How often is it okay for me to get lip injections?

I understand what you are going through as I have been encountered with patients that have these issues.  I place lip augmentation patients into 3 categories.  Temporary fillers (Restylane 4-6 mo to Juvederm 10-12 mo) can be effective, but as you know the duration can be unpredictable and somewhat short in duration.  The second type of fillers are autologous (fat and SMAS) fillers.  Fat I have found does not last in the lips as fat requires stagnant and immobile areas to take and it does very poorly in the lips.  SMAS is something that I typically harvest during aging face surgery, but it can be harvested even without doing this surgery.  This is probably the most natural and long lasting of the autologous fillers.The last type of means to augment the lips are permanent products.  The main one out there now is Permalip and if properly placed, can look very natural.  The key is placing the product fairly deep within the lip so as to not feel the implant.  We used to use Gore Tex implants, but this can become palpable and uncomfortable to some patients.  I hope this helps.Make sure you seek a consultation with a Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon.

Lip injections can be done every 1-2 months but why put yourself through all that pain and expense when switching to the permanent lip implants is very cost effective ($1500-2000each) and natural looking and easy to undergo. Sincerely, David Hansen,MD

Thank you for your question. It is always recommend starting with smaller amount of filler. This is because you do not want to over fill your lips and then have to dissolve it and start over again. You can always add more filler if you want additional volume. I recommend having a consultation with an expert to determine the best treatment plan for you. Best of Luck!

I have never had a patient whose lip augmentation results (even with temporary fillers) faded after just 1-2 months. If you have been injected by the same doctor and have consistently seen short-lasting results, it may be worth consulting another board-certified dermatologist or facial plastic surgeon. I would not recommend getting injections every 1-2 months as I think that is too much product too often. In our practice, we favor liquid injectable silicone for lip augmentation as it is very natural, very precise and permanent.