Types of Lip Filler: Which Lip Filler Is Best For You?
Lip filler is a hyaluronic acid gel placed in and around the lips to add volume and shape. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule your body already makes, which is why these fillers are temporary and can be dissolved if you do not like the result. A nurse injector places the gel with a fine needle or a cannula. The aim is a bit more fullness, a clearer lip border, or better balance between the upper and lower lip, not a different mouth. A thicker gel builds more volume. A softer gel hydrates and smooths. Some visits use two gels, one for structure and one for a soft finish. Lips swell for the first day or two, and the settled shape shows once that swelling goes down, usually within two weeks. At SLK Clinic, a licensed nurse practitioner or registered nurse places every lip treatment at the Nashville and Chattanooga locations. The main types of lip filler used for lip enhancement in Nashville are Juvederm Ultra, Vollure, and Volbella, plus a combination approach that layers two of them. Which lip filler is best comes down to your lip tissue, the look you want, and how much swelling or downtime you can accept. Our injectors carry all four at both locations, so here’s a quick guide to help you compare the different types and choose. See Filler in Nashville or Filler in Chattanooga for local pricing and booking. By Jennifer Stieber, NP Quick Comparison: Filler Types, Duration & Best Fit Filler Type Duration Best For Swelling Profile Juvederm Ultra 6-10 months First-timers and younger patients who want a very plump lip Attracts water, so swelling is more noticeable Vollure 12-18 months Firm tissue and a crisp lip border Minimal swelling. It does not attract water Volbella 12 months Aged or thin lips, when you want a soft, natural result Little to no downtime. It does not attract water Combination (Vollure or Juvederm + Volbella topper) 12-18 months Crisp borders with a soft, natural feel Volume from the base filler, softness from the Volbella topper Who Juvederm Ultra Is Best For Younger patients, first-timers, patients who want to grow their lips several sizes larger, patients who desire a very plump lip. Duration: 6-10 months. Vollure: Maximum Volume With Minimal Swelling FDA approved in 2017, this lip filler offers maximum volume with minimal swelling. Unlike its cousin Juvederm, Vollure does not attract water: the volume comes exclusively from the filler itself. This minimizes a white, swollen or puffy look around the perimeter of the lip border which can sometimes be seen with hydrophilic (water attracting) lip fillers. This filler is excellent for defining a crisp lip border and adding shape to a Cupid’s bow. Best for: patients with medium to large lips; patients with young, firm lip tissue; minimizing lip filler migration; minimizing downtime and swelling, patients who desire accentuation of the lip shape. Duration: 12-18 months Volbella: The Softest, Most Natural Lip Filler Volbella, a filler with gentle filling capacity, is the softest and most liquid of all the lip fillers. This filler is almost undetectable and adopts the shape of the patient’s lips. It does not swell and it is placed more superficially than other lip fillers, reducing the chance of nicking a blood vessel. there is typically no downtime afterwards. This filler is known to make the lips more red due to the fact it is placed superficially. It does not attract water, a phenomenon which can give the lips a whitish hue. Best for: aged lips, loose lip tissue, thin-lipped patients who desire undetectable filler, very soft and natural feeling lips, achieving redder lips. Duration: 12 months Combining Two Lip Fillers for Volume and Softness 2 is better than one, right? Many patients desire a bit of everything: volume, softness and shape. For the best of both worlds, we like to start with a base of Vollure or Juvederm to plump up the structure within the lips, followed by a “topper” layer of Volbella to make the lips ultra smooth, soft and more red. Best for: lip filler connoisseurs, those who desire crisp, accentuated lip borders but with maximum softness and flexibility. Duration: 12-18 months Preparing for Your Lip Filler Appointment A few simple steps before your appointment reduce bruising and swelling. Stop taking blood thinners, aspirin, ibuprofen, and other NSAIDs (like Advil or Aleve) 48–72 hours before your visit, if your doctor says it’s safe to do so. These medications thin your blood and make bruising more likely. Skip alcohol for 24 hours beforehand for the same reason. If you take a prescription blood thinner, check with the prescribing doctor before pausing it. Arnica supplements or topical arnica gel can help minimize bruising; start them a day or two early if you like. On the day of treatment, arrive with clean skin. Your injector will numb the area with a topical cream before placing the filler, so discomfort is minimal. How Hyaluronic Acid Fillers Work Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule your body produces naturally in skin and connective tissue. When we place a hyaluronic acid gel into the lips, it attracts and binds water molecules (up to a thousand times its weight), which is how it creates volume. The gel integrates with your lip tissue over the first few days, and the swelling you see immediately after treatment is partly the filler itself and partly the water it pulls in. That’s why some fillers, like Juvederm Ultra, swell more than others: they’re more hydrophilic. Over the following months, your body’s enzymes slowly break down the hyaluronic acid chains, and the volume fades. The filler doesn’t migrate elsewhere; it metabolizes into water and carbon dioxide and leaves your system. Because the molecule is identical to what your body already makes, allergic reactions are rare. If you don’t like the result, an injector can dissolve hyaluronic acid filler with an enzyme called hyaluronidase, usually within a day or two. Why Lips Thin With Age Lip volume peaks in your twenties and starts to decline in your thirties. The main reason is collagen loss: your body makes less collagen each year, and the collagen fibers already in your lips break down faster than they’re replaced. Connective tissue loosens, so the lip border becomes less defined and the vermilion (the pink part of your lip) loses its crisp edge. The fat pads inside your lips shrink, too, and the skin itself gets thinner and less