The massage does not have to be hard to smooth out lip filler lumps. Too much pressure can lead to complications like pain, bruises, and product migration. So use gentle, circular motions to massage the filler bumps.
DON'T: massage your lips.
Massaging freshly injected lips risks moving the filler around causing the possibility of desportation and undesirable results.
Although extremely rare, dermal fillers are able to migrate within the skin if consistent and adequate pressure is applied to them. For this reason, we advise patients not to get a facial, massage (on the treated skin), or microdermabrasion for the first two weeks following their filler injections.
Some filler products may be more resilient and take a long time to dissolve naturally. Once you find the migration in lip filler, you need to massage the particular area every morning and night and use a hot compress to increase blood flow to the exact place that makes the product break down naturally.
Do not massage your lips for 24 to 48 hours after the treatment. Once your swelling subsides down, you can gently massage your lips with light pressure.
Whilst it is somewhat normal to feel small lumps, depending on how thick the filler used was), if they feel one lump in particular, they can gently massage it in between their finger and their thumb, over a period of time, and it will help to “break down” the lump.
The following tips will help your lips as they heal: Apply an ice pack for up to 10 minutes to reduce inflammation, pain and swelling. Avoid wearing lipstick, lip balm or any other product on your lips for at least 24 hours. Refrain from touching or puckering your lips, including kissing and sipping from a straw.
"Lip filler migration is generally a result of the fact that hyaluronic acid fillers absorb water, and they can begin to create some extra volume and extra absorption of volume in areas that were outside of the primary injection site," says Dr. Karam.
Fillers remain moldable for 1-2 weeks, and pressure can deform your filler.
If your lip fillers have migrated, it will almost always be noticeable visually. This can be presented in many ways; from a puffy upper lip, a lack of a defined border between the lip edge and above and/or below the lip border.
Massage can encourage the filler to be broken up by the body more quickly. But in practice this still takes a long time (like weeks of daily vigorous massage) to improve the outcome. This may also spread the product over a larger area causing more problems.
The most common cause of lumps after a filler treatment is swelling and bruising from the injections themselves. These should naturally subside within the first week.
Dr. Frank says the best way to deal with migration is to dissolve the filler with hyaluronidase (an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid gels). In just a few hours, hyaluronidase softens the filler and returns the lips to a more natural shape, projection, and size.
How Long Does Lip Filler Migration Last? The good news is fillers are only semi-permeant. Depending on how recently the filler was injected, the migration will last approximately 6-18 months.
Insert your thumb into your mouth and use your index finger to massage the bump in your lip for 2-3 minutes in a circular kneading motion. If that feels uncomfortable, try it in reverse by placing your thumb on the outside of the lip and your index finger inside the mouth.
Give your lips a very gentle massage. Imagine that you are making Italian pasta using a “mattarello”, a rolling pin. Gently press your lips between your thumbs and forefingers and roll your lips between your fingers. Massage your lips 2-3 days after having a lip injection.
Not to worry though, lumps following a filler treatment are completely normal. The lumps you may experience are often caused by swelling and bruising of the treated area. We would not recommend massaging or using force to reduce the lumps yourself, as this may impact your final results.
excessive bleeding. excessive bruising and swelling. lip asymmetry where the injection has not been even been placed. lip bumps and irregularities caused by improper injection technique.
Generally, any lumps or bumps that appear after fillers will disappear on their own within one to two weeks. Give the treatment a couple of weeks to improve, applying ice regularly.
When the cause is congealed hyaluronic acid (which usually occurs if you used fillers from the Juvederm and Restylane families), it can be easily corrected by injecting hyaluronidase right into the lump. Hyaluronidase, like hyaluronic acid, occurs naturally in the body.
Are Lip Fillers Supposed to Feel Hard? Your lips may feel stiff or rigid immediately after injection with dermal fillers. Don't worry — this is entirely normal, and the lip fillers will soften with time. Your lips may also be swollen and tender, which can contribute to the lip filler feeling hard under the skin.
Smoothing Out the Lumps
The good news is yes, those pesky filler lumps will in fact go away. It's actually quite uncommon for patients to experience any irritation or lumps following their procedure, but if you do, then you should expect them to dissipate after a few days.