Lip Filler or Lip Flip? Both have gained a lot of recent interest. What are they? Here we explain the difference, thanks to an article which is shown at the foot of this article. Italics, here, are mine.
Dermal lip filler treatments involve the administration of an injectable prosthetic directly into the lips to increase their surface area or shape. The most used injectable prosthetic is composed of hyaluronic acid. The history of lip filler dates back to the early 1900s, at which point it was composed of a waxy liquid known as paraffin. Since then, the 1960s introduced silicone as an agent to augment lips, similar to its role in breast augmentation. During the 1980s, there was a transition in the aesthetic medicine community to using collagen as a lip-filling agent.
However, collagen is derived from animals, so allergy testing and additional safety measures are required for individual patients. This initiated a transition to using hyaluronic acid (HA), a soft and gel-like substance that interacts well with the natural collagen of the lips. Since HA is a naturally occurring substance not derived from animals, it does not require allergy testing and is time-efficient for patients.
In contrast, the “lip flip” procedure was first introduced in 2017 and became heavily popularized on the social media platform TikTok, where the #lipflip hashtag gained nearly 64.4 million views by July 2021.
This procedure involves the injection of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) into the oral commissures and superior vermillion border to reduce function of the superior orbicularis oris muscle. BoNT-A is a neuromodulating agent that prevents muscle excitation by inhibiting the soluble NSF-attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins necessary for acetylcholine release into the neuromuscular junction.
While BoNT-A injections are approved for cosmetic indications such as reducing forehead wrinkles, frown lines, and crow's feet, they are also used for “off-label” cosmetics such as lip flips. This involves injection of BoNT-A immediately superior to the upper lip at the centre and corners of the mouth. Relaxation of local muscular anatomy, such as the orbicularis oris muscle, provides a fuller gross appearance of the lips. Hence, the procedure does not offer increased fullness and surface area of the lips but rather the formation of a “pout” in the facial expression.
“Lip flips” are ideal for those who desire fuller lips but do not want lip fillers, have excessive gingival display (that is, teeth area) while smiling, have an upper lip that retracts with their smile, or prefer relatively short-term or temporary results. Additionally, unlike lip filler, the “lip flip” does not require post-procedural aftercare or compliance, allowing patients to return to normal activities immediately. It is essential to consider that BoNT-A is a neurotoxin and hence presents with risks associated with neuromuscular inhibition, such as trouble pronouncing certain words, drinking through a straw, spitting, whistling, or eating with a spoon.
However, dermal lip fillers can also pose reasons for which patients may choose not to undergo this procedure. For example, a recent study assessing the three popular types of lip filler found that the formation of nodules was a common complication across all kinds. Other complications reported in the study included HA migration to other face areas, skin discoloration, and herpetic outbreaks, which, while generally rare, can result in considerable patient dissatisfaction.
In comparison, the “lip flip” offers similar benefits to lip filler as it can be used to confront fine lines of aging and benefit the aesthetics of the lips. However, the lower public interest may be partly explained by the irreversible nature of this procedure immediately after it is performed. Once injected, patients must wait 3–4 months for the BoNT-A to wear off naturally. Although it is infrequently associated with adverse effects such as perioral muscular palsy and muscular incompetence, this can significantly impact one's quality of life by presenting issues of drooling or difficulty speaking. The results of the “lip flip” are also less customizable than dermal filler which may limit appeal of precision in enhancement
The above article is not my own work and is taken from :
Bourmand, R., Olsson, S.E., Soleimani, S. and Fijany, A. (2025), Lip Filler Versus “Lip Flip”: Longitudinal Public Interest and a Brief Review of Literature. J Cosmet Dermatol, 24: e70048. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.70048
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