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This page explains cosmetic injectable treatment of the lips for people in Australia who are considering it. The treatment involves injecting hyaluronic acid filler, a prescription-only product, into or around the lips to change their volume or shape. The effect is temporary because the body gradually breaks the product down.
Lip size and shape vary naturally, and treatment is not medically necessary. Like any injectable treatment it carries risks, including rare but serious complications, and results vary between people. A registered prescriber, such as a doctor or nurse practitioner, must assess you in person or by video consultation before the product can be prescribed, and it must not be used for cosmetic purposes in people under 18. This page is general information only and does not replace advice from your own doctor.
Fees vary with the amount of product and the area treated, the practitioner and any follow-up appointments. Ask for a written, itemised quote that covers the consultation and any review fees before you agree to treatment. Medicare does not cover cosmetic use. The effect is temporary, so repeat treatments mean repeat costs and repeat risks.
Swelling is expected and usually peaks at 24 to 48 hours, then settles over about 3 to 7 days. Bruising, tenderness and small lumps are common and can take a week or two to settle. A cold pack wrapped in cloth may help with swelling.
For the first 24 to 48 hours, avoid strenuous exercise, alcohol and pressing on the lips, and follow your practitioner's aftercare instructions. Seek urgent help if you notice increasing or severe pain, skin that turns pale, blotchy, dusky or blue, or any change in vision, as these can be signs of a blocked blood vessel.
Common side effects include swelling, bruising, tenderness, redness and pain at the injection sites. Other risks include asymmetry, lumps or nodules, infection, cold sore flare-ups, allergic reaction, and the product moving away from where it was placed (migration). Some lumps or inflammatory reactions can appear weeks or months later.
The most serious risk is vascular occlusion, where the product blocks a blood vessel. This can cause skin necrosis (tissue death) and scarring and, rarely, blindness, and it needs urgent treatment. This type of product can often be dissolved with an enzyme (hyaluronidase), but this does not always reverse the damage, and hyaluronidase can itself cause allergic reactions. Ask who will treat you, their registration, whether hyaluronidase is kept on site, who you contact after hours and what happens if there is a complication.
Fees vary with the amount of product, the area treated, the practitioner and follow-up appointments, so we do not publish prices. Ask for a written, itemised quote that includes consultation and review fees. Medicare does not cover cosmetic use, and repeat treatments mean repeat costs and repeat risks.
It depends on your anatomy and what you discuss with the prescriber. Ask how much product is planned and why before you agree to treatment.
Swelling usually peaks at 24 to 48 hours and settles over about 3 to 7 days. Bruising or lumps can take a week or two, so allow time before any important event.
It is a prescription-only product. A registered prescriber, such as a doctor or nurse practitioner, must assess you in person or by video before prescribing; a registered nurse may then inject under that prescription. Check both on the AHPRA register, and ask who will be in the room.
The most serious risk is the product blocking a blood vessel, which can cause skin necrosis and, rarely, blindness, and needs urgent treatment. This type of product can often be dissolved with hyaluronidase, but that does not always reverse the damage. Ask whether your practitioner keeps it on site and what their complication protocol is.
The body gradually breaks the product down, usually over about 6 to 12 months, though this varies. Repeat treatment is needed to keep the effect, and each treatment carries the same risks.
This page is general information for prospective patients researching cosmetic lip injectables in Australia. It is not personal medical advice. Clinical timing, eligibility, risks and outcomes vary: discuss your specific case with an AHPRA-registered practitioner at consultation.