Permanent lip fillers

[YummyMummy]

I went to my salon yesterday and my usual hair dresser had terribly swollen lips. They not only looked swollen but also had a purple tinge to them. And the top lip was definitely distorted! Since I was the one who got her to go to my doctor for lips work I just didn't know what to say!

As it turned out she had the restylane I recommended about 8 months ago, loved it, and asked the same doctor for a permanent filler. When my doctor tried to talk her out of it (she doesn't believe in true permanent fillers. Just too high risk etc) she went to a different guy who injected a permanent filler which was a "new silicon". Poor Lisa actually developed an infection and she said the lips were draining pus for about 3 weeks and required 2 courses of antibiotics to calm. It's now 6 weeks later and she still has tender, swollen lips.

Now, I'm not medically trained but everyone know silicon is the stuff in gap fillers... Can someone tell me why they think it's a good idea to inject it now??

[Babybear]

Ouch, that sounds like it'd really hurt! Lips full of pus.... Hey, did anyone read about the poor girl who died from liposuction? I was a chicken to begin with and stories like that don't help! I think I'll stick with my thin lips and big hips... sigh

[Dr.Grace]

Hi YummyMummy,

Fillers combine beautifully with botox for facial rejuvenation. It's a fast growing area, with companies constantly trying come up with new fillers. Wouldn't it be nice to have a filler that lasts forever and has not ill effects? Unfortunately they don't exist yet!

The rule of thumb is the longer a filler lasts, the higher the side effect profile. Fillers that are very "similar" to natural body substances (such as hyaluronic acid) don't irritate and cause very little problems. However, because they are similar, the body is able to break them down. On the other hand, fillers that are "different" are harder to break down and last longer, but they have a higher tendency to cause body reactions such as granuloma, inflammation and infections.

Silicon fillers have come a long way since the bad old days. Large volumes were injected into buttocks and breasts of patients. The silicon promptly formed hard lumps, became infected and could only be removed by surgery. The current bunch claim to have micronised the silicon particles so much that they don't trigger any allergic reactions. I'm on the conservative side - I want to see how these current patients fare in a few years time, before I give it to my patients. Another downside with permanent fillers is actually the permanence. As we age the facial structure changes and fillers can migrate. A semi-permanent filler allows you to adapt to these changes, without ending up with unatural tell-tale ridges.

[cindy_hk]

This is related to my previous post.


But should I wait awhile before getting fillers? Am I too young to get some fillers for my lips? I've already had botox but am worried that like silicon breasts you have to keep getting them replaced if you get restylane or collagen done very young

[misspenelope]

Hi I am sorry about your friend with the permanent filler...I too had a permanent filler called dermalive injected about 7 years ago and for the last two years I have been battling a serious reaction to the product.....I please beg all of you to never put it in... there are no answers to this problem other than cutting them out.....all the doctors say steroid injections are the solution, but I had over fourty injections and none have dissapeared, many docs after seeing me wont use permanent fillers anymore, it is to high risk.....
Is there anyone else out there who had dermalive put in and had a serious reaction, I would love to hear your thoughts.....

[Tanny]

that sounds terrible penelope.

What sort of reaction did you have?

Has anyone suggested anything else other than steroid injections. Obviosuly after 40 goes steroid injections don't sound like the best solution.

[auburn]

that sounds terrible misspenelope. I hope someone finds a solution for you soon.

I have a related story.

I haven't had permanent lip fillers but I just want to warn all the other forum members about the dangers in permanent anything on the lips.

I had my lips tattooed almost 10 years ago and have been regretting it for 8 years.

It doesn't look as good as my normal lipstick and now that I'm older and a bit shrunken I can get restylane or any of the good things in my lips.

[Jester May]

yelp I'ld also dissuade anyone from lip tatooing.


In fact as I get older I tend to think anything permanent is a bit troublesome. I've changed so much since I was 18 and I would hate to be locked into what I thought looked good ever since that time (30 years worth)

[marakesh]

Permanency of anything is always tempting because of the perception that money can be saved and that is a concept I can understand.

I've noticed that even dental fillings seem to get changed and they don't last forever.

[mighty mouth]

For some reason marakesh's post reminds me of my diamond engagement ring that was chipped.


Nothing material is permanent! Not even diamonds.

[Rollergirl]

I too think permanence is overrated.

I'm the sort of person who is responsible for dinner lasting an extra hour because I can't decide what to get on the menu.

And even then I send the waitor scurrying back to change me order to that delicious looking thing the table next door is getting.

Heaven forbid I should be stuck with anything permanent in my face!

Its nice to have the flexibility to change and tweak things over time.

[Rollergirl]

This might have been discussed a bit in the restylane vs juvederm poll.

But for people who have had it which lasts longer in the lips?

[misspenelope]

Hi
I had a granulomas reaction, which caused huge hard lumps to grow throughout my lips, I have stopped the steroids, obviously wasnt doing me any favours, it actually made it worse, I have started to see a new doctor with a new treatment with lasers and getting them cut out, which has been scary..... the doctor is saying two to four years.....fingers crossed...


that sounds terrible penelope.

What sort of reaction did you have?

Has anyone suggested anything else other than steroid injections. Obviosuly after 40 goes steroid injections don't sound like the best solution.

[anaj]

Hi

I had Artecoll injected into and around my lips years ago (maybe 5 years or more, can't remember). I had a reaction in 2004 where my lips were huge and hard lumps formed.. they stayed that way for about 6 weeks, then they went back to normal. Now about a month ago, it happened again, my lips are not swollen as much,.. just slightly,. but the lumps are there again and I don't know how to get rid of the lumps. No one has noticed the lips being swollen,. (they are less swollen now) but the lumps around my mouth are noticible and I hate it. There is no pain though.

I wrote to the doctor who did the procedure to find out what to do but he has not returned my THREE emails to him.

Would I go permanent again? I don't think so but my lips are really beautiful when I am not having this reaction and the only reason I went permanent was because of the PAIN. It wasn't to save money. So now,. is there anything I can take to reduce the lumps?

Thanks all.

[ScarlettPimpernickel]

I had my eyebrows and eyeliner permanently tattoo'd and love it. It was only 12 months ago though.... i was thinking of doing my lips but after reading the earlier posts i think not anymore....

[cheray]

Yes ,cosmetic and dental upkeep is an ongoing thing. I have had teeth fillings replaced several times and polished every now and again and redone something else and fixed this and that and cost me heaps for the privilege. So to spend 1200 dollars on some lip filler (juvederm) is no biggie. And I will undoubtedly have to repeat this performance at a later date.......Just hope I have a different lead actor.........yowzer the other one hurt.

[jasonbrien]

Dermal filler is one of the safest and effective way for lips these days. You may definitely go through this without any problem.