Lip Fillers in London

1. Consultation. We listen to your goals and assess your lip shape, facial balance and suitability.
2. Comfort. Topical numbing is applied, and the Juvéderm filler also contains lidocaine.
3. Treatment. Filler is placed with precision over 30 to 45 minutes, with frequent checks.
4. Review. We see you again to assess your settled result and top up only if needed.

Most first‑time patients have 0.5ml to 1ml. Half a millilitre is a subtle change, enough to hydrate, define the border and correct small asymmetries while leaving the lip close to its natural size. One millilitre gives noticeably more volume and is usually the most anyone needs in a single session.

We often start with less than you expect and review you at two weeks. Filler can always be added. Removing it means dissolving, which is straightforward but avoidable if the first treatment is measured.

There is no single lip filler look. At your consultation we tailor the technique to your features and what you would like to achieve:

• Subtle enhancement. A small amount to softly hydrate and define, our most requested result.
• Russian lips. A vertical technique that gently lifts and heightens the centre of the lip while keeping the sides soft. 
• Balanced volume. Even fullness across the lip body, for lips that still move and express naturally.
• Border definition. Refining a blurred lip outline, often with little or no added volume. 
• Lip restoration. Replacing volume lost with age and softening fine lines around the mouth. 

Considering a more subtle change first? You may wish to explore a lip flip with anti-wrinkle injections (and how long a lip flip lasts). Our guide to fuller lips without fillers covers this, along with skin boosters and skincare, in more detail.

We treat lips with the Juvéderm Volbella range of hyaluronic acid fillers, chosen for their soft, flexible texture and natural feel. Juvéderm is one of the most clinically studied filler ranges in the world, and as an Allergan training clinic we work with it daily. Because it is hyaluronic acid, it is temporary and reversible, which we consider an important safety feature. We do not offer permanent or semi‑permanent fillers.

Lip fillers typically last 9 to 18 months.

How long yours last depends on the product, the amount used and your own metabolism. Lips are a mobile area, so filler here tends to break down a little faster than in the cheeks or jawline.

A little swelling is normal and not a reflection of your final result. A typical recovery looks like this:

• Day 0 to 1. Most swelling. Lips may feel firm and look fuller than the final result.
• Day 2 to 3. Any swelling or light bruising peaks, then begins to settle.
• Day 4 to 7. Lips soften and look more natural. Small lumps usually smooth out.

Around two weeks. Your settled result, and when we review you.

No injectable treatment is without risk, and being open about that is part of responsible, doctor‑led care. Our guidance is consistent with NHS advice on dermal fillers.

• Common and temporary. Swelling, mild bruising, tenderness and small lumps that settle within one to two weeks. 
• Uncommon. Asymmetry, longer‑lasting swelling, infection or a cold‑sore flare in those prone to them. 
• Rare but serious. Vascular occlusion, where filler affects a blood vessel. It is a medical emergency, and it is precisely why lips should be treated by qualified medical practitioners. We keep hyaluronidase on site to act immediately if ever needed.

Yes. Because we use hyaluronic acid filler, it can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if you wish to reverse the result or in the rare event of a complication. We do not use permanent fillers.

• First 24 hours. Avoid touching, massaging or applying makeup to the lips.
• 24 to 48 hours. Avoid strenuous exercise, alcohol, saunas and flights.
• To ease swelling. A cool compress helps, and sleeping slightly elevated does too.
• When to contact us. Contact us promptly if you notice blanching, increasing pain or a dusky colour, as these can signal a complication we will want to see quickly.

Although a lip filler treatment itself is quick and simple, the results are only as good as the practitioner. Our lip filler treatments are carried out by a specialist team led and trained by Dr Tapan Patel, one of the world’s most sought‑after aesthetic doctors and teachers.

The guidance on this page is consistent with the following sources. Where clinical opinion differs, we follow the advice of our Medical Director and the regulatory bodies we are registered with.

• NHS: Dermal fillers, what to consider and the risks
• British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM), standards for medical aesthetic practice. Dr Tapan Patel is a member.
• Care Quality Commission, PHI Clinic registration and inspection record.
• General Medical Council register, Dr Tapan Patel, GMC 4368285.
• Juvéderm hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are CE-marked medical devices. Product information is supplied by the manufacturer, Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company.

This page is written for general information and does not replace an in-person consultation. Suitability, risks and expected results are always assessed individually by a GMC-registered doctor or NMC-registered nurse prescriber at our Harley Street clinic.