How Much Do Lip Fillers Cost? Average Cost by Location and Brand

Our lips are a big deal. We smile with them, kiss with them and even dress them up — or down — with lipstick to suit our mood or occasion. But if your lips aren't as full or shapely as you want them to be, you may be considering lip fillers.

Continue reading to learn more about lip fillers, including average costs and how you can potentially finance a lip filler procedure.

What Are Lip Fillers?

A lip filler is a type of dermal filler used for lip augmentation. Because shape and fullness can change with age, adults of all ages may wish to have lip filler procedures done to enhance and beautify the look of their lips.¹

There are several types of lip fillers, but hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are the preferred type for lip augmentation. Well-known brands of hyaluronic acid include Restylane® and Juvéderm®.¹

Benefits

Some of the benefits of lip filler include:¹

• Making lips look balanced and symmetrical
• Reducing wrinkles around the lips
• Adding fullness to the lips
• Defining lip shape

While weighing the aforementioned benefits, it's important to make sure your expectations are realistic. In addition, you should also be in good physical health.²

How Much Are Lip Fillers?

Lip filler is priced by the quantity of syringe injections. The average cost of lip fillers in the U.S. is $959, but prices can range from $332 up to $2,354 for one treatment.³

Lip fillers aren't permanent, and typically last between four and 12 months.¹ Your body gradually absorbs the filler and the effects diminish over time.⁴ If you want to maintain the look, you'll have to get — and pay for — more treatments. Other factors that may influence how much you'll pay for lip fillers include:³

• The provider's location
• The type of filler used
• How much filler is used to achieve the desired result
• Whether or not the provider charges a consultation fee

Average cost of lip fillers by popular brand

Costs for specific brands are in the table below.³

Average cost of lip fillers by state

The cost of lip fillers is not the same across the country, so it will change depending on where you are in the U.S. At the low end is Oklahoma at $787, while on the high end is Minnesota at $1,218 — everything else falls in between.³ The average cost of lip fillers by state is in the table below.³

Does Insurance Cover Lip Fillers?

The FDA has approved the use of certain dermal fillers for lip augmentation.⁴ However, this doesn't mean your insurance company will cover it. Since getting lip fillers is an elective cosmetic procedure, insurance plans don't typically cover the cost of lip filler injections.⁵

How Lip Fillers Work

Getting lip fillers doesn't require any special preparation. Here's what to expect during a lip filler procedure:⁶

1. The provider applies a topical anesthetic to numb your lips so you don't feel pain, which takes just a few minutes.
2. Your provider uses a thin needle to inject filler into different parts of your lips to add volume.
3. The entire procedure usually takes less than an hour.

Potential Risks and Side Effects of Lip Fillers

Lip fillers are generally safe, but there are some potential side effects and risks to be aware of. Side effects are typically mild and temporary. The most common side effects of lip fillers are swelling, bruising and tenderness at the injection sites.¹

More serious complications are also possible, but very rare.¹ Adverse effects happen in less than 1% of lip filler procedures.⁷ Potential serious side effects to be aware of are infection and tissue death.⁷

Choosing an experienced cosmetic surgeon can reduce the chance of complications and help ensure the best possible results.¹

Tips for Recovery After Getting Lip Fillers

There's no downtime required after getting lip fillers.¹ You may have some temporary soreness and bruising, and swelling should go down within a day or two and completely resolve within two weeks.⁸

Here are some tips that can help you heal after getting lip fillers:⁹

• Gently apply an ice pack to your lips to help reduce swelling and pain.
• Don't wear lipstick or any other products on your lips for at least 24 hours.
• Refrain from touching or manipulating your lips while you're healing (e.g., sipping through a straw, smoking, kissing, etc.).
• Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours — it thins the blood and can worsen bruising.
• Don't exercise for at least 24 hours.

Financing Lip Fillers With the CareCredit Credit Card

When getting lip fillers or another cosmetic procedure, the CareCredit credit card can help you pay for costs not covered by insurance.* Use our Acceptance Locator to find a doctor or cosmetic specialist near you that accepts CareCredit. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your CareCredit account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to cosmetic procedures, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, pet care, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a writer who has been covering health and lifestyle for almost two decades. Her work has appeared in Healthline, Insider, Medical News Today and more.