Lip Flip vs. Fillers: Which is best?

First of all, if you aren't sure what a lip flip is then allow us to explain. A lip flip is when you inject botox into small areas of the orbicularis oris muscle (the muscle that surrounds the lips). When this muscle is injected with botox, it relaxes and causes your lip to flip slightly outward, creating the illusion of a fuller pout. And we all know what fillers can do for your lips. So how do you know which is best?

It all depends on a few factors: your comfort level with each injectable, how long you want your results to last, and how much fuller your want your lips to be.

Comfort

In terms of actual pain tolerance, there isn't much of a difference here. Topical numbing is usually provided for fillers, while botox doesn't really need any numbing since it's a pretty tolerable procedure. Since both of these factors make the procedures pretty comfortable, you won't have to worry too much about pain. However, if you've never had injectables you may be wondering if there are any pros, cons, and potential side effects that you're uncomfortable with. With fillers, the most common side effects are bruising and swelling, and this is all to be expected after a treatment. Ice packs on the day of your injections can help soothe lips and the side effects will fade within 3-7 days. Botox being injected into this area is just as safe as botox in any other area of your face, however, you might notice a slight change in your smile (it will reduce a gummy smile). 

Duration

Fillers always last longer than botox, and even if fillers tend to dissipate quickly for you they'll still outlast botox lip flips. Fillers usually last 6-12 months and botox for a lip flip lasts 3-4 months, so you'll need touch ups more frequently with botox. The reason for this is because a very small amount of botox is being used, and it tneds to fade quickly. However, we have noticed that patients who exercised frequently and had low body fat tended to metabolize fillers more quickly than others, with the filler dissipating within 6 months. So if you think you might be one of those patients, it's something to consider when deciding which injectable you want. And if you haven't tried either procedure yet, a lip flip might be a good preview for you to see how your lips will look when they're a little plumped up. 

Results

It all depends on what your goal is for your lips. If you're looking for sultry, noticeably fuller lips that last, then you'll probably do best with fillers. If you're looking for a subtly fuller upper lip that shows less of your gums when you smile, then a botox lip flip might be perfect for you (although you can still achieve that look with fillers too).  

Our thoughts...

We all have different preferences for how we want our lips to look, with some patients wanting fuller lips and some wanting a more subtle change. But our recommendation for anyone who's unsure of what they want is to try a lip flip first, and move to fillers if they're happy with the result and want it to last longer.