What to do when your lip fillers go wrong

We live in an age where people are more aware of their appearance and willing to invest in enhancing it. Whether it’s adding a dimple with a simple trick, boosting your skin’s glow with collagen, or achieving fuller lips with fillers, there are plenty of options available.
However, cosmetic procedures like lip fillers come with risks and complications. Uorfi Javed is one such celebrity who has been quite open about sharing her experience with lip fillers gone wrong. She even documented her struggle with problematic fillers and the painful process of having them dissolved on her Instagram.
Thinking about getting lip fillers? Let’s dive into what experts say about the procedure.
In simple words, lip fillers are injections that add volume to your lips.
“They’re a type of dermal filler and consist of synthetic hyaluronic acid, which is a natural substance in the body,” Dr Anup Dhir, senior consultant and cosmetic surgeon at Apollo Hospital, Delhi, tells India Today.
Lip fillers are primarily used to enhance the size, shape, and symmetry of the lips, creating a fuller or more defined appearance.
“Hyaluronic acid or dermal fillers, when injected, attract and absorb water, which in turn adds volume to the area, giving a fuller appearance,” explains Dr Sushma Yadav, dermatologist, cosmetologist, hair transplant surgeon, and founder of Skinology Centre, Bengaluru.
Adding to this, Dr Aditi Wadhwa from the department of dermatology at Sharda Hospital, NCR, mentions that lip fillers have become increasingly common, especially with the rise of beauty trends on social media and the influence of celebrities.
“It’s one of the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures worldwide. In the US alone, hundreds of thousands of lip filler procedures are performed annually. The demand has grown significantly, with people of various age groups, younger individuals seeking fuller lips and older adults looking to restore volume lost with ageing,” she adds.
The procedure of lip fillers is also gaining popularity due to its relatively quick recovery time and immediate results.
The effect of lip fillers usually lasts between 6 to 12 months. This depends on the type of filler used, the amount injected, individual metabolism, and how the body processes the filler over time.

The procedure to get lip fillers done is quick and requires little to no downtime (Photo: Getty Images)

“Since most lip fillers are made from hyaluronic acid, they are gradually broken down and absorbed, which means the enhancement fades over time,” says Dr Wadhwa.
To maintain results, many people opt for touch-up treatments every 6 to 9 months.
Experts share that the results are not permanent, allowing individuals the flexibility to either continue with further treatments or allow their lips to return to their natural state over time.
While the cost of getting lip fillers done can vary depending on several factors, including the clinic’s location, the experience of the practitioner, and the type of filler used, the procedure costs somewhere around Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 per session.
Meanwhile, talking about the procedure, Dr Yadav says that it’s a quick one and can be done within 30 minutes on the same day of consultation.
“Injections can be scary, but fillers use a very fine needle, so it’s mostly a comfortable procedure. Your doctor will also apply a numbing cream to make the procedure painless,” she adds.
According to Dr Dhir, fillers and botox are two different things. “Both are minimally invasive procedures that can help one look more youthful, but they work differently and target different concerns,” he adds.
Botox relaxes muscles by injecting botulinum toxin, whereas fillers plump up areas of the skin that need rejuvenation. Generally, botox is useful for the forehead and crow’s feet around the eyes, while fillers are used in the lower parts of the face to fill wrinkles.
Lip fillers are a non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure that helps achieve an enhanced appearance. The process is quick and requires little to no downtime.
Not only that, but the results of lip fillers are visible almost immediately after the procedure, with full effects usually apparent within a few days. And the best part is that fillers are temporary, reversible and can be customised according to your needs.
However, lip fillers can lead to swelling and bruising. There’s also a possibility that the lips may become uneven or asymmetrical if the filler is not injected evenly or if the lips heal differently on each side.

Lip fillers offer benefits but also come with a fair share of risks (Photo: Getty Images)

In some cases, lumps, bumps, or irregularities in the lips can occur due to the way the filler settles or if it is injected incorrectly. There’s also a risk of infection or allergic reaction.
“One of the more serious risks, though rare, is if the filler is accidentally injected into a blood vessel. This can block blood flow, leading to tissue damage,” says Dr Wadhwa.
When done incorrectly, lip fillers can lead to the aforementioned complications.
According to experts, massaging the lips can help resolve lumpiness. However, this must be done by an experienced cosmetic surgeon and should not be attempted without supervision.
Another option is to dissolve the fillers. Dr Wadhwa mentions that this is only possible if the filler is made of hyaluronic acid.
The process involves injecting an enzyme called hyaluronidase, which breaks down the hyaluronic filler, causing it to dissolve and be absorbed by the body.