Best Lip Filler Doctors in Turkey

What is lip filler?

Lip filler is an injection of a filler material into the lip tissue to adjust volume, shape or symmetry. Hyaluronic acid is the most common choice. It is a water-binding molecule that occurs naturally in the body. The main reason it is preferred in the lips is that it can be dissolved with the enzyme hyaluronidase if needed.

Lip filler is not only used to make lips bigger. Adding volume to thin lips, balancing the upper and lower lip, defining the lip border and softening fine lines that come with age are also common aims.

How is lip filler done?

Lip filler is an injection treatment done in the same session after a consultation and usually takes 15 to 30 minutes.

1. Consultation: The doctor assesses your lips, facial proportions and expectations, and asks about cold sores, allergies and medicines.
2. Planning: The product, approximate amount and technique are chosen. Risks are explained and written consent is taken.
3. Numbing: A numbing cream is applied. Many products contain lidocaine, so sensation fades further during the treatment. Some doctors also use a nerve block.
4. Injection: Filler is placed in small amounts with a fine needle or cannula, comparing both sides as the doctor works.
5. Review: The shape may be gently massaged. The result is reviewed after about two weeks, once swelling has gone down.

Who is lip filler suitable for, and who should avoid it?

Lip filler can be given to healthy adults who are unhappy with the volume or shape of their lips and have realistic expectations. Lip structure and the relationship between the teeth and jaw affect the result, so a doctor may sometimes suggest another approach instead of, or alongside, filler.

The treatment is usually postponed or avoided in these situations:

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• An active cold sore, wound or infection on or around the lips
• Allergy to the filler or to lidocaine
• Use of blood thinners or a bleeding disorder
• An old filler in the lips that is permanent or of unknown content
• Dental treatment planned in the near future

The decision on suitability is made by the doctor after an examination.

How long does lip filler last, and what is recovery like?

The effect of hyaluronic acid lip filler usually lasts 6 to 12 months. The lips move constantly when you talk and eat, so filler may be absorbed faster than in other parts of the face.

Swelling is usually most visible for the first two or three days and generally settles a great deal within a week. Any bruising fades in one to two weeks. The final shape is assessed after about two weeks. On the first day, avoid pressing on the lips, hot drinks and intense exercise. Your doctor will tell you when you can wear make-up and lipstick again.

What are the risks and side effects of lip filler?

The most common side effects are swelling, bruising, tenderness and short-term asymmetry. These usually settle on their own. Less common risks worth knowing about include:

• A cold sore flare-up
• Infection
• Allergic reaction
• Lumps, firmness or irregularities you can feel
• Filler spreading beyond the lip border, creating a raised look above the upper lip
• Blockage of a blood vessel and resulting tissue damage

The lips contain labial arteries. If filler enters or presses on one of these vessels, the blood supply to the tissue can be disrupted. Sudden severe pain, whitening, a dusky colour or a net-like change in skin colour are emergency signs, and you should contact a doctor at once. With hyaluronic acid filler, early treatment can dissolve the product.

How do Russian, needle-free and permanent lip filler differ?

Russian, needle-free and permanent lip filler differ in the technique, the material or the device used. Russian lip filler is an injection technique that still uses hyaluronic acid. The filler is placed vertically from the base of the lip towards the border, with the aim of lifting the lip rather than pushing it forward.

Needle-free lip filler uses pen-like devices that push filler into the skin under high pressure. With these devices, the depth and amount of product cannot be controlled as well as with a needle. In 2021 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned against using needle-free devices to inject fillers, citing serious events such as blocked blood vessels, vision loss, infection and permanent skin damage. The absence of a needle does not make the treatment safer.

Permanent lip filler is a name used for different methods: transferring your own fat, or materials the body does not break down, such as liquid silicone or PMMA. Permanent synthetic materials cannot be dissolved. Years later they may cause firmness, lumps or granulomas, and removing them often needs surgery. With fat transfer, how much fat survives cannot be predicted, and more than one session may be needed.

What determines the cost of lip filler?

The cost of lip filler depends mostly on the product used and the amount. The main factors are:

• Brand and density of the hyaluronic acid product
• Number of syringes used
• Technique and length of the treatment
• The doctor's specialty and experience
• The city where the clinic is located
• Whether a review or touch-up visit is included

Current ranges are shown in the price section of this page. The final fee is set after a consultation.

What should you look for when choosing a doctor for lip filler?

Lip filler is a medical procedure and should be done by a doctor. In Turkey it is mostly performed by dermatologists, plastic surgeons and doctors trained in medical aesthetics. Before deciding, you can check:

• The doctor's specialty and experience with lip filler
• That the treatment takes place in a licensed healthcare facility
• That you are examined and asked about cold sores and allergies
• That the product box is shown to you unopened
• That risks are explained and written consent is taken
• That hyaluronidase is available in the clinic
• That a follow-up visit is arranged

Photos of past work should not be your only basis for a decision.