Lip Augmentation

Local complications may occur following lip augmentation. Most are temporary and may occur shortly after injection, including bleeding, bruising, swelling, and pain on injection. More serious risks of infection and vascular compromise will also be discussed as part of the informed consent process. Following injection, it is recommended to apply cold compresses intermittently for the first 24 hours to reduce swelling and bruising. A hematoma, although uncommon, may occur following lip augmentation. This refers to a localized collection of blood or ongoing bleeding within the lip tissues, which may result following injury to blood vessels. If localized swelling and severe bruising develop following lip augmentation, please apply firm pressure, continue to perform cold compresses, and contact your plastic surgeon urgently. nAesthetic risks may include over-correction, under-correction, nodularity, and dissatisfaction with aesthetic outcome. You may return for follow up 1-2 weeks post-injection to assess results once swelling has resolved to determine if further augmentation is desired. Other complications may relate to reaction to the filler itself (called a granuloma), which may require injection with a reversing agent (hyaluronidase). If there is personal history of cold sores on the lips, a prescription for antiviral therapy will be given prior to injection to take two days pre- and five days post-injection to reduce the risk of developing a cold sore.

Since lip augmentation using fat requires a new blood supply to be established, resorption (or incomplete fat graft take) is another risk to consider. Slight overcorrection is generally performed at the time of fat injection to allow for partial resorption over time. Areas of fat necrosis may occur where the fat does not achieve an adequate blood supply, which may result in regions of nodularity. These may improve following massage and scar maturation; however minor surgical revision may be required if concerns persist.