Lip Augmentation

Lip augmentation uses hyaluronic acid filler to add volume, improve definition of the lip border, correct asymmetry, or restore shape lost with age. Lips thin and lengthen over time and the philtral columns flatten, which is what most lip treatment is actually addressing.

What is involved

• Treatment time: usually 20 to 30 minutes.
• Anaesthetic: topical anaesthetic, and most lip fillers contain local anaesthetic.
• Duration: commonly 6 to 12 months. Lips tend to metabolise filler faster than less mobile areas.

Recovery

Lips swell more than most areas. Significant swelling for 24 to 72 hours is normal and it can be asymmetric during that period. Bruising is common. The final result should not be judged for about two weeks.

Risks and limitations

Alongside the general filler risks, lips carry particular considerations: a higher rate of bruising and swelling, the possibility of visible or palpable lumps, reactivation of cold sores in people who get them (which may warrant antiviral cover), and migration of product above the lip border over repeated treatments, producing a shelf or ledge.

Vascular occlusion involving the labial arteries is a recognised emergency. Hyaluronidase must be available.

Regulation in the UK

Non-surgical cosmetic injectables are not yet subject to a licensing scheme in England. At present no qualification, training or medical registration is legally required to administer dermal filler. The Health and Care Act 2022 created the legal framework for a licensing scheme, but it has not been fully implemented. Since 1 October 2021 it has been a criminal offence in England to administer dermal filler or injectable muscle-relaxing treatments for a cosmetic purpose to anyone under 18.

Because of this, the single most useful thing to check is who is treating you: their professional registration (GMC, GDC, NMC or GPhC), what training they have in the specific procedure, what insurance they hold, and what happens if there is a complication out of hours.

Information on this page reflects NHS and British Association of Dermatologists patient guidance and current UK regulatory position. It is general information, not medical advice, and it is not a substitute for an individual assessment by a qualified clinician.