Nowadays, getting filler is as as common as buying mascara. Several years ago, it seemed like a very out-of-reach, boujee thing to do - something that only celebrities had done. But since Kylie Jenner went public with her (let's be fair, phenomenal) results, filler has become more and more normalised - it's now easy to find a practitioner and book in on your lunch break.
I've always had slightly uneven lips, and while it's not something I've been particularly fussed about, it's something that has become more on my radar in recent years. The plump, perfectly symmetrical lips that flood my Instagram feed are many and frequent. So when my friend was getting her lips done, I was intrigued. Lips are definitely a huge trend right now, and it seems like the plumper they are, the better.
My friend's practitioner is a qualified nurse and favours the natural look - and just like that, I was all booked in, ready for my first-ever lip filler treatment!
It's SO important that you do your research when it comes to filler. Just because everyone is offering it, doesn't mean everyone SHOULD be offering it. As with all beauty treatments, accidents or side effects can happen, and it's vital you are aware of them. My rule of thumb is to ALWAYS look for a nurse practitioner. This way, they understand and have training on the underlying structures and anatomy of the face (like the veins, where the muscles are etc). Someone without this training can't possibly know, so you're more likely to see mistakes 0 and when it comes to my face, I'd rather not take the chance!
So! Warning out the way, back to my experience...
After making sure my lip filler lady, aka Emma, was a nurse practitioner, and having checked her social media platforms to be sure I liked her work, I booked in.
Now, I've spoken to a number of friends who have had this treatment, and they have all said how easy, fast, simple, and fairly pain-free it is. So I can't say I was particularly nervous about getting it done; I was more nervous about whether I would like the results.
When booking in, I was asked to attend a quick in-person session so she could evaluate my lips (to ensure I was a good candidate), and to discuss several things, including:
Medical history
What I was after
What I DIDN'T want
Expectations
I then had to fill out a form. I was impressed by all these stages, and I think it's something to look out for when getting this sort of treatment - it shows they take it seriously. If you're the kind of person who wants to skip the "admin" stage of getting a procedure like this done, good luck - you'll likely need it.
After that, I was then booked in for my official sesh!
I was told not to take paracetamol before the treatment, as this can cause more bruising and swelling. She popped some numbing cream onto my lips and left it for a good 15 minutes. After that, it was go time...
For the people who think this is a painless procedure, you're either ridiculously hard with a high pain threshold, lying, or you have less sensitive lips than me. This hurt. Like, really, really hurt. My eyes were watering almost immediately and I must admit, I struggled throughout the session. This was definitely not a reflection on my practitioner - she was incredible, and so patient with me. I also don't think I'm a wimp - I've had many tattoos and piercings that have not bothered me in the slightest. But for whatever reason, this hurt a whooooole lot.
Fortunately for me, Emma was was gentle as she could be while sticking needles in my lips, and she was fast. Most of my filler went into the upper lip. I had 5ml and asked her to just even them out - so I had barely any in my bottom lip.
Here's the before and after:
When I saw the results, I gasped. I mean... I think they look amazing. I also had some nasolabial filler (which didn't hurt at all!) But... I mean, check out the difference for yourself!
Would I get filler again? Actually, I already have had a lip top-up. I really, really like how it looks - I asked for natural and profile-balancing, which is exactly what Emma gave me. I'll be honest, though, the pain does put me off. I have to really psyche myself up to get it done... but ultimately, I think the results are worth it.
What do you think? Would you ever get lip filler?