What Exactly Happens When You Stop Getting Lip Fillers? We Asked A Plastic Surgeon

Thinking about plumping up your lips with filler? Chances are you already know what to expect when getting lip filler injections. However, you should also know what happens when you start and then stop these injections. To get the most accurate answers, Glam spoke exclusively to plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn. Dr. Youn is a board-certified holistic plastic surgeon, which means he guides patients to their beauty goals through daily habit changes, like skincare and diet, as well as safe and effective clinical procedures, such as injectables and surgery.

Our biggest question, besides what happens when you get lip fillers, was how quickly they can go wrong if you stop maintaining them. To start off, Dr Youn walked us through how long lip fillers typically last. "In general, lip filler tends to dissolve within 4-6 months at the earliest, but can last 12 months or more in some patients," he says. So does this mean that stopping lip filler injections is perfectly fine? Dr. Youn says it is. "It's completely ok to leave the lip filler intact, as it will eventually dissolve on its own."

In other words, when you stop getting lip fillers, they will naturally dissolve, and your lips will slowly go back to their original shape. But if you're thinking of joining the bandwagon of celebs who dissolved their lip filler for a more natural look, you might be considering getting your injectables removed faster with external help. The question is, which is safer: injections to dissolve your fillers, or letting nature do its thing?

Many of the celebs who look totally different without fillers made it clear that they'd gotten injections to dissolve them. So, a lot of people think that the only way to get rid of filler is to have it dissolved professionally. However, during our exclusive interview with plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn, who also owns Youn Beauty, he explained that this is yet another myth about lip fillers you should stop believing. "In general, I recommend letting your lip filler naturally dissolve with time versus dissolving them with hyaluronidase," he says.

When you stop getting lip filler, it dissolves because the body naturally produces an enzyme called hyaluronidase. This is the same enzyme that would be used by your injector if you choose to have your filler dissolved versus waiting it out.

The best part is that even if you do choose to stop getting lip fillers, it doesn't have to be a permanent decision. Restarting lip filler in the future is easy, whether or not you previously had it dissolved. "You don't need to dissolve and start over again," Dr. Youn explains. "The vast majority of patients will add filler on top of the filler that may still be there. As long as the injector is experienced, that shouldn't be a problem."

Deciding to start or stop getting lip fillers is a personal decision, and despite what influencers may try to tell you, they aren't necessary, even if your lips aren't the "perfect" shape. "Lip filler isn't for everyone! [...] For others, being natural is fine." Dr. Anthony Youn reminds. While they are a great way to plump up or shape your lips, there are other options that range from clinical to makeup-based. During our exclusive interview with Dr. Youn, he walked us through a solid alternative procedure. "For some people, a Lip Flip with Botox does what they want."

If you're wondering what exactly a lip flip is, think about it as a procedure that uses botulinum toxin to relax your top lip and flip it outwards. The result will have the top lip the same size or even larger than the bottom, depending on your goals.

But if you want a lip flip look without surgery or injectables, a makeup hack can work wonders. This trick, demonstrated by makeup artist Ash K Holm on Instagram, is fairly easy. To start off, overdraw the center of your lower lip and your cupid's bow with a lip liner that's slightly darker than your lip's natural shade. You'll need to blend everything with a lip brush and then redefine the cupid's bow with an even darker lip liner. Use this liner to touch up the outer corners as well and soften it with a brush. Finally, finish with your favorite pink gloss, and you've got yourself a needle-free lip flip.