seeing cases involving side effects: “Is it really possible to have a natural procedure that looks as though nothing was done?”

To state the conclusion clearly, with a first lip procedure, the naturalness of the result depends far more on which areas of the lips receive the filler and how precisely the amount is distributed than simply on the amount of filler injected in cc.

With so much information to sort through before your first procedure, I’ll briefly and clearly organize the key design factors that can easily be confusing.

0.5 cc, 1 cc, or 1.5 cc: Don’t Focus Only on the Amount

The most common mistake people make when considering lip fillers is focusing only on the volume.

When giving natural volume to lips that are generally thin and lacking vitality, 1 cc is usually used.

For clearly defined lines and a more glamorous contour, around 1.5 to 2 cc is generally considered standard.

When subtly refining only the outer lip contour without adding volume, divided injections of an extremely small amount—less than 0.5 cc—are also possible.

However, what really matters is that even when the same 1 cc is used, the result can be completely different depending on whether it is concentrated bluntly in the center of the lips or carefully divided and distributed from the upper lip’s Cupid’s bow* to the corners of the mouth.

*Cupid’s bow: The distinct V-shaped line that forms the center of the upper lip.

Rather than blindly believing the simple formula that “a smaller amount will always look more natural,” you need to carefully check the distribution design that harmonizes with all of your facial features to avoid an unsatisfactory result.

The three-dimensional structure of this anatomical boundary is a factor that creates visual contrast with the surrounding tissues of the lips.

Therefore, rather than injecting a uniform amount, a design that precisely distributes the volume while taking the individual shape of the boundary into account should come first.

Start with Less and Refine with a Touch-Up

If you are receiving filler in the lip area for the first time, it is better to begin with a conservative amount of around 1 cc rather than filling in too much volume at once.

After the first procedure, wait about two to three weeks for the significant swelling caused by the procedure to fully subside and assess the settled appearance.

Then, adding any insufficient areas precisely through a touch-up is medically the safest and most complete approach.

If too much filler is injected from the beginning in an attempt to create an overly defined and dramatic line all at once, it can be very difficult to reverse later if you do not like the shape or if a deformity develops.

For this reason, you should choose a clinic that recommends starting with around 1 cc, checking the progress, and adding more only when necessary.

Rather than choosing a place that takes advantage of a client’s impatience and pushes them by saying, “Since you’re here today, let’s put it all in,”

meeting a medical professional who suggests proceeding safely in stages is the clearest sign that can help reduce the risk of an unsatisfactory result.

Consider the Upper-to-Lower Lip Ratio

A lip structure that looks beautiful and natural to everyone is generally achieved when the volume ratio between the upper and lower lips forms a golden ratio of approximately 1:1.6.

If this ratio is ignored and only the upper lip is made excessively prominent to follow a trend, it can look like an artificial “duck lip,”

making the overall appearance very awkward. Conversely, if the lower lip lacks too much volume, the lower jaw may look small or the overall impression may appear somewhat weak.

Ultimately, even when the same amount of filler is used, the success or failure of the procedure depends on whether the filler is calculated according to this anatomical ratio and divided and injected in a balanced way across the upper, lower, left, and right sides.

When you have your first consultation, rather than simply asking, “How many cc will you put in my upper and lower lips?”

try asking, “How will you distribute this amount harmoniously according to my overall facial proportions and jawline?”

This one question alone can provide a brief yet clear indication of the medical professional’s sense of design and precision.

This article summarizes general medical information to help you understand lip procedures.

The right treatment volume and the most suitable curved design for you should be decided through an in-depth consultation with a doctor who has personally examined the shape of your lips and the proportions of your entire face. This is the wisest and safest approach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. How long do the effects of lip fillers last after a single treatment?

A. In general, domestically produced hyaluronic acid products last approximately six to twelve months.

Some imported hyaluronic acid preparations approved specifically for the lips are characterized by relatively high cohesiveness and viscoelasticity, and the body’s volume-maintenance response may be observed for approximately twelve months.

Because the lips are used frequently and actively every day when we speak or eat, filler tends to break down in the body somewhat faster than in other, more stationary areas of the face.

Q. How swollen will my lips look immediately after the procedure?

A. From immediately after the procedure through approximately the first to third day, the lips look the most swollen due to the injection-related irritation and edema. Afterward, the significant swelling gradually subsides, and the lips usually settle into a very natural and smooth shape within about a week.

Therefore, if you have important events such as a job interview, a significant meeting, or a wedding photo shoot scheduled, it is safest to arrange the procedure with enough time—at least two weeks beforehand.

Q. Is there a way to minimize bruising after the procedure?

A. If you tend to bruise easily, it can be helpful to temporarily stop taking supplements such as aspirin, omega-3, red ginseng, and juice-type supplements several days before the procedure, as they may affect blood clotting or circulation.

In addition, if you immediately apply a cold compress to the area after the procedure according to the instructions provided by the nearby medical institution, the local capillaries may constrict, which can help reduce the extent of bruising and temporary swelling after the procedure.

[Post-Procedure Precautions and Information About Side Effects]

After a hyaluronic acid (HA) lip filler procedure, localized swelling, pain, bruising, redness, and temporary tenderness may occur depending on the individual’s constitution.

The lips have an anatomical characteristic of being very densely supplied with blood vessels. Therefore, if the injected filler compresses or enters a blood vessel, there is a risk of serious side effects such as localized skin necrosis or ischemic pain.

In addition, if the injection site turns white after the procedure, or if persistent warmth, a purulent inflammatory reaction, or a delayed immune nodule—a hard lump that can be felt—appears later,

visit the medical institution where the procedure was performed or a nearby medical institution immediately and receive appropriate medical treatment, including measures such as a filler-dissolving injection (hyaluronidase).

Thank you for reading this long post.

This was Wi Yeong-jin.