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You have probably seen it without having a word for it. A slight shelf above the top lip, or a shadow
just outside where the lip ends. It shows most in a photo taken from the side.
That is usually filler that has moved.
Lip filler is meant to be inside the lip. Migration is when some of it ends up outside the lip
border, in the skin just above it.
The area above your top lip is soft. Little anchors filler in place if it goes in too shallow, or in
too great a quantity for the space. Over time it can creep.
It is gradual, which is why people notice it in a photo before they notice it in the mirror. It is
not dangerous. It is a cosmetic outcome nobody asks for.
Three things worth checking, and none needs an appointment.
Look from the side. Migration shows far better in profile than head on. Look for a step or a
ledge above the lip line.
Relax your mouth completely. Do not smile and do not purse. A relaxed mouth shows the natural
border.
Compare an old photo. Find one from before you started and look at where your lip line was. This
is the most useful of the three and the one people skip.
A fuller lip is the point. A defined edge that has moved is not.
Several things, and most are avoidable.
Topping up before the last treatment has settled. This is the big one.
Filler does not vanish on schedule, and some remains long after the visible effect fades. Adding more
on top means more volume in there than anyone planned.
Going too big for the lip you have. Every lip has a limit on what it can take before the product
looks for somewhere else to go. That limit is different for everyone.
Placement too close to the border. Injecting at the edge to sharpen the outline is where
migration starts.
The wrong product for the area. Fillers differ in how firm they are and how much water they
attract. A product built for cheekbones behaves badly in a lip.
The plain version, and none of it is complicated.
Wait longer between treatments than you think you need to, because most migration comes from
stacking. Go conservatively, especially the first time. You can add later, and taking away is a
bigger job.
Ask what product is being used and why that one suits lips. Have someone look at what is already in
there before adding anything, especially if your last treatment was somewhere else.
Be open about your history: roughly when, roughly how much, and roughly how many times.
Yes, usually, and it depends on what kind of filler it is.
Most lip fillers are hyaluronic acid based, and an enzyme breaks those down. It is a straightforward
appointment.
The usual approach is to dissolve, let the lip settle, and only then decide whether to put anything
back. People want to skip the waiting part. The waiting part is what stops it happening again.
If you are unsure what you had, say so. Not everything sold as lip filler is dissolvable, and knowing
which you have changes the plan.
No. It is an argument against rushing it.
The lips people admire and cannot identify as treated are the conservative ones. Time between
appointments, and an injector who said no at some point.
Results that read as obvious are usually the product of enthusiasm, not of a bad product.
If you are looking at your own profile wondering, book an assessment. If you are thinking about a
first treatment and want to avoid all of this, the same applies.
Belita Savage, our nurse practitioner, will tell you what she can see and what she would do about it.
Sometimes the answer is to leave it alone for now.
Here is what is involved with lip fillers in London, Ontario.
Stay informed with expert insights, treatment guides, and the latest developments in medical aesthetics from Nurse Practitioner Belita Savage.
