Pregnancy comes with a whole list of things you need to stay away from, like caffeine, sushi, high heels, and bottomless mimosas. It seems like all our favorite things go out the window when expecting. However, we know these measures are taken to give our developing babies all the nutrients and care they require.
Well, what about lip fillers? There is much debate on whether expecting mothers can get fillers while pregnant. After all, Kylie Jenner was rumored to have lip fillers while expecting her first child.
True or not, the question still remains: Can you get lip fillers while pregnant? We’ll cover this and more right here, so read on, beautiful!
What are Lip Fillers?
Lip fillers, also known as lip injections, are a procedure used to plump up the lips using hyaluronic acid. This natural substance is injected into one or both of the lips using a needle. The result? Fuller, voluminous lips.
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the body, like collagen. It is one of the most common filler materials for the lips and lasts anywhere from 6 to 18 months. How long they will last depends on the type of filler that was injected.
Can you get lip injections while pregnant? We’ll cover this next.
Can I Get Lip Fillers While Pregnant?
There is not much research on the effects fillers have on you and your baby during pregnancy. Because of the lack of testing, the FDA recommends against using lip injection while pregnant. This is why many clinics and doctors refuse to offer fillers to expecting mothers. While it’s not proven to be dangerous, it also hasn’t been confirmed that it’s safe.
The lack of studies should be enough for clinics and expecting mothers to look the other way when it comes to fillers. The silver lining here is that many women experience fuller lips during pregnancy because of the increased levels of estrogen, fluids, blood flow, and swelling caused by pregnancy. This is true for many women, regardless if they’ve ever received lip fillers in the past.
What if You’re Pregnant and Don’t Know It?
If you underwent a lip filler injection and later find out you are pregnant, take a deep breath. Worrying about the risks will only put stress on you and your baby. Therefore, it’s best not to worry and stop any lip filler injections immediately. Plus, it’s unlikely small amounts of filler will harm your growing baby.
For peace of mind, speak with your doctor and take a pregnancy test prior to your filler appointment if you’re trying to conceive. If you are pregnant, postpone your appointment until after your baby is born and you’ve finished breastfeeding.
Negative Effects of Lip Injections
Some general risks come with getting lip or face fillers. The risks depend on whether or not the procedure was done correctly and the type of filler used. While rare, the following could occur:
- Infection
- Lumpy appearance under the skin
- The filler moving away from the intended area
- Scarring
- Blocked blood vessels in the face
These complications are rare; however, you don’t want to risk getting any of them while pregnant. Again, lip fillers need to be conducted by experienced practitioners. To minimize all risks, make sure your esthetician is licensed and experienced.
Always avoid practitioners that have only completed brief training courses. To learn more about your esthetician, book a consultation. Here you can ask them about their prior experience, qualifications, what products they’ll be using, side effects involved, and what insurance they have in case something goes wrong.
The Takeaway
Lip fillers make part of that list of what you can and can’t do anymore. Unfortunately, lip fillers didn’t make the cut. They are not recommended during pregnancy because the effects of these injections haven’t been fully tested on women. Therefore, the effects are unknown.
So if you want some luscious lips without putting your baby in harm, consider a good lip scrub and some hydrating lip balm. This ought to do the job (at least until after you’ve given birth to your beautiful newborn!).