Will it hurt? Facial Fillers Explained (Part 3)
This is the third and final blog from Dr Stephanie Laing in her “Facial Fillers Explained” series. This time she’s focussing on what to expect when it comes to filler injections and whether you need a high pain threshold.
Many people worry about the pain involved with lip and facial filler treatments – “Steph, is this going to hurt?”. I do understand the concern - the lips, in particular, are a very sensitive part of our face, with lots of nerve endings. But fear not, I always have anaesthesia or numbing treatments at hand. I generally use a topically applied local anaesthetic cream. A little bit of this numbing cream on the lips before I start is all that most people require for a comfortable experience. The dermal filler products actually now come with built-in local anaesthesia in the form of a little lidocaine being added to the syringe. This further ensures that treatment is very comfortable. If it’s really necessary, and if you prefer, I do also have the option of using a dental block. It’s just like the injection that you might have for a dental procedure: I am a dentist after all! Results from lip fillers will be almost immediate and the anaesthetic will wear off quickly. Do remember, though, that lips are sensitive and you may notice some side effects such as slight bleeding at injection points. It’s also possible to see some swelling or mild bruising for 24 to 72 hours and sometimes longer. All of this is temporary and will quickly resolve to reveal your new lips. Allergic reactions or major complications to lip fillers are rare, and most of the scare stories you may read in the press are related to poorly trained practitioners using incorrect treatment techniques. As a dentist, I am highly trained in facial muscles and the administration of injections. This is not true of many practitioners and something to check-out before you opt for treatment. If you want to discuss if lip fillers are the right treatment for you, I offer my clients free consultations. Please give us a call or book online.