A lip flip and lip filler both change how your lips look, but they are different tools. A lip flip relaxes a muscle so more of the lip you already have shows. Lip filler adds volume and shape. If you want a subtle change, start with the flip. If you want a visibly bigger lip, you want filler.
What a lip flip actually does
A lip flip is a small amount of neuromodulator placed along the upper lip border. It relaxes the muscle at the edge of the lip, so the upper lip turns slightly outward and more of it shows, especially when you smile.
Nothing is added to the lip. That is the whole point, and also the limit. A flip cannot make a thin lip full.
- Results show within a few days and settle fully in about two weeks
- Results last three to six months
- The appointment takes minutes, with a topical numbing agent first
- There is no downtime
What lip filler actually does
Lip filler is a hyaluronic acid gel placed inside the lip to add volume, restore hydration or refine the shape of the border. It changes the size and shape of the lip itself, which a flip cannot do.
- You see volume immediately, and the final shape settles over two to four weeks
- Lip filler typically lasts 6 to 12 months
- Hyaluronic acid filler can be dissolved with hyaluronidase, so the result is never permanent
How to tell which one you want
Here is how we put it to clients at the consultation.
Your top lip disappears when you smile, but you like its size at rest. Start with a lip flip. It shows more of what you have.
You want a subtle change and you are not sure you want more lip at all. Start with a lip flip. It wears off in a few months, so it is a low-commitment way to find out.
You want a visibly fuller lip. You want filler. A flip will disappoint you, and it is better to hear that before you book than after.
You have had filler before and it has migrated. Neither, yet. The first appointment is dissolving the old filler, and new filler comes later.
Can you have both?
Yes. A lip flip and lip filler can be combined, and some clients do both. Your provider looks at your lip at rest and when you smile, then tells you whether doing both makes sense or whether one of them will get you there on its own.
Plenty of clients try the flip first, and some never move on to filler because the flip turned out to be enough.
The short version
| Lip flip | Lip filler | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Shows more of your natural lip | Adds volume and shape |
| How long it lasts | Three to six months | Typically 6 to 12 months |
| When you see it | Within a few days, full at two weeks | Immediately, settled at two to four weeks |
| Can it be undone | Wears off on its own | Can be dissolved |
Not sure which side of the table you are on? That is what the consultation at Aesthetx Haus in Walnut Creek is for. You leave knowing which treatment fits and what it will cost. Read more about the lip flip and lip filler, or request a consultation.