Lip Filler in Cornelius, NC

Filler or a lip flip?

A lot of Cornelius consults start with "I want bigger lips" and end somewhere more specific. If you want real volume or a sharper border, that's filler. If you mostly want the top lip to show a little more when you smile, a lip flip might do it. That's a few units of Botox above the lip, no volume added. We sort out which one you need before anything is injected.

What it costs

Filler is priced per syringe and quoted at your free consult. I don't publish filler dollar amounts that aren't on my menu. The pricing page shows how it works, and you get a specific estimate before anything is booked. Financing through Cherry and CareCredit is available for treatment plans.

Does it hurt?

Lips are sensitive. Numbing cream goes on first, and some fillers already contain lidocaine, a numbing medicine. Most people tell me afterward it was easier than they expected.

Swelling and the drive home

Expect a few days of swelling, and sometimes a bruise. The FDA lists swelling and bruising among the most common filler side effects and says many clear up within days to weeks. The lips you see in the car back to Cornelius aren't the final result. The settled shape shows at about two weeks, when you come back for your included follow-up.

Don't book lips right before a wedding or photos. Give it two weeks.

How long it lasts

The FDA says how long a filler lasts depends on the filler material and where it's injected, and that absorbable fillers break down over time, so the treatment may need repeating. I won't promise you a number. HA filler can usually be dissolved with an enzyme called hyaluronidase if it ever needs to come out. That's a procedure with its own risks, but it means you're not stuck.

Your first visit

We talk first. I look at your lips at rest and while you smile and talk, and we agree on a plan. Then I build slowly and stop at natural. If you want more, we add it at two weeks.

Before you book

The FDA's page on dermal fillers covers the risks. Bring these up at your consult:

• You're under 22. The FDA approves dermal fillers for adults 22 and older.
• You're pregnant or breastfeeding. The FDA says filler safety is unknown during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Your skin is inflamed or infected where we'd treat, including active acne, a rash, or hives.
• You have a bleeding disorder, severe allergies or a history of anaphylaxis, or an allergy to lidocaine.
• You tend to form keloids or raised scars.
• There's a cold sore, swelling, or any sign of infection on or around your lips.

The FDA lists bruising, redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, and itching as common filler side effects, and says many clear up within days to weeks. The most serious risk is filler getting into a blood vessel. The FDA calls that chance low, but it can cause tissue damage, vision problems including blindness, or stroke. Get care right away for unusual pain, any change in your vision, or skin near the injection site that turns white, gray, or blue. You can look up my license on the North Carolina Board of Nursing site. Everything else I offer is on the services page.