Lip Concerns

The lips play a key role in facial expression, balance, and symmetry. A Lip Consultation at Shellharbour Skin provides a medically supervised opportunity to discuss your individual concerns about the shape, proportion, or appearance of your lips in a safe and educational setting.

This consultation focuses on understanding, assessment, and planning, helping you make informed decisions about possible management approaches that support facial harmony and natural anatomy.

Understanding Why Lip Changes Occur

Over time, the lips and surrounding skin naturally change due to biological and environmental factors. These changes are part of the normal ageing process and may include variations in structure, definition, or surface texture.

Factors that may contribute include:

Reduced collagen and elastin: The decline of these proteins affects firmness, elasticity, and shape.

Hydration and volume loss: Natural changes in moisture retention can make lips appear less defined.

Bone and dental structure: Subtle alterations in the jaw and teeth can influence lip projection and symmetry.

Repetitive movement: Regular facial expressions, speaking, or eating can create fine lines or dynamic creases.

Lifestyle and environment: Sun exposure, smoking, and dehydration can accelerate visible changes around the mouth.

A professional consultation allows for a deeper understanding of which factors are influencing your specific presentation and what management options may be appropriate.

Your Consultation at Shellharbour Skin

Your consultation begins with a detailed assessment and open discussion about your concerns and goals.
During this appointment, your clinician will:

• Review your medical history, allergies, and medications
• Assess your lip anatomy, proportion, and skin quality
• Discuss your aesthetic goals and expectations
• Explain the factors contributing to your concern
• Explore possible management approaches, where appropriate
• Ensure you have all necessary information to make an informed decision
• Opportunity to ask questions and concerns

All consultations are conducted under medical supervision by qualified clinicians experienced in aesthetic assessment and patient care.

Approach Discussions

Following your assessment, your clinician may outline management pathways or educational options suited to your needs.

These discussions are educational in nature and aim to help you understand the anatomy, function, and aesthetic balance of the lips within the context of the surrounding facial features.

Topics may include:

• Observation or monitoring: When no immediate treatment is required, your clinician may recommend periodic review to observe natural changes or response to care.
  
• Lifestyle and skin-care optimisation: Advice may include maintaining hydration, protecting the lip barrier from sun exposure, and using evidence-based home-care practices to support lip texture and integrity.
  
• Professional skin treatments: Discussion may include in-clinic options that focus on hydration, texture, or barrier support such as gentle resurfacing or light-based treatments, where clinically appropriate.
  
• Medically directed or prescribed approaches: Where clinically suitable, your clinician may discuss procedures performed under medical supervision that act beneath the skin’s surface to volume or lines.
  These are only undertaken following an in-person medical assessment and under the supervision of a qualified prescriber. In accordance with AHPRA and TGA regulations, specific prescription-only products cannot be named or advertised publicly.
  
• Collaborative or referred care: If appropriate, your clinician may recommend input from dental or medical professionals to support oral and perioral health.

Your clinician will explain the reasoning behind any recommendation, outline relevant safety considerations, and provide detailed guidance on aftercare and review.

Aftercare & Follow-Up

If you proceed with a management plan, temporary effects such as mild redness, swelling, or tenderness may occur. These usually settle within several days.

Your clinician may recommend:

• Avoiding makeup or lip products for 24 hours
• Using a cool compress to reduce swelling
• Avoiding pressure, puckering, or straw use for 24–48 hours
• Limiting strenuous activity or heat exposure for several days
• Staying well hydrated to support recovery

Your aftercare plan will be personalised to your skin and treatment type.

Risks and Considerations

All aesthetic and medical procedures carry potential risks and side effects.

Your clinician will discuss these in detail before any procedure and explain the steps taken to minimise them.

Common short-term effects may include:

• Redness, swelling, or tenderness at the injection site
• Localised bruising or discolouration
• Minor asymmetry or irregularity as swelling subsides
• Temporary firmness or small palpable areas under the skin
• Mild itching or sensitivity

Less common or delayed effects may include:

• Prolonged swelling or inflammation
• Small nodules or lumps under the skin
• Uneven texture or changes to sensation
• Reactivation of cold sores in individuals prone to herpes simplex virus
• Temporary vascular changes causing blanching or mottling of the skin
• Allergic or inflammatory responses
• In very rare cases, blockage of a blood vessel (vascular occlusion), which requires urgent medical attention

If you experience increasing pain, blanching, discolouration, or persistent symptoms after a procedure, contact the clinic immediately for assessment.
Prompt review and medical management are essential for patient safety.

Your clinician will ensure you understand all potential risks and provide written aftercare guidance and emergency contact information before any treatment proceeds.

Cost and Planning

Consultation fees vary depending on your needs and the time required.
If further management is discussed, a full cost breakdown will be provided after your assessment. All pricing is transparent and confirmed prior to proceeding with any treatment.

Important Information

• Shellharbour Skin provides consultations for aesthetic assessment and management planning only.
• We do not advertise or promote prescription-only medicines in accordance with AHPRA and TGA guidelines.
• All procedures are subject to clinical assessment, suitability, and informed consent.
• Suitability, outcomes, and recovery vary between individuals.
• Consultations are available for adults aged 18 years and over.
• This information is for educational and transparency purposes only and should not replace personalised medical advice.

Practitioner Transparency

Consultations and skin treatments at Shellharbour Skin are provided by a multidisciplinary clinical team:

Dermal Clinicians – qualified skin professionals who are not registered under AHPRA but hold tertiary qualifications in dermal science or dermal therapies. They provide skin treatments and consultations within their professional scope and under clinical supervision.

Registered Nurses – AHPRA-registered health practitioners who perform skin and aesthetic treatments within their clinical training and scope of practice.

Medical Practitioners – AHPRA-registered doctors experienced in skin health and aesthetic medicine who oversee and support all clinical services.

All treatments are undertaken within a medically supervised environment, ensuring that each patient pathway is reviewed for clinical suitability, safety, and evidence-based care.

You can verify registration for medical practitioners and nurses at ahpra.gov.au