Botox leads the aesthetic industry as one of the most preferred anti-aging treatments. It has proven to be the gold standard for reducing the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, forehead lines, and even for lip augmentation. But like any skin rejuvenation and cosmetic procedure, this injectable treatment is only a temporary solution and one thing that people can experience once the effects of their Botox injection in the lips has subsided is dryness.
So what should you do if your lips are dry and flaky after Botox is gone? When the effects of Botox injections have worn off, you can moisturize chapped lips with the help of a hydrating lip balm or moisturizer, staying hydrated with lots of water, avoiding licking your lips, regularly exfoliating, and avoiding products that can irritate your lips. Dry lips are usually the effect of different factors like dry weather, sun-damaged skin, and lack of natural oils in lips.
Aesthetica can assist you with all your beauty needs, helping you achieve your maximum beauty and aesthetic potential. Call or contact us today to learn more about our cosmetic services.
It’s not impossible to maintain soft, moisturized, and plump-looking lips even after Botox injections or lip filler treatments have subsided. Lip care is fairly low maintenance and you only need a few good lip products and discipline to follow through with taking care of your lips. Here are some good practices to prevent and take care of dry and chapped lips:
There are many lip products and ointment cream that promise all-day moisturizing and plumping effects. If you have chapped lips, using these lip products are your best to relieve the dry and flaky feeling of your lips. What makes them work is that they essentially trap water in your lips so they will appear hydrated and soft.
You should look for balms and moisturizers that have active ingredients that can help heal chapped and dry lips. Lip products that contain shea butter, petroleum jelly, castor seed oil, ceramides, dimethicone, hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, and other emollients can help retain the texture of your lips and make it look as if you still have the effects of Botox.
At the same time, you should steer clear of lip products with ingredients that can irritate your skin. These can include menthol, eucalyptus oil, camphor, salicylic acid, and peppermint flavors which may delay wound healing of your chapped lips.
Just as how important it is to wear sunscreen products on your skin, putting on lip balms with SPF 30 protection should be part of your beauty routine. Many individuals and celebrities swear by this skincare tip, and in fact, they advise that you should develop the habit of wearing sun protection as early as in your 20s.
Your skin will thank you for it once you are in your later years so don’t put off wearing skin and lip protection when going outside. Buy lip products with SPF 30 or higher and ingredients such as titanium oxide and zinc oxide to protect against the harmful UV rays. Once outside, be sure to reapply your lip protection every two hours. Aside from avoiding dry lips, this can help against uneven skin tone and dark spots problems.
Drinking water is not just a good way to stay refreshed and hydrated but it maintains the moisture in your skin and retains your elastic and firm skin texture. In addition, people who constantly drink water can prevent the signs of premature aging such as wrinkles, fine lines, and frown lines since it promotes healthy skin and flushes out toxins from the body. Staying hydrated can replenish your skin and prevent chapped lips.
Licking, picking, or smacking your lips is a habit that many people do unconsciously, especially when you’re feeling anxious or when their lips feel dry and itchy. However, you will not feel any relief from wetting your chapped lips by licking them and it can aggravate its condition. Instead of licking your lips, reach for a glass of water instead to hydrate them or apply a lip balm for temporary moisture.
Exfoliation is a helpful beauty treatment for oily skin and dry chapped lips. While lip balms are good for adding moisture to your lips, they don’t necessarily do anything for the dead skin cells and flaky skin that have built up. Exfoliating is a beauty regimen that can be done at home to eliminate dead skin cells and bring back your smoothness and glow.
You can do DIY lip exfoliation by preparing a few ingredients like honey, cinnamon, coffee grounds which have good exfoliating properties. You can combine them with an emollient like petroleum jelly or shea butter or your lip balm to moisturize your lips right after exfoliation. Make sure to carefully put the mixture on your delicate lips to avoid over exfoliation.
You can also opt to get follow-up treatments for your Botox injections to maintain its lip enhancing effects. Upon consultation visit with your cosmetic doctor, they may suggest getting new additional treatments to help with your chapped lips. Some patients find that getting injectable dermal fillers can help with their dry lips since the filler material is usually made of hyaluronic acid which is known for its hydrating effects.
Dry skin or dryness of the lips are common side effects of most cosmetic procedures like chemical peel, dermal filler treatment, laser treatment, and laser resurfacing. For Botox or dermal filler lip injection patients, dry lips is a temporary reaction to the plumping effects of the cosmetic injectables. You may also experience bruising which can cause you to excessively lick your lips which can result in dryness.
Now there are several factors that can cause dry lips after the effects of a cosmetic injection has worn off. Dryness can be a common skin condition especially if you don’t take good care of your skin and lips. Here are some possible causes of dry lips after Botox lip injections have disappeared:
A Botox lip flip is the term for the cosmetic procedure that uses injections of botulinum toxin for lip enhancement. This injection is widely popular for its wrinkle relaxing effects on aging skin but it is also a great treatment for improving lip pout and reducing vertical lip lines and creases.
A skilled injector will place the Botox injections on the middle of your upper lip (also known as Cupid’s bow) and on the corners of your mouth. The botulinum toxin injection will disperse and relax the facial muscles, specifically on your upper lip and mouth, causing them to flip upward to give the illusion of fuller lips. The amount of Botox unit that will be injected will depend on your desired results but an average of 4 to 6 Botox units can be given to perform a lip flip.
The Botox lip flip treatment is safe and minimally invasive for individuals of any skin type. Most patients require zero downtime after getting the injections. They may experience common side effects like swelling, mild bruising, injection site pain, numbness, and tenderness for a few days. The full results can be noticeable after two weeks from the injection and they can last for around 3 to 4 months before the toxin wears off.
When Botox effects are gone, your lips will naturally go back to their original shape. If you receive Botox for facial wrinkles and lip wrinkles, the toxin will lose its relaxing effects on the muscle and there is a chance that your skin may develop new lines and creases.
Learn More: How Long Does Swelling Last After Lip Botox Injections?
Dermal filler injections and Botox are two of the popular choices for lip enhancement procedures. The difference between the two is that Botox relaxes the upper lip muscle to bring out their full shape while lip fillers are injected to actually volumize and improve the shape of the lips. The results from a lip filler are more dramatic and they can change the actual shape and fullness of the mouth while injection of the Botox neurotoxin subtly enhances the lips for a natural look.
If you are aiming to achieve a bigger pout and restore volume to your thinning lips, a dermal filler injection may be the cosmetic solution for you. But if you have reservations about inserting a foreign filler material to your lips and want to have a natural-looking enhancement, Botox lip flip injections can help.
Read More: Can You Get Botox and Dermal Fillers Under the Eyes and Lips at the Same Time?
As always, consulting with a cosmetic doctor can help you see how you can benefit from Botox lip flip injections. At Aesthetica, our team of dedicated staff and board-certified doctors will help you achieve your beauty goals and get fuller lips with quality and effective Botox treatments.
Aesthetica is led by Dr. Keshav Grover whose years of experience in cosmetic medicine has made him one of the sought-after practitioners for Botox and other cosmetic treatments. Our medspa is equipped with the latest tools and techniques in aesthetic non-surgical procedures and we offer customized treatments to address each patient’s concerns. Learn more about our treatments by browsing our website or call us today to schedule your initial consultation.
Aesthetica can assist you with all your beauty needs, helping you achieve your maximum beauty and aesthetic potential. Call or contact us today to learn more about our cosmetic services.
