Table I.

Tips and tricks to improve safety during injection

The blunt dissection previous to the injection of filler detaches fibrotic subdermal areas, requiring for lower filler amounts to volumize the lip.

Stay between the transition between dry and wet vermillion, considered safer area than wet area.

24-22 Gauge cannulas are preferred; cannulas with diameter <25 Gauge might pose extra risks of vascular occlusion.

Inject very slowly and do not use the product to achieve dissection; instead, inject during cannula retraction and after complete dissection.

Prefer delicate procedures and gradual changes-1 syringe per session, if patient desires for greater volumes, schedule several sessions with at least 1-mo intervals.

Keep an anatomical protocol: respect the ratio between upper and lower lip

Project upper and lower lip tubercles. Instead of injecting in the mid area, very close to the wet vermillion, project the cannula tip to the dry lip surface; it will probably decrease risks of arterial injection.

Treat surrounding areas before injecting lips, it may help achieving a better outcome.