I have hard lumps in my top lip following lip filler, what should I do? (Photos)

Question

I had my lips done for the first time on Friday, today is Sunday. I had half a mil and It was preformed by a registered nurse. The swelling was very bad on the first day and lopsided. I bruised on one side. I have under my Cupid’s bow a hard pimple like lump and also a hard spot I can feel with my tounge under my top lip. The clinics coustomer service is rude and they won’t listen to my concerns. I was so swollen for the first day I couldn’t even drink water.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Thank you for the photos, swelling and/or lumps after lip injections is normal and can last 1-2 weeks. You can apply firm pressure between two fingers on the lips for a few days, for 5 mins a time, in order to help decrease swelling and even out the lumps. If you're unhappy with your final results you can have it reversed with hyaluronidase and try a different technique next time. Best, Dr. Emer

Robert M. Tornambe, MD · Answer

Daisy. I appreciate your concern and sometimes lumps can occur right after lip augmentation with fillers. Usually they can be massaged downward, and I recommend that you see your treating injector. Good luck.

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your question and photographs.  I am sorry to hear of your difficulties after filler placement but rest assured these symptoms will all get better over the next 10 days.  It often takes up to 2 weeks for fillers to soften and the tissues to appear more natural.  In the meantime try reducing the swelling by using cold compresses to your lips and elevating your head at night with a couple of extra pillows behind your back.  You may want to also consider using Arnica Montana and bromelain as supplements.  Because I do think that the lump is sizable underneath your cupids bow I would apply a small amount of pressure between your thumb and index finger to the deposit to help it soften and dissipate.  Hang in there!

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Lumps and/or swelling can be typical and may last 1-2 weeks. Icing, firm massage and cold compresses may give improvement. I would wait a full 2 weeks before judging the results. If it is after the two week wait, you can have the filler reversed with hyaluronidase.
I hope this helps!

M. Jude LaBarbera, MD · Answer

After only two days, swelling and mild irregularities are not uncommon.  For the areas with lumps, I would recommend gently massaging them between two fingers a few minutes a couple times per day.

Jonathan Zelken, MD · Answer

Hello Daisyhart1995, thank you for your photos as this always gives us a better understanding of what you are referring to. As previously mentioned, lips are highly vascular and as a result, are prone to swelling after any injury or trauma. Swelling also results due to the hydrophilic qualities of lip fillers. As a result, swelling may last up to 10-14 days and will begin to subside gradually. As for the lumps that you are concerned about, you can gently massage them a couple of times a day. The lumps you are feeling should begin to subside but give it a full 2 weeks after the treatment. If you are still unhappy with your results, you can have the filler reversed with a product called hyaluronidase.
I hope this helps and I hope that your swelling and lumpiness is getting better!
-Miki Omori BSN, RN under Dr. Jonathan Zelken

Daniel Park, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. I am sorry that you have had such a difficult time after your procedure. Significant swelling of the lips after any procedure can be quite common, as they are prone to swelling after any injury or trauma. It can sometimes take a few weeks to fully subside. Any irregularities you may feel can be smoothed with some massage of the area. Allow a couple of weeks for everything to settle down prior to deciding if any further treatments need to be undertaken. Hope this helps. Take care

Kriston Kent, MD, MPH · Answer

Thanks for the question. I'm sorry that your experience has
not been a good one, so far. Certainly you have experienced more than average
swelling in your lips, but this amount of swelling does occur on occasion. Most
of the time, unless a very large amount of product was placed, the swelling
will resolve rather quickly over the first week. You also experienced bruising,
and this may take longer to resolve (usually 2-3 weeks at the most). It also
appears that you could have an additional issue in the upper lip. Are you prone
to cold sores? Depending on the type of filler placed, if you don't end up with
a satisfactory result, there may be a way to relatively easily remove the
product. In our state, registered nurses are not allowed to perform the
procedure, only nurse practitioners, PAs, and physicians. If your concerns
persist, I would suggest you seek an opinion from a well-trained, and highly
experienced aesthetic physician. Best of luck.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD (retired) · Answer

Hi, I have performed many lip augmentation procedures using dermal fillers or lip implants for over 30 years.  Minor swelling, bruising and lumpiness may arise after injecting dermal fillers to the lips.  Some degree of this is injector related, some is related to the volume of filler injected and some is based on the vascular nature of the lips themselves.  We massage the dermal filler after injection, which tends to decrease lumps and bumps from aggregation of the filler in a certain spot within the lips.  If that is done, the degree of lumpiness should be very minor and due to spot swelling of the lip(s) themselves.  This should resolve in a matter of hours or a couple of days.  You can ask the lip augmentation surgeon that augmented your lips if the lumps are collections of dermal filler than can be softened and dissolved using hyaluronidase.   Following my beauty principles, the lips should be full with the upper lip approximately 75 % the size of the lower lip for the lips to appear balanced. The lips can be augmented using a dermal filler or a Permalip implant.  One section of a lip, the upper lip, lower lip or both lips can be shaped and augmented using a dermal filler by an experienced Lip Augmentation Surgeon.  
Dermal fillers and lip implants offer a much more reliable volume for augmentation of the lips than permanent fillers or fat injections which are associated with increased, unwanted, side effects.
Hope this helps.

I have hard lumps in my top lip following lip filler, what should I do? (Photos)

Answers (9)

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