Signature Lips aftercare
Most of what matters happens in the first 48 hours. The section that matters most is the last one — knowing which symptoms mean you should ring rather than wait.
Ring rather than wait if you have
- Severe or increasing pain rather than pain that is settling
- Blanching, white patches or a dusky, blue or mottled colour in the skin
- Pain that is out of proportion to how the area looks
- Any change in your vision
- Spreading redness, swelling that worsens after day two, or discharge
- Fever or feeling generally unwell
- A cold sore developing in or near the treated area
- A lump that has not settled by your two-week review
Call 07721 823933. I would far rather see you and find nothing than have you wait it out overnight. If you cannot reach me and you are worried, contact NHS 111 or attend your nearest emergency department.
Specific to signature lips
Lips swell more than any other area and will look considerably larger than the final result for the first two to three days. Do not book within two weeks of an event.
If you are prone to cold sores, tell me — lip treatment can trigger one and it is worth taking antivirals beforehand.
01The first 24 hours
- Expect swelling, and expect it to look like more than you asked for. This is not the result.
- Apply a cool compress gently. Do not press, squeeze or massage the area unless you have specifically been shown to.
- Sleep with your head slightly elevated on the first night.
- Keep hydrated and eat normally.
02The first week
- Small lumps or slight unevenness are common in the first fortnight and usually settle on their own.
- Some asymmetry during the first week is normal and reflects uneven swelling rather than uneven placement.
- Judge the result at two weeks, not at two days. Almost nobody likes it at 24 hours.
A closer look
Care, observe, review
Care
Follow your own written aftercare instructions. Do not press or massage the lips unless your practitioner has specifically advised it.
Observe
Report unusual pain or skin colour changes immediately. Do not wait for a review appointment if you are worried.
Review
A settled appearance is assessed at follow-up, rather than judged immediately after treatment.
Sudden vision changes or breathing difficulty are emergencies: call 999. The full warning signs are explained below.
Why these rules exist
The reasoning, not just the instruction
Why heat, alcohol and exercise, and only for a day or two
All three do the same thing: they widen blood vessels and increase blood flow to the face. In the first 24 to 48 hours, while the injection points are still settling and the tissue is inflamed, that means more swelling and a far greater chance of bruising. After 48 hours the vessels have done their healing and it stops mattering, which is why the restriction is short and specific rather than a general instruction to be careful.
Alcohol adds a second problem — it thins the blood, so a bruise that would have been invisible becomes one that lasts a week.
Why not to massage it, unless you have been shown
Filler is placed in a particular plane at a particular depth, and that placement is the treatment. Pressing or rubbing can move product out of where it was put and into tissue where it was not intended — which is one of the routes to migration.
There are occasions where massage is exactly right, usually to smooth a palpable lump in the first fortnight. When that applies you will be shown how, on which spot, and with how much pressure. Unless that conversation happened, leave it alone.
Why two weeks before facials, and before dental work
Facials, massage and microdermabrasion apply sustained pressure and heat over an area where the product is still integrating. Two weeks is roughly how long it takes to settle into the tissue and stop being movable.
Dental work is a different concern. Prolonged stretching of the mouth and the bacteraemia that comes with dental procedures have both been associated with delayed inflammatory reactions around filler. Where dental treatment can reasonably be deferred a fortnight either side, defer it — and if it cannot, that is not an emergency, just something to mention.
Why the result is judged at two weeks and not before
The first 48 hours are peak swelling, and almost nobody likes what they see. By day three or four it drops noticeably, by day seven you are close, and at day fourteen it is settled.
The expensive mistake is made in that window. Swelling recedes, the result looks smaller than it did on day two, and someone books more product to chase something that was never there — which is how people end up with considerably more volume than they intended. Wait for the review.
03What to avoid, and for how long
| Alcohol | 24 hours |
|---|---|
| Strenuous exercise | 24–48 hours |
| Saunas, steam rooms and very hot baths | 48 hours |
| Facials, massage and microdermabrasion | 2 weeks |
| Dental work where it can be deferred | 2 weeks |
04What to expect, and when
Day 1–2
Peak swelling. Often the worst it will look.
Day 3–4
Swelling drops noticeably.
Day 7
Close to the final result.
Day 14
Settled. This is when we review together.
This is general aftercare information. You will be given written aftercare specific to your treatment before you leave, and a direct number to reach me on. If anything here conflicts with what you were told in clinic, what you were told in clinic applies.
Sources and further reading
- NHS — Dermal fillers
- British Association of Dermatologists — patient information
- Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners
- Aesthetic Complications Expert Group
This is general aftercare information, not personal medical advice. What you were told in clinic takes precedence over anything on this page.
Get in touch
Book a consultation
Consultations are £30, and that comes off the cost of your treatment if you go ahead. No pressure to book anything on the day — if you are not sure whether you want treatment at all, that is still a good reason to come and talk.