Massaging Lip After Juvederm Injection

Start immediately to massage the lips to avoid any uneven areas. Juvederm lip augmentation is an excellent option to contour lips. I perform these very often with amazing results. Raffy Karamanoukian Los Angeles

Hello, thank you for your question.  Light massage is typically permitted by providers following lip injections.  Bruising and swelling is not uncommon up to two weeks after treatment.  At that time, it is appropriate to follow up with your provider to assess your outcome and if a touch up treatment is required.  If filler has settled in an undesirable location or “bumps” are evident your provider to assess to determine if product needs to be dissolved.  Understanding the filler that is placed in lips is paramount for safe outcomes.  Be sure that your provider is using hyaluronic acid fillers as these can be dissolved if necessary and are generally well tolerated by patients.

Hi there! Yes it's a good idea to massage any uneven bumps as soon as possible. If they persist be sure to take follow up with your practitioner for further advice. Best wishes,Dr Rupert

I do prefer my patients to massage the lips in the early stages to smooth out any bumps. I would check with your surgeon though as some vary by this. I am glad you are happy. Nothing better than nice full lips!Hope this helps.Best of luck,DrC

I recommend that you do not massage the filler as
you do not want to press too hard and/or move the filler into the wrong place. Lumps
and bumps usually resolve on their own, once the filler starts to get
incorporated with your own skin tissue. It would be best if you book a follow
up appointment with your injector in 1-2 weeks, and he/she can massage any
residual lumps or bumps at that time.

Thanks for the great question. When I do any filler treatment, particularly in the lips, I place the filler exactly where it needs to go to highlight or enhance the shape of the lips. During the treatment session, I may massage the area a little to guard against bumps and distribute the product.  Afterward, I always recommend icing the area.  Small amounts of gentle massage at home can help with swelling and evenness in the first 2-3 days, but you have to be careful not to overdo it and change the shape or placement of the product.

Massage should begin early, typically at 48 to 72 hours after filler placement.  Many of the small lumps you may feel will likely even out over the next few weeks.  Lip filler bumps is fairly common after filler.  The bumps can occur early on and many settle down.  Although massage after filler is considered a mainstay, beware that massage can drive the filler into another location if done too early.  
Reasons for bumps after filler:
Technique- Filler may have been used too superficially or wrong type of filler
Mouth movements- In some patients their movements can promote the accumulation of bumps and an alternative technique can be advocated.
Treating lip filler bumps:
Observation +/- massage-  Should be done for almost all lip filler bumps for 2 weeks.  For our patients we usually advocated massage after 48-72 hours to let the filler settle into place.
Reversal- A reversal agent can be used such as Vitrase to dissolve the filler if there is a large obvious persistent bump
Additional filler- An expert filler injector can used improved technique to mask the lip bumps.
The application of lip filler is very technical and should be done by an expert injector.

If you are stating that it has been 3 weeks since your Juvederm treatments, any massaging seems pointless and may lead to delayed swelling.  If the bumps are not noticeable but are only felt, you may want to decide if it's bothersome enough to remedy.  If the lumps are something that you want resolved, hyaluronidase injections are a much easier option than extraction.

Always speak with your practitioner about your options, including massaging.

I always tell my patients that if there is a lumpy area after a hyaluronic acid filler like Restylane or Juvederm, they can massage it out over the first 24 to 48 hours. After this time passes, it can often be more difficult, if not impossible, to work this lump out. If this does not work, and you cannot live with the problem, a small injection of hyaluronidase can be injected to dissolve away the product. Remember, that all fillers are exactly that, "fillers" and they may be felt a bit...but distinct lumps can be worked out with massage.

Hi Anon,
It looks as if your upper lip is much larger than your lower lip. Unless one is looking to duplicate Lisa Rinna's physician's technique of unnatural appearing lips, the upper lip should be about 70% the size of the lower lip. If you are happy with your lips, keep on massaging.
If your upper lip is as big as it looks compared to your lower lip, and you become unhappy with its size, then massage is not the answer. A physician with a sense of aesthetics, and hyaluronidase would be the answer. Good luck and be well.
Dr. P