How Long Do Lip Fillers Last?

A common question asked by patients researching lip enhancement is “how long do lip fillers last?” There are several different factors that come into play when answering this question and we’re going to explore them here.

The choice of which filler has a huge effect on how long lip fillers last.

There are multiple different types of dermal fillers that can be used for lips. Each different brand of filler has multiple types of filler that can be used for your lip filler procedure.

One of the most well-known lip filler brands, Juvéderm, has Juvéderm Ultra and Volbella.

• Volbella is a soft filler with little flexibility. It gives the lips a gentle plump and good hydration. Volbella is FDA approved for a duration of up to 1 year. It comes in 1/2 and 1mL syringes, but the cost is generally too high to compete with other comparable fillers. For this reason, I don’t use Volbella in my practice.
• Juvederm Ultra is also soft, but with more flexibility. It allows for a natural motion to the lips, but also gives a nice plump. Juvéderm can last in the lips for up to 1 year. In practice, I see Juvéderm Ultra lasting for about 6-9 months.

Restylane is the oldest brand of hyaluronic acid filler on the market, with a long track record for safety. It’s lip fillers include Kysse and Silk.

• Restylane Silk has medium firmness with low flexibility. It’s a nice, basic lip filler, giving good plump. It has a lower price point than Juvéderm and lasts about 6 months.
• Restylane Kysse is my favorite lip filler. It’s softer than Silk and highly flexible. It’s great for giving a juicy plump and has a duration of up to a year.

Belotero Balance is very soft with moderate flexibility. This filler is better suited for the under-eye area than for the lips.

Revanesse Versa can also be used in the lips, however it has mixed reviews in terms of the duration (anywhere from 3 to 12 months!)

All the above fillers contain lidocaine as an anesthetic for your comfort, but some are also available without lidocaine if you have an allergy. Just let your injector know so they can be sure to have the right product available for you.

**As a side note, I only use hyaluronic acid-based fillers for lip augmentation. The lips are very unforgiving. Symmetry is paramount. If you have a bad result with a non-hyaluronic acid dermal filler, it cannot be reversed. If you need to do some adjusting for asymmetry, if you decide that you don’t like the filler or if you have a serious complication or side effect, all of the hyaluronic acid fillers are reversible; they can be dissolved with an enzyme called hyaluronidase.

Where is the dermal filler being placed? Mobility of the area will affect how long lip fillers last.

We are talking about lip injections here, so obviously that’s where you’re going to be putting it. Some fillers are advertised as lasting up to 2 years (Voluma for example). Just because a filler has been approved to last a certain length of time doesn’t mean it will last that long in every application. The lips are a highly mobile area, which will lead to a faster breakdown of the filler than a static area like the cheekbone. I would say that on average, most patients’ lip augmentations last for about 6-9 months.

How much product was injected will also affect how long lip fillers last.

Many patients come in with photos of celebrities whose lips they would like to emulate. Kylie Jenner’s lips didn’t happen overnight or with a single syringe of filler. I generally recommend 1mL of lip filler per session, allowing your lips to stretch between lip filler treatments for about a month. Stacking filler in this way will allow a more natural looking lip augmentation, but it will also increase the duration of your filler. More filler will take more time to break down. Many injectors tout lip filler lasting for up to 2 years “with maintenance or touch up treatments.” This is just another way to say more lip filler treatment sessions.

How old are you? Your age affects how fast you break down filler.

As we age, we tend to go through all our treatments faster. Part of the aging process is an acceleration of the breakdown of collagen and hyaluronic acid. That means that older patients may notice that their injectable treatments don’t last as long as when they were younger.

What can you do after the injection to prolong the duration of lip fillers?

OK ladies (and gents), it’s about to get real here. Pressure on your lips will break down your filler faster. People who perform oral sex often may notice that their filler doesn’t last as long. Same story for people who bite their lips or knead them as a nervous habit. Drinking from a straw or small mouth water bottle can put pressure on the filler because of the muscle use. As part of my aftercare recommendations, I tell patients avoid all these activities for at least 2 weeks after a lip injection so that the filler can “settle in.”

Some tips that will help you get lasting results from your filler are:

• Avoid pressure on your lips.
• Use professional skin care products, including non-irritating lip plumper.
• Drink plenty of water. Fillers attract water, so drinking lots of water will plump them up, while dehydration will result in a smaller lip volume.
• Avoid sun exposure. UVA and UVB can penetrate to the dermis, leading to a breakdown of your lip fillers. If you’re going to be out, make sure you apply sunscreen to your lips!
• Taking a collagen supplement is always a good idea for anti-aging purposes. Filler injections will cause a small boost in collagen production in the lip filler injection area. If you are taking collagen peptides, this can help bump the boost a little higher. Your natural collagen may outlast the filler!
• Consider adding a lip flip to your fillers. Adding Botox to the muscles around the mouth will decrease the pressures on your lips. As a bonus, you can get a “flip” of the lips, giving you the appearance of more volume. You will be less likely to tuck your upper lip when you smile, and it can also improve the fine lines that are common around the lips.
• Adding a “top off” appointment to your initial lip injection can improve your final results. You should plan this between 1 and 4 months after your initial injection session.