With its claim as a safe, effective, and minimally invasive procedure alternative for facial rejuvenation and erasing wrinkles, it’s not hard to see why many people are turning down plastic surgery to get Botox cosmetic injections instead. But while it requires virtually zero downtime, penetrating the skin with a small needle to deliver Botox can still cause mild swelling right after the treatment.
So how long does it take for the swelling to go down after having Botox injected into the lips? The swelling side effect can kick in immediately for a few hours after the cosmetic treatment and will gradually pass within several days. This is nothing of major concern as swelling after having a Botox lip injection is a common body reaction to the needle piercing the area around the upper lip muscle. If it’s causing you discomfort, you can relieve the swelling by applying an ice pack or cold compress to the area around the lips.
Learn More: Which Muscles Are Injected With Botox for Lower Lip Corner Creases?
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.
Localized swelling is not an uncommon reaction to any type of injection or cosmetic procedure. It’s nothing more than a usual side effect that happens when you receive an intramuscular injection. The reason why it’s listed as a common side effect in most Botox treatments for lip enhancement is that it requires delivering the toxin to the targeted facial muscles.
In the case of performing a lip flip, your cosmetic surgeon will place the botulinum toxin injection on the area on your upper lip or on the orbicularis oris muscle. This will intentionally flip or curl your upper lip outward to give the appearance of fuller-looking lips. But before the full results are seen, you may experience minimal swelling around the mouth and lips for a few days.
During the procedure itself, your injector will use very fine needles to administer Botox so there’s mild pain involved. Right after injection, you can see some level of swelling and inflammation that is localized to the area where the needle was inserted into the skin.
This can also be a natural bodily response to the neurotoxin as it begins to take effect and stretch the lips to achieve a plump and fuller look. This post-Botox reaction will usually resolve on its own after a couple days and you can still enjoy your recovery with minimal downtime.
In some cases, swelling could be an effect of a bad Botox injection where the injector made a mistake during the procedure. It could also be a sign of an allergic reaction to the neurotoxin injection in which case you may need to call your doctor for medical help.
Learn More: What to Expect Weeks After Your Botox Injections?
To prevent prolonged swelling or any unwanted adverse reaction from Botox lip injections, you should always find an experienced and certified practitioner to administer the treatment. After your Botox treatment session, you will be given reminders to help manage your post-injection swelling. Here are some of the best ways you can relieve the discomfort from lip swelling at home:
Treating the injection site with a cold compress can help alleviate some of the swelling, inflammation, and pain after the treatment. Be sure to apply them gently and avoid pressing on the treated area to avoid Botox from moving to other facial muscles.
Topical creams and gels like Arnica can also help manage swelling after Botox lip flip. This natural herb supplement has amazing healing properties that speed your recovery from swelling and improves post-injection pain. You can use them every 2 hours for the first two days after Botox injection then 2 to 3 times a day until the side effect has fully resolved.
Avoid taking blood thinners since they can aggravate swelling and inflammation after the injectable treatment. This can include pain relief supplements such as Aspirin and Ibuprofen. You will also be advised to stop drinking alcohol after Botox since they have blood-thinning properties and can interfere with the healing of your swelling.
Drinking plenty of water can also help relieve post-injection swelling. This will greatly aid in your recovery and will help flush away any toxins to prevent possible infections after the treatment.
Botox is a treatment that has been around for years and it has many uses not just in the cosmetic industry but also in the field of therapeutic medicine. It has been known to be safe for the treatment of conditions like excessive sweating, cervical dystonia, migraine headache, and overactive bladder.
And for many Botox cosmetic and medical patients, it’s very possible to go home or resume their normal activity as soon as they finish their procedure. As long as it’s administered by a Botox professional, the treatment is safe and without any risks for serious complications. However, there are other possible side effects aside from swelling that can be experienced and these are:
Bruising after Botox treatment can happen around the area where the injection was placed. For a few days, the injection site will appear red and tender and can hurt when you press on it. They can likely form as a result of the needle penetration or when the injector has hit a blood vessel causing blood to flow out near the skin surface and cause mild bruising and bleeding. These side effects can be avoided with the help of an expert Botox injector or plastic surgeon who knows the best techniques for safe injection.
Botox-induced headaches very rarely occur in individuals who get cosmetic injections. There’s a very small possibility of experiencing post-Botox headache for lip flip patients but it may be common for those who get Botox for forehead wrinkles and frown lines. This side effect usually happens due to over-contraction of facial muscles in the injected area or due to poor injection technique.
Also known as ptosis, droopy eyelids are another possible adverse reaction to Botox forehead injections. Placing the toxin in the glabellar area or between the eyes requires skill and precision and if your injector doesn’t have enough training, they may put the injection in the wrong site. They may cause unintentional paralysis or muscle weakness to the muscles that cause the eyelids to move.
It’s highly unusual for this side effect to occur when you get Botox lip injections since the injection site is far from the eyes and brows area. But in the rare event that the toxin migrates to another site, droopy eyelids can be remedied with an apraclonidine eye drop or injection of more Botox to reverse its effect.
Some Botox patients also report experiencing mild flu-like symptoms after getting their procedure. This can pertain to having mild fever, nausea, joint aches and pain, and chills on their body. They can be similar to the symptoms of a urinary tract infection, which is a side effect of Botox for an overactive bladder. They can last for a few days to weeks from their Botox injection but can be easily treated by drinking water and taking some pain relief medications.
Botox essentially works for lip augmentation in the same way that it corrects facial wrinkles, fine lines, and nasolabial folds as a wrinkle relaxer. It relaxes the upper lip muscles to flip outward to appear naturally fuller and plump. It can also reduce and smooth out the appearance of vertical lip lines and smoker's lines.
On the other hand, dermal fillers for lip enhancement inject a material usually made of hyaluronic acid filler (HA filler) to restore volume and improve the shape of thinning lips. A lip filler treatment can also cause swelling as a side effect, and it’s even more prominent with a lip filler injection as the gel material settles in your lips.
Facial fillers can have more impact when it comes to lip enhancement. Unlike Botox which subtly enhances your lips without changing their shape, the injectable filler can improve the contour and volumize your sunken and aging lips. Since both are popular effective treatments for lip enhancement, you should always consult with a doctor to know which procedure is best for your desired results.
Learn More: Can You Get Botox and Dermal Fillers Under the Eyes and Lips at the Same Time?
Following aftercare instructions is important to assure you get the best outcomes from your cosmetic lip injections without any complications. Here are some of the things you need to remember for your post-Botox lip flip treatment:
Get the best Botox results for your lip enhancement and other anti-aging treatments when you see our experienced doctors at Aesthetica. Our team of board-certified physicians and registered nurse staff are all experienced in performing safe and effective Botox treatments to give you the look that you want.
Aesthetica is a physician-led medical spa and aesthetic clinic offering a variety of aesthetic procedures for your beauty and wellness needs. From Botox, dermal fillers, chemical peels, and laser skin resurfacing, our treatments can be customized to address your skin type and specific concerns. Feel free to contact us to know more about our services or to book an appointment.
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.
