Camas, WA
Social media is great for many reasons. It allows us to connect with others, share interests, and look at really beautiful things! Like Lips You Saw on Instagram.
A not-so-great thing is that it sets us up to compare everything about ourselves to other people’s (seeming) realities.
This happens a lot in the beauty world— especially around injectables. We see someone else’s features and want to emulate them for ourselves. While this is perfectly human, it often sets us up for disappointment.
If you’ve made a lip filler appointment and your injector has told you they can’t promise you the features of an inspo photo, we are here to tell you that this is a good thing! If your injector sets proper expectations from the start, you have found a true professional.
To further help explain why it’s perfectly okay not to have the same lips as your favorite TikTok influencer, we’ve put together a list of 5 reasons you can’t have the lips you saw on social media.
Here are the 5 reasons why:
Anatomically and physiologically, your lips are made up of a complex relationship between muscles, skin, lymphatic drainage, and nerve endings.
Some people have very distinct vermillion borders and Cupid’s bows. Others simply don’t have those things in their genetic makeup— and there’s nothing wrong with that!
Some people have proportionate upper and lower lips; others have a short upper lip while having a voluminous lower. Some lips shapes are tight, while others are wide and take up a large portion of the lower face. The combo of idiosyncrasies goes on and on.
The point is— everyone has a different composition. Meaning, that everyone’s filler will look different.
Dermal filler is a hyaluronic-acid-based gel that is injected into certain areas of the face (for this article: the lips), and its purpose is to replace or restore lost volume. Lip filler like Juvederm and Restylane are also temporary and typically lasts between 6 and 18 months.
Your injector can’t match your inspo photo simply because your unique anatomy is structurally different from anyone else’s.
This doesn’t mean that a skilled injector can’t deliver a beautiful pout that you’ll love; it just means that your inspo photo may physically be unattainable without surgical intervention.
Non-surgical dermal filler requires no anesthesia, causes minimal swelling, and can be manipulated post-injection. It also is meant to enhance your existing features, not change or alter them.
Many lips you saw on Instagram are taken immediately after the injections have taken place. This means that a lot of that volume and definition is the direct result of inflammation.
While this isn’t a bad thing, and these images definitely have a place in showing off an injector’s handiwork, that same pair of lips won’t even look like that in a few weeks.
The swelling will subside, and a lot of that ‘puff’ will disappear, so basing your perfect look and shape on freshly wounded lips may not be sustainable.
If your Injector says that your lips can look like your inspo photo, but only for a few days, this is what they mean.
If you have fairly thin lips and an injector promises you the pout of Angelina Jolie in one visit—, unfortunately, those are not proper expectations.
Significant increases in volume will likely take multiple syringes of product, and at Skin by Lovely, we typically prefer to inject only one syringe at a time. This allows our providers to tailor treatments perfectly to each patient while also ensuring the integrity of the lip tissue.
Injections are never a one-size-fits-all approach, and rushing to inject a significant amount of product will likely not result in the look you want.
For those new to lip injections, we find that one syringe beautifully suits most of our patient’s natural features. It’s also a look that’s easily maintained during yearly visits.
If more volume is desired after one appointment, waiting for the swelling to subside allows our providers to evaluate how much product your specific features can handle. Injecting additional volume in a separate session also allows for a more natural-looking layering of the dermal filler.
The biggest reason you can’t have the lips you saw on Instagram is we want you to look like you.
The lips in your inspo photo are gorgeous— no doubt about that, but the truth behind those lips is that an injector took the unique and individual characteristics of that person into account to achieve those beautiful results. Those lips are uniquely and beautifully theirs, and your injected lips will be uniquely and beautifully yours.
Lip Filler at Skin by Lovely
At Skin by Lovely, we always strive for the most natural-looking treatment outcomes. We find the best way to achieve these results is to honor the beauty of everyone’s unique features.
Our team of Injection Specialists is extensively trained in tailoring treatments to each patient’s facial structure as well as communicating realistic and truthful treatment expectations.
Book your dermal lip filler consultation online or call us at 877-568-3594.
About Skin by Lovely™
Skin by Lovely specializes in FDA-approved, natural-looking, non-surgical, medical facial aesthetics, and rejuvenation treatments. With practices in Santa Monica, CA, Portland, OR, Lake Oswego, OR, and Camas, WA, Skin by Lovely is certified by Allergan, the makers of Botox® and Juvederm®, as a Top 10 facial aesthetic practice in the United States and a Top 25 account for Galderma, the makers of Dysport® and Restylane®.
