Lips Swollen After Restylane

Thank you for your question. It is very common for the lips to look
over corrected or fake the next day. This is due to all the swelling
that ensues. I often tell my patients that this
is the "oh my gosh" day. It can be 'oh my gosh' my lips are so
swollen! It could also be 'oh my gosh' I love my lips even more than
yesterday. Either way, the swelling may last a few days with every day
showing a decrease
in swelling. The more you ice the first day or two, the less swelling
you will have. I would wait a few days to a week and then return to
your injector if you still have concerns after that. If you like the
look of the lips at some point during the swelling reduction, then take a
picture. This way you know what volume you like in the lips for the
future.

Swelling is very common after treatment and can take a few hours to appear, which is what it sounds like happened to you. I always tell my patients to take it a little easy after their treatment to reduce this risk, placing restrictions on vigorous physical activity. It can take about two weeks for the majority of swelling to subside. In the meantime, refrain from touching/massaging your lips, applying products that could irritate the area and keep your head elevated while sleeping.

You have a very high chance of developing a good result in time for your public event. A small percent of restylane injections, or juvederm injections, can cause excessive lip swelling. Having it once does not mean it will happen again.  If the result looked good initially, then it probably is not overcorrection and the amount of fluid that is temporarily there should go away. Some reactions have warranted physicians prescribing corticosteroids but as there are risks, it is preferable to allow the body to heal on its own.

Hi Sally.  While we are not sure that you will be ready for your event in four days, we are sure that the welling will go down.  We would expect you to go back to looking just like you did after the injections if there was no swelling at that time.  Good luck.

Hi SallyAnne,

Sorry to hear about your swollen lips after Restylane.  Hopefully the swelling will go down over the next few days.  Speak with your injecting physician.  If they are still too large 24 hours before your big event, you may consider having a small amount of hyaluronidase injected to decrease the size.  We recommend having your treatments about 10 to 14 days before big events just in case there is bruising or unusual swelling.  Good luck, be well, and hopefully no "quack, quack!"

Michael Persky, MD

Encino, CA

This is very normal for there to be swelling 1 day post treatment.The swelling will subside over the next 2 weeks. After 2 weeks this would be the end result. You should see some big improvement over the next few days. But I would always recommend getting any treatments 2 weeks before an event even sometimes 4 week so you have time for top ups if needed. In the mean time you can always ice the area to help with the swelling, stay hydrated and you arnica cream or tablets, to help with any bruises. Hope this helps. 

Greetings~

Don't worry SallyAnne...it's quite normal for Restylane to swell, especially the next day.  If after injections you are active (errands, exercise, etc) your lips are more likely to swell.  After sleeping, especially if you sleep with your head level with the body or on your side you have a greater chance of swelling as well.  Use ice on your lips and you can take ibuprofen as well.  Don't massage the lips...this can make them swell more. Don't use any lipsticks or other products on the lips for the first few days after injections as it may irritate the lips and again cause swelling. Beware hot liquids as well (coffee, tea).  Each time you get injections may be different and your reactions different as well.  As an abundance of caution it is always best to allow at least 10 days before any big event in case there is swelling or bruising.

Good luck~

Dr. Grant Stevens      

Sally Anne,

It sounds like since you've had filler injected into your lips multiple times, it's possible this time you were so comfortable after the treatment you went shopping, bought lipstick (as you said) and generally ran around town. All of this activity, and not resting and icing, may possibly have contributed to more swelling this time around than you remember from any previous treatments.

If you used the new lipstick you bought, on top of your recent small injection holes, the lipstick may have caused an irritation, or possibly (doubtful) an infection. I would see your injecting physician right away for advice beyond ice packs (which is good advice) to see if there is a way to get your ready for your event in four days.

SallyAnne, Your lips could not have gotten any more volume over night .This should be swelling and that can happen. Give it a few more days. Can ice 5-10 minutes on and off(do not apply ice directly but wrap in a wash cloth). Sometimes sleeping with head more elevated decreases facial swelling that is most severe in morning. 

It is very common to have swelling after Restylane or Juvederm injected into the Lips.  Almost every pateint experiences this in this area.  Typically the selling lasts for 3 to 7 days.  Even though you have had this procedure in the past, each injection is diiferent.  You may not have iced the area as much as you have done in the past or may have remembered the amount of swelling you had on your previous injections.  Your procedure was less than 24 hours ago so reamain calm.  Things will improve.  Over the next several days the swelling will continue to lessen.  If this does not occur to your satisfaction conact your injecting physician.  Likely you will be very happy soon.