Lip injections are one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the world.
However, not all lip injections come out as perfect as they look in marketing pictures. If injected improperly by an unqualified medical professional, it can result in the “botched” lips.
In this article, we will learn more about lip injection mistakes, the signs you should look for and the next step to fixing them.
Table of Contents
What are “Botched” Lip Injections?
The name says it all: these are lip injections that do not provide you with the results you want. Instead you may have several lip deformities that can severely damage your appearance and self-esteem.
Why Do Lip Injections Go Wrong?
There are many reasons why lip injections end up getting botched badly. Let’s take a look at a few of them here:
- Poor injection technique, resulting in uneven and botched lips. This can include applying too much filler or not enough.
- Going to an unlicensed and unregulated professional. You should always visit a trained injector who has the background experience and recommended training to do the job perfectly.
- Incorrect product selection for that desired look. Even though lip fillers are made with hyaluronic acid, not all products are the same. Beware of products that are not registered for use by Health Canada or the FDA.
- Not following aftercare instructions. Your lip filler professional will provide you with aftercare instructions to follow to ensure you get the best results. People that don’t, end up with terrible lips.
Read: Benefits of Lip Fillers
The Types of Botched Lips
There are many side effects that come with lip injection: redness, soreness and bruising. These shouldn’t be confused with botched lips as these are just part of the healing process. What you really have to look for are the telltale signs:
The “Trout Pout”
The most dramatic example of a botched lip injection is a condition known as “trout pout,” named for its likeness to the overly large mouths of fish who have been caught and thrown on dry land.
Trout pout is characterized by an extremely unnatural lip line and lip volume which appears higher than normal. The lip border starts from the lip-line and goes straight, with no natural curve or lip fold at all. These symptoms are usually accompanied by a swollen bottom lip that has been injected with filler to increase its size, but this will not last long as the filler material breaks down quickly in the body.
The “Duck Lips”
A more subtle example of a botched lip injection is known as “duck lip,” where one side of the lip appears larger or puffier than the other side while looking very unnatural in proportion to the rest of the face. If there were any fine lines around your lips before getting yours, these would be magnified and deepened and may become permanent.
Read: Restylane vs Juvederm
Bumpy or Uneven Lips
Lips that are bumpy and uneven are signs of a bad injection job. If you notice hard, small bumpy lips within an uneven lip, then there might be more problems than expected. This is most likely due to poor injection technique and product selection.
Necrosis (Red Alert!)
The big one. If you have severe pain and develop white spots with mottled skin, blue, black or purple discoloration, blisters, and skin shedding, you could be facing necrosis – aka ‘tissue death’. This means that blood vessels are blocked by the filler and require immediate treatment by a healthcare professional!
What to Do if You Have Botched Lips
If lip injections go wrong, it can be very challenging to correct the lip deformities without further lip injections or lip corrective surgery. In most cases, you will have to undergo further injections to restore balance to your lips.
A wide range of lip augmentation techniques will help give your lips the volume and plumpness you desire. The most important part of this process is simple: finding a highly trained expert.
Lip injections should only be done by licensed professionals who have extensive experience in lip augmentation, including qualified experts at medi spas or medical establishments. Even minor mistakes could lead to devastating consequences for your appearance, so make sure you always hire the best possible person for the job!