Lip Filler: The Facts
What a dentist looks for before treating lips, what happens in the chair, how long results last, the risks and every lip fee on our menu.
How Much Is Lip Filler in Hamilton, and What Should I Expect?
At Hamilton Smile Studios, lip filler with Dr Nikhil Sharma starts at £150 for a light BabyTweak, with 0.7ml at £180 and 1ml at £235. The gel, usually hyaluronic acid, gives an instant change that settles over a few days and typically lasts from several months to about a year. Treatment is for adults only and follows a free consultation, booked with a £50 deposit that's refunded within seven days of attending.
What the Gel Is and What It Does
Most lip fillers are a soft gel made of hyaluronic acid, a sugar-based substance your body already makes to keep skin and joints hydrated. Injected in small amounts, it draws in water and adds a little shape and support where it's placed. Over the following months, your body gradually breaks it down.
Two things follow from that. The result isn't permanent, which some people see as a drawback and others as reassurance. And because the gel is hyaluronic acid, an enzyme can dissolve it if you're unhappy or if a problem arises. That safety net is a large part of why hyaluronic acid is the usual choice for lips.
Why a Dentist?
Dr Nikhil Sharma, our principal dentist, carries out facial aesthetics at the Hamilton practice. Dentists spend their working lives on the mouth, lips and the muscles around them, and see daily how teeth support the lips and how a smile moves. That matters, because a lip that looks thin is sometimes really sitting over worn or set-back front teeth.
Treatment happens in a regulated dental surgery with clinical infection control, and you're seen face to face for both the consultation and the treatment. If the honest answer to your concern is dental rather than filler, or nothing at all, Dr Sharma will say so.
Talk It Through First
A no-pressure lip consultation with Dr Nikhil Sharma in Hamilton.
Realistic Expectations
Filler does well at:
- Sharpening a soft or faded lip border
- Evening out a top lip that's noticeably thinner than the bottom, or one side that's fuller
- Replacing a little of the volume lost with age
- Smoothing the fine vertical lines that form on and just above the lips
It isn't the answer for:
- Making lips dramatically larger than your face naturally suits
- Changing how lips sit over crooked or protruding teeth
- A gummy smile, where anti-wrinkle injections or dental work may be considered instead
Our general approach is to do less, review, and add more only if you'd like it. Lips that still look like yours tend to age better and draw fewer comments.
Lip Treatment Fees
| Treatment | Fee |
|---|---|
| Consultation with Dr Sharma | Free (£50 deposit, refunded when you attend) |
| BabyTweak lips (lightest option) | £150 |
| Lips, 0.7ml | £180 |
| Lips, 1ml | £235 |
| Dissolving existing filler | £150 |
The amounts refer to the volume of gel used. 1 BabyTweak suits people who want definition or a slight change, not visible volume. Larger amounts aren't automatically better: many natural-looking results use 0.7ml or less, and you can build gradually across visits. Your amount is agreed after your assessment, and the full aesthetics menu is on the facial aesthetics page.
The Consultation
Every treatment starts with a proper conversation. Dr Sharma will ask what you'd like to change and why, look at your lips in relation to your teeth, chin and nose, and go through your medical history and any medicines. He'll explain what filler is likely to achieve for you, the risks, the aftercare and the fee, and then give you time to think.
The consultation is free, booked with a £50 deposit that's refunded within seven days of attending. If you need to cancel or rearrange, let us know at least 48 hours ahead. The deposit is only kept if you miss the appointment without telling us. Treatment appointments are also held with a £50 deposit. You're never expected to be treated on the same day you first ask about it.
On the Day
- Photographs are taken so we can compare at your review.
- Numbing cream goes on for several minutes. Most lip fillers also contain local anaesthetic.
- The gel is placed a little at a time, checking symmetry from the front and the side as it goes in.
- The lips are gently shaped and you see the result in the mirror.
- You're given written aftercare and a review date, usually a couple of weeks later.
Allow around half an hour in the chair. It's short enough to fit into a lunch break, and most people go straight back to work, though lips are often visibly swollen for the first day.
How Long It Lasts
Expect several months to around a year from the lips. Fillers elsewhere on the face can last longer, but lips are in constant motion when you eat, talk and smile, so the gel breaks down faster. Your metabolism, the product used and how much was placed all play a part, and results vary from one person to the next. 2
The look on the day includes swelling. Give it about two weeks to see the settled result, which is why the review is timed then. When it starts to fade, you can top up, or simply let it go. Nothing needs to be done to remove it; the lips gradually return to how they were.
Aftercare and Possible Risks
Normal for a few days: swelling, tenderness, small bruises, and a slightly firm or uneven feel as the gel settles. For 24 hours, avoid hard exercise, saunas, hot baths and alcohol, and keep your fingers off your lips unless we've shown you how to mould them. Lipstick can wait until the next day.
Less common: infection, an allergic reaction, a cold sore flare (tell us if you get them), or lumps that need adjusting.
Rare but serious: filler can block or press on a blood vessel and cut off blood supply to the skin. Signs include pain that's getting worse, skin turning pale, white or dusky, or any change to your vision. Contact us at once on 01698 767220 if you notice any of these; it's treated urgently, usually by dissolving the filler. If we're closed, call NHS 24 on 111, and for any change in vision go to A&E.
Who It's Suitable For
Adults aged 18 and over who are in good general health. We don't treat during pregnancy or breastfeeding, during an active cold sore or skin infection on the lips, or where a medical condition or medicine makes it unwise. If you've had filler elsewhere, bring the details so Dr Sharma knows what's already there.
If you're unsure, a consultation costs nothing beyond the refundable deposit, and you might be told you don't need treatment. If what bothers you is really your teeth or the shape of your smile, a smile design consultation may be a better starting point.
Questions
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.