Ok on the blog today, I’m getting REAL and HONEST. I’m talking about something that’s taboo it seems, even in 2017. Filler. It’s hard not to get all judgemental when people talk about fillers. The misconception is that when you get fillers in your lips, your lips are gigantic. You don’t always have to go bigger, there’s a way to be subtle with it.
I have always been insecure about my lips. My bottom lip is so big that it swallows my top lip. On top of that it is uneven. My right side curls when I’m talking or when I have a candid photo. I have wanted lip injections for years. For some odd reason, it’s just a taboo subject. People get so judgmental and think you’re trying to look like Kylie Jenner. Which by the way if you are, that’s your own business, not theirs anyway. But there’s definitely away you can get filler in your lips without going overboard. I go to Dr. David Gilpin, who specializes in facial plastic surgery. When I decided to get botox for the first time right before my wedding, I went to this doctor who advised me that I really didn’t need botox but he would give me 36 units. 36 units?! Are you kidding me, I was only 30. My friend suggested I go see Dr. Gilpin and at my consultation he advised me he would recommend 15-18 units. Ok now we’re talking. He could’ve easily tried to get more money out of me but the best thing about Dr. Gilpin is his conservative nature. He has never tried to give me more than I need, if anything he tries to talk me out of getting what I think I need.
Ok so here we are the day after my injections. I received 1/2 of a syringe. I did a test with my IG following posting a picture immediately after I had it done asking if they noticed anything different. Not one person commented about my lips. As you can see my lips are swollen the following day (above), don’t worry they go down. I will say that night that are a tad swollen and the very next day are the most swollen they will get. A few questions you might ask…
Does it hurt? I had numbing cream on my lips so I barely felt anything. It didn’t bother me one bit. If you’re really scared of the pain you can always opt for a dental block.
What if I don’t like it? The great thing about hyaluronic acid fillers are if you don’t like it, it can easily be dissolved. That’s a great relief.
What’s the downtime? I would say the next day like I said before, they are swollen but after that none. You see results pretty much immediately. You should not massage your lips and avoid working out and heavy kissing for 24-48 hours. There is also a chance of bruising.
How long does it last? 4-6 months. Call me crazy but the I read that the HA has been proven to jump-start more HA production where you were injected so your lips could remain a bit larger naturally based off the previous injections. I have done my lips twice and can honestly say I did not need as much the second go round.
A few questions you guys asked me:
Why do they make it fuller on the sides and not as much in the middle of your lip? “They are fuller on Ashley’s sides because in her case it gives it a more natural look.” – Dr. Gilpin
Is the price and pain worth it? I think so. I wouldn’t do it myself every 4-6 months but probably once a year. The pain honestly isn’t that bad so that part doesn’t bother me.
How do you get the most natural look with fillers? “When I fill the lips I follow the natural contours of the lips. Everyone is different and no two sets of lips are the same. You would never know that most of my patients have lip filler. There are significant differences in my patients lips but they don’t look overdone. In Ashley’s case, she needed more in the sides but that’s not always for everybody. When considering lip injections, f you are in Nashville, we’d be happy to see you but if you aren’t you would want to ask your injector to be careful not to overfill the center of the lips to avoid the “duck” lip look. Also ask that they follow the contours of your lips.” -Dr. Gilpin
What type of filler did you get and how long did it last? I got Restalyne, probably 3/4 (maybe a tad more) of a syringe. I got it in the beginning of June and now in September I am still going strong.
These photos were 2 days after my injections, still a tad swollen but I loved them. I have heard from a lot of people that little bit of swelling that ultimately goes down does cause you to love that look and want more. Clearly I agreed because I went back in two weeks for a touch up. I got another probably 1/4 of a syringe.
This is directly following my touch up appointment to show you how they look as soon as you do it.
This photo os the night of. THIS would be exactly what I want. My ideal lip shape. The unique part of filler is Dr. Gilpin can manipulate your lip with the injection sites to give you whatever “look” you’re going for. I typically show him pictures or explain in detail what I’m trying to accomplish and he takes care of the rest.
Ok lastly here is the morning after. As you can see they’re swollen but they don’t look terrible. I can still do my daily life without any interruptions and with no fear of people staring at me like I’m a crazy person when walking around Target.
2 weeks follow up. See they’re definitely not scary. I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Gilpin if you’re in the Nashville area. I have multiple girlfriends who see him as well and they’re all happy campers. Check out his site here.