Cosmetic corner – the art of lip fillers

Nafisa Mughal discusses why dental teams are in the perfect position to provide lip fillers. 

There seems to be an ever-increasing demand for lip fillers. And it looks like a trend that isn’t going away any time soon.

What are lip fillers?

For those of you reading this that are not au fait with dermal fillers (yet), they are essentially a gel made of hyaluronic acid. Dermal fillers are injected into the dermis and are very well tolerated. Generally, they last approximately six months in the lips before being broken down and eliminated by the body.

Now trending

We have seen the trend for lip fillers increase over the years and now thankfully it seems people are opting for more of a subtle result rather than “trout pouts” or “sausage lips”.

From personal experience, the first thing people say when they have a consultation for lip filler is they don’t want to look like they have had treatment. I for one advocate that cosmetic treatment should enhance what they have and never look fake or overdone – hallelujah!

Stand out from the crowd

As dental professionals we are in the perfect place to offer lip fillers. This is due to our extensive knowledge of the head and neck anatomy. As a result, it tends to set us apart from the rest. I find we are not even in competition with beauty salons that are offering huge lips for minimal cost.

Frankly, my perspective is that there are enough clients for everyone. The clients who want those results, who have no care for safety or qualifications, are not the clients for us.

Maintain your professionalism and duty of care above and beyond, and you will see the clients flocking in. It takes only a handful of phenomenal results to start getting people in by word of mouth (I’m living proof of this word of mouth referral system).

Lip fillersWhat to look out for

If you are already providing lip fillers, you need to develop an eye for what’s natural and flattering over what looks just plain wrong.

Migration – this is when filler moves from where it was injected, into other tissues. This is commonly seen around the vermillion border. This is when people start noticing an outline over the edges of the lips.

Rolling (aka duck lips) – this is when the filler has filled out the borders so much that it actually causes a ledge or “beak”

Overfilling (aka sausage lips) – when lips are over filled they have a shiny appearance, with lack of shape. They can resemble two sausages. Neither flattering or tasty!

We as professionals should understand that when patients come to see us, they are putting their faith in us to make them look nice. For this reason, it is not a bad thing to actually say no to some patients if they are not ready for more filler. Or, for example, if they run the risk of having over filled lips.

Actually educating the patient and explaining the lip anatomy can be extremely helpful in making them understand that bigger isn’t always better.

Reproduced with permission by Dr. Harris ©DrHarris @drharrisclinic

Time to skill up

If you’re already offering lip fillers, consider enrolling onto our lips masterclass where we discuss different techniques to achieve beautiful outcomes without having the patient look over filled.


If you’re not currently offering lip fillers and would like to start, contact Nafisa at [email protected]

Favorite
Get the most out of your membership by subscribing to Dentistry CPD
  • Access 600+ hours of verified CPD courses
  • Includes all GDC recommended topics
  • Powerful CPD tracking tools included
Register for webinar
Share
Add to calendar