Botox® Lip Flip vs. Filler

Whether you’re posing for a special photo or desire a poutier smile, then you may have considered Botox® treatments.

Botox® lip flip and lip filler treatments are two popular options, but one might be a better option for you than another. It’s important to weigh each option prior to taking the step towards a fuller lip.

What Is a Botox® Lip Flip & How Does It Work?

A Botox® lip flip is a non-surgical cosmetic treatment for the upper lip. It involves injections of Botox® into certain muscles around the mouth. Botox® is a well-known brand of botulinum toxin, which is a neurotoxin that relaxes muscles.

When injected near the corners of the mouth and near the Cupid’s bow — the concave area just above the center of the upper lip, Botox® can deliver beautifying results. When the muscle inside the upper lip relaxes, the lip flips up and curls out slightly to create a fuller, shapelier look.

Ultra-thin needles are used to administer the injections, which means most people don’t experience pain during treatment.

Lasting approximately two months and offering a more subtle change than fillers, a lip flip is a great option if it’s your first injectable cosmetic treatment. Or if budget matters when deciding between a Botox® lip flip versus filler, a lip flip costs less.

Additional advantages of a Botox® lip flip include:

• The procedure is quick, typically lasting 30 minutes or less.
• A lip flip can reduce the amount of visible gum while smiling.
• The treatment can give your lips a poutier look.
• A lip flip can help smooth fine, vertical lines above the upper lip.

What Are Lip Fillers & How Do They Work?

Some people are born with thin lips, while others lose volume in their lips due to sun damage, smoking, or aging.

Lip fillers are types of dermal fillers that help add volume to your lips. Popular brands of lip fillers include Juvéderm®, Radiesse®, and Restylane®.  These fillers have a gel-like texture and are injected using very thin needles. In combination with a topical anesthetic, lip filler treatments are virtually painless.

Injectable lip fillers can help restore the lip fullness you once had or make your lips even fuller, if desired.

A few advantages of lip filler treatment include:

• Correcting asymmetrical appearance, if the right side is smaller than the left, for example.
• Lip filler treatment can last for up to a year.
• Fine, vertical lines above the upper lip can be smoothed.

How to Choose the Right Lip Enhancement Treatment

Before choosing the right lip enhancement treatment, it’s a good idea to consult with a specialist. During the consultation, the desired look to be achieved will be discussed and you will learn more about the procedures. At this time, patients can determine which one may best suit your goals.

You will also receive information about how to prepare for the procedure and how to care for yourself following treatment. Finally, the specialist will take your before photo and schedule your appointment.

For those having a lip flip procedure, the doctor will inject Botox® into the areas around the mouth that were discussed at your consultation. Post-treatment side effects may include pain, swelling, redness, or numbness at the injection sites.

Side effects are usually minor and should go away quickly. Within two or three days following the treatment, you should begin to see results. Patients can expect to see the full results approximately 10 days after the lip flip.

To prepare for a lip filler treatment, a specialist will clean your lips and apply an anesthetic. Your doctor will inject lip filler into the areas discussed at the consultation.

On average, the amount of lip filler injected is only about one-fifth of a teaspoon. To minimize the swelling, the doctor may apply an ice pack to your lips during the treatment. After a short monitoring period, patients are then able to leave and go about their day.

Depending on your desired outcome, treatment may last from 30 minutes to two hours. Unlike a lip flip, patients can expect to see the results of lip filler treatment immediately.

When deciding between a lip flip versus filler, you may choose one treatment over the other based on the specific, desired result. Patients could even decide to have both treatments if their doctor deems them to be a suitable candidate.

A lip flip combined with fillers targets the upper and lower lip and can produce a beautiful, long-lasting result.

Lip Flip vs. Lip Filler FAQs

Are you still having trouble deciding between a lip flip versus filler? Don’t worry; it’s common to wonder about the real-world differences between these two popular cosmetic procedures. The following FAQs offer more detail about the subtle differences between each option and can help fill in those gaps.

Scheduling a consultation with our medical professionals will also help to answer any questions you might have, help to put your mind at ease, and determine which option is the best for your desired outcome.

Is a lip flip better than lip filler?

Lip fillers and lip flip procedures offer advantages and disadvantages, so which option is “better” will depend on which factors are most important to the patient.

If significant volume has been lost in the lips, making them appear thin and concave, the effects of filler may be more dramatic and appreciated. If a patient wants to experiment with lip-altering procedures that offer a more subtle look, then a lip flip might be a perfect choice.

Does lip flip look more natural than filler?

In a word, yes. The Botox® lip flip is a cosmetic procedure that involves injecting small amounts of Botox® into the upper lip muscles to create the appearance of a fuller upper lip. Unlike traditional lip fillers, which use hyaluronic acid to add volume to lips, the Botox® lip flip works by relaxing the muscles around the mouth, causing the lips to roll slightly upward and outward to appear fuller.

How long does a lip flip last?

The results of a lip flip procedure can last between eight and 20 weeks. The first time a patient has the procedure, it may not last as long, but the muscles impacted by the neurotoxin begin to weaken with repeated reapplications, allowing a single injection to last longer.

What are the cons of a lip flip?

Lip flip results do not last as long as lip filler results. While lip filler can last up to 18 months, most lip flips tend to last two to five months. Also, a lip flip cannot add volume to the lips, so if a patient has significant fine lines around the mouth or has experienced a significant loss of volume in the lips, a lip flip will be less noticeable and may not produce the desired results. In this case, lip filler may be a better option.

Is a lip flip noticeable?

Absolutely. An experienced practitioner strategically places the neurotoxin around the lips in a way that enhances the appearance of the upper lip. As a result, the lips appear to have a subtle increase in size, as you can see in our lip flip before and after photos.

Who is a good candidate for a lip flip?

A lip flip is most dramatic if a patient has an overactive top lip muscle that causes the lips to curl down or turn in when they smile. The lip flip is also a great choice for someone who wants to alter the appearance of their lips but is not ready to commit to the cost and more dramatic results of lip filler. In this case, a lip flip is a good way to try out this type of cosmetic procedure and see how you like the effects.

Some patients may be good candidates for both a lip flip and lip filler if they have a downward or inward-turning lip as well as overall deficient lip volume.

Schedule Your Lip Enhancement Consultation at The Rejuva Center

If you desire fuller, shapelier lips or you want your smile that shows less of the gums, you may want to consider non-surgical lip enhancement.

To learn more about a Botox® lip flip versus lip filler or both procedures, call The Rejuva Center at Williams at 518-786-7004 to schedule a consultation. Regardless of the treatment you choose at The Rejuva Center, you will always receive expert service in a comfortable and secure setting.