Just Got Lip Fillers? Makeout Sessions Might Be Off-Limits For A Few Days

In recent years, non-invasive plastic surgery has skyrocketed. No longer are people waiting until they're in their 60s or older to get procedures like Botox or lip fillers, but they're getting on the bandwagon younger and younger. These procedures have been proven safe with minimal side effects, making them the go-to for many people who want not just to look better but feel better about themselves too. According to a 2017 report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons published in the Archives of Plastic Surgery, lip filler requests have increased by 312% since 2000, making them one of the most sought-after procedures. It's quick, relatively painless, and looks fantastic afterward. 

"Lip fillers are a gel-like substance that's injected to add volume to the lips, correct asymmetries, and/or create a desired shape or fullness," dermatologist Dendy Engelman tells Vogue. "They work by binding water molecules within the lips to create a plumper look. Many of my patients are looking to plump naturally thin, flat lips or want to add volume to lips that have lost definition with age." Because lip fillers are becoming increasingly common, if you're considering delving into the world of pillowy, pouty lips, here's what you want to know.

With over a million nerve endings, lips are undoubtedly the most sensitive part of the body. They're 100 times more sensitive than fingertips, and they need to be handled with care because they have no external membrane to protect them. (Now you know why you have that mild lip balm addiction.) In fact, they're so sensitive and exposed; that's why they have a richer color than the rest of your face — the blood capillaries are visible.

Because lips are so sensitive, they can look pretty wonky at first when you get fillers. Not only are they initially much bigger than they will be after 24 to 48 hours, but they can be painful at the injection site and even appear bruised and lumpy. While it's not a great look at first, if you go home and start to wonder what you've done, especially if this is your first time, take a deep breath. What you see before you is a normal response from the fillers, and your lips will look delightful in a few days.

Whenever you put anything into your body via injections, you need to realize that it can shift. Although lip fillers consist of hyaluronic acid, which is a natural substance in the body, you need to keep in mind that it's being injected in a spot where it usually doesn't go to plump things up. What this means is that kissing, giving oral sex, or even using a straw in the days that follow are a big no-no because the pressure involved can not only move things around but create a painful situation.

Depending on the person, it can take as many as 10 days to a few weeks before your newly filled lips are 100% safe from any possible side effects. It may seem like torture to avoid kissing for all that time, but no one said the price of beauty was cheap.

Although a good plastic surgeon isn't going to let you go from very thin lips to rocking an Angelina Jolie pout after your first foray into injections, it will still take some time to get used to your new lips. Even a subtle plumping up will result in you feeling a noticeable difference when you talk, eat, and even brush your teeth. You have, after all, taken a part of your body that you use all the time and changed its shape and size. So it's only natural to be overly aware of your lips and how they respond to what you did before the fillers, even things that never crossed your mind.

But you'll also notice that every day that passes, you'll be more and more used to them, and it won't feel like they're trying to steal the show from the rest of your face. Granted, they're there to steal the show, but within reason!

Once your lips have settled into the volume you expected from the treatment, you can get ready to see your confidence soar. Anyone who gets lip fillers has probably done so because they're self-conscious about their lips. Maybe your lips were uneven or so thin that they appeared non-existent, so you tried fillers to make yourself feel less self-conscious about your mouth. No matter the reason, when people feel good about how they look on the outside, their confidence and self-esteem can get one heck of a boost. Suddenly things like kissing, sipping wine, even biting into a slice of pizza — anything that draws attention to the lips — feels sexy.

Depending on how long it takes your body to metabolize, your fillers can last anywhere from six to nine months before they start to decrease in size and go back to their original shape. Then, at that point, you can decide if you want to go for another round or stick to your natural lips. If it's the former, remember to steer clear of any makeout sessions while your lips settle.