3 Spotlyte Editors On Their First Lip Injections, Before and After Treatment

Does not imply the person featured in the photograph had lip filler injections.

There’s a first time for everything, especially for beauty editors; we test out and report on countless products and procedures, like our observations on lip injections before and after treatment, to quell both your curiosity and our own. However, sometimes, as with the temporary difference in volume we saw from lip injections before and after our appointments, it leads to us becoming true loyalists. Long after our articles are written and swimming among the seas of digital content, we dutifully go back for touch-ups, consistently as excited to get them as if it were our very first times. Below, two of my fellow Spotlyte^TM editors and I share our first lip injection experiences, as well as answers to common questions we learned about lip injections — before and after going under the needle. Keep reading for our insider tips!

Editor’s Note

Injectable filler is a temporary treatment that adds volume to areas of the face such as the lips, cheeks, and laugh lines. Like any medical treatment, it has potential risks and side effects. Be sure to talk to a licensed provider to see if they’re right for you. 

Name: Sophie Wirt
Age: 27

Why you first tried injectable lip filler: 
“Honestly, it was on a bit of a whim. I was working at a magazine at the time, and a colleague of mine had been invited to a dermatologist’s office to try a newly-launched filler. She was unable to make it last-minute, so she asked whether I’d like to take her place. I’d been curious about filler, so I figured I’d take her up on her offer and finally give it a go. I’m so glad I did — I haven’t looked back since!” 
Why you still book lip filler appointments today: 
“I love the way my lips look with some extra volume. I’ve had my lips injected four times now, and my results always look subtle (people are often surprised when I tell them that I’ve had my lips injected!).” 
What you wish you knew about lip injections before and after the first time: 
“I wish I’d known my lips would swell. If I’d known that swelling was a potential side effect, I would’ve iced them more and taken time off from work and/or scheduled my appointment for a weekend. On a positive note, I had been a little worried that my boyfriend would be able to feel the lip filler when I kissed him. I can happily report that, even after multiple treatments, he cannot.”
Your words of advice to anyone interested in trying lip filler: 
“Don’t let fear of potential pain be a barrier! Despite having a low pain tolerance, I’ve always found my lip injection experiences to be totally tolerable.”

Editor’s Note

Individual experiences may vary.

Name: Madisen Theobald
Age: 25
Why you first tried injectable lip filler: 
“I worked at a beauty magazine and many of my colleagues had filler! I loved how their results looked, so I wanted to get a consultation myself.”
Why you still book lip filler appointments today: 
“I love the look of my lips. They are more plump and I feel like they suit my face better.”
What you wish you knew about lip injections before and after the first time: 
“I wish I’d known that there are different types of lip filler. So, depending on the results you’re looking for, be sure to discuss with your provider which one may be best for you.”
Your words of advice to anyone interested in trying lip filler: 
“Do research on the look you want, so you can better obtain your aesthetic goals. Bring in a picture of it, that way you can clearly communicate what you’re trying to achieve. Licensed providers aren’t mind-readers; a picture truly does paint a thousand words.”
Name: Cat Matta
Age: 39
Why you first tried injectable lip filler: 
“I have previously confessed to abusing myself by smoking for far too long and refusing to wear sunscreen; my lips ultimately paid the price by developing a noticeably shrivelled appearance. (Of course, I had age-related volume loss, too, but I had actively given the demons behind diminished collagen a mighty helping hand.) When I first learned that lip filler could both temporarily add volume back and smooth out my lips’ rippled, accordion-like appearance, I desperately wanted to give it a try.”
Why you still book lip filler appointments today: 
“I love how the volume that I lost gets added back — and then some — and my lips do, in fact, look much smoother. A pleasant surprise also came with the treatment: because my lips have more plump to them, a nearly 40-year old scar on my cupid’s bow border gets pushed more towards the sky and is less noticeable at a lot of angles. Another bonus is that lip fillers can last anywhere from six months to a year, depending on the type of filler injected, which definitely meshes with my ‘treat it and leave it’ philosophy.” 
What you wish you knew about lip injections before and after the first time: 
“I went in as a near complete novice, so there are a few things: First, in the days leading up to your appointment, you should talk to your provider about anything you use that may hinder your blood’s ability to clot, like blood thinners and alcohol — I didn’t, and ended up a little more bruised than I might have been in the days that followed. Second, I wish I had known that swelling is normal after lip fillers, how long it would take for the lip filler swelling to go down (over a week!), and that I should have been more diligent about icing.

Editor’s Note

 As always, talk to your doctor before starting or stopping any medication or supplement.

Instead of my haphazard aftercare, I should have been more consistent using ice to reduce lip filler swelling, especially on the first day or two. It may have helped all the extra puffiness go down in days, as opposed to the week or more it ultimately took. Third, I am completely addicted to lip balm, which may or may not be contributing to my chronically dry lips. I had no idea that balms would be banned post-treatment, nor how dry my lips would get.” 
Your words of advice to anyone interested in trying lip filler: 
“Definitely research a credible, licensed provider, and be sure and check out their lip injections before and after pictures. Although I’ve been happy with my results each time I’ve gotten lip filler, I did see a slight difference in the aesthetic, knowledge (at least what I could tell), and skill levels of each injector. All three times, so far, my results have been impressive, yet subtle. But, I definitely prefer one provider I’ve seen.
Also, now, in the days leading up to my lip filler appointment, I spread Vaseline^® or any other heavy, petroleum-based lip ointment on to help preemptively moisturize my lips as much as possible. You can also ask your licensed provider if they have any suggestions on how to prepare and care for your lips injections before and after treatment.
And, lastly, always be sure to ice, ice, ice!”