More people are getting introduced to the hyaluron in relation to the hyaluron lip fillers, and even more through the recent social media sensation devices: the hyaluron pens.

Due to its medicated and well-researched benefits in concealing the signs of aging, such as wrinkles, dermatologists have been recommending it in skin care too.

Above all, it is best known and loved for its use in lip injections. Hyaluronic acid has become the best substance for fuller lips and uses in lip injections. It occurs naturally in the body and has the least potential for developing allergic reactions.

For this reason and to reduce the cost for fuller lip enthusiasts, manufacturers came up the quick and cheap hyaluron pens. But we will be talking all about these in this article and see whether they are as good an idea as social media claims.

 

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a key component of the fluids in the eyes and joint cavities and beneath the skin. Chemically it is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan found in the connective tissues throughout the body.

You must have observed that your skin sags, loosens, develops wrinkles and lines, and becomes thin and paper-like with increasing age. It is basically the loss of hyaluronic acid in the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin.

So, in effect, the plump, fresh, hydrated, held-up look of the skin in the younger years of life is due to the hyaluronic acid content of the skin.

 

Dermal Filler

Dermal fillers are gel-like substances inserted beneath the skin to make it look plumper and youthful. Dermal and lip injections restore the lost volume of the aging or loose skin, enhance facial contours, and reduce wrinkles and fine lines.

Recently, dermal fillers are not just confined to alleviating age-related symptoms. A type of dermal filler called lip fillers is used to enhance the size and shape of lips. The treatment is popular because fuller lips are believed to be more attractive and beautiful.

For the treatment, the aesthetician, who has to be a medical professional, uses his experience and injections to inject hyaluronic acid.

With dermal fillers, there are a lot of factors to consider. An ideal filler should be the least invasive, should produce reliable results, and provide optimum longevity. While many substances and procedures are used for lip filler treatments, the choice depends on your desired longevity and invasiveness of the procedure.

Hyaluron has quite revolutionized these dermal treatments, especially the lip filler treatments, for many reasons. One of these is the needle-free injection devices that inject hyaluronic acid into the subcutaneous tissue and provide immediate results. More on that, but first, let’s have an overview of how some of the commonly practiced dermal filler options work.

 

What are Dermal Fillers made with?

Dermal fillers for lips, forehead lines, the area around the eyes, wrinkles, or simply shaping the lips have gained immense popularity in the social media celebrity culture. Here is an overview of the substances used for these purposes:

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluron fillers are softer due to better water retention ability. Hyaluronic treatments for dermal or lip filler are temporary and only last for 6 months to 12 months at the most. People mostly opt for this treatment for the treatment of the upper lip for a more even-looking plump lip effect. FDA-approved devices are used by dermatologists to inject hyaluronic acid in the desired area.

Calcium Hydroxyapatite

Calcium hydroxylapatite is also a naturally occurring substance but is only found in bones. CaHA fillers contain microscopic calcium particles suspended in a gel. CaHA fillers are preferred for more long-term results. It is thicker in consistency than the hyaluronic acid fillers and lasts for 12 months at the least. CaHA device is an FDA-approved; that’s why it has been trusted for so many years.

Poly-L Lactic Acid

Poly L-lactic acid is a synthetic substance but is compatible with injecting into the body. Actually, it dissolves itself after a few days of the treatment. It is different from the other gels as it does not stay long. Instead, it works by stimulating collagen production in the treatment area.

Polymethyl Methacrylate

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is another synthetic substance injected beneath the skin. It does not stimulate collagen production, nor does it retain water. It stays there in the form of a tiny ball with some amount of collagen.

Autologous Fat Injections

Autologous fat grafting or injections involve liposuction or removing fat from another part of the body and inserting it in the desirable area for a filler effect. Only trained medical professionals and experienced injectors can perform this surgery.

 

Hyaluronic Acid Filler

Hyaluronic fillers stood out among the rest and came as a revolution in the world of lip fillers. This filler substance is the closest a filler treatment can do:

• Least invasive
• Least painful
• Non-teratogenic; noncarcinogenic
• It does not migrate once injected into the skin
• Few adverse effects
• The substance should have a long shelf-life
• It can be stored at room temperature
• Affordable to the patient and the physician
• It cannot precipitate allergic reactions since hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the body tissues.

 

What is a Hyaluron Pen?

Sites such as TikTok must have told you about this recent at-home lip filler device called the hyaluron pen. Some influencers have also made YouTube tutorials on how to do that. But here, we will discuss the whole buzz around the hyaluron pens.

A Hyaluron pen is a simple hand-held device that injects the hyaluronic acid filler into the skin. The working of the hyaluron pen takes inspiration from the diabetic pens, devices used to deliver insulin in a needle-free, pain-free way.

Hyaluron pen is a cheaper, quicker, and non-invasive alternative to professional lip-enhancement surgery.

 

How does a Hyaluron Pen Work?

The most significant selling point for the hyaluron pen is that it does not use a needle. So, to inject the hyaluronic acid into the layers of the skin, pressurized air is used to push the hyaluronic acid fillers into a thin stream. The pressurized air converts the hyaluron molecules into nano-scale particles that seamlessly penetrate the dermal and epidermal layers of the skin.

The nano-scale hyaluronic acid molecules injected at high speed then spread evenly and painlessly around the desired area.

 

Difference Between the Regular Lip Filler Treatment and the Hyaluron Pen Lip Injection

A board-certified dermatologist carries out hyaluronic acid lip filler procedure. These Hyaluronic acid injections are FDA-approved and have been there for years. The healthcare professional sterilizes the area and gives you a local anesthetic.

After cleaning the site, your service provider will slowly inject the hyaluronic acid filler while massaging the area. This procedure takes minutes only but lasts for almost 10 months on average. You may experience signs of mild bruising or swelling in case of sensitive skin. Swelling and inflammation, however, go away in a few hours.

Coming toward the pen lip filler, first of all, it is not FDA-approved. You do not need a board-certified dermatologist for employing hyaluron pen for the desired effect. Also, you will have to usethe pen every three months for a consistent result because that is how much it lasts.

Hyaluron pen inserts the filler in the superficial layers of the skin. And since it does not use a needle, the risk of puncturing a vessel is not there either. These are the possible health risks with regular lip filler treatments. But hyaluron pen has its own series of risks and dangers, which will be discussed later.

 

How Effective is the Hyaluronic Pen?

Let’s talk about the features that make this pen device everyone’s favorite. It is easy to use. in fact, it specializes in DIY at-home lip fillers. Hyaluron pen lip filler is painless, and it gives an even, natural-looking effect of plump lips.

After using the hyaluron pen, you can see the results within 30-45 minutes. With the application of the hyaluron pen, you will observe that your thin lips will begin to look fuller and plump. About the results, yes, the hyaluron pen effectively gives that plump, collagen-tight look. But the safety concerns with hyaluron pens are still on the table.

Hyaluron pens have not yet been FDA-approved. Despite being pain-free and non-invasive, this pen device is constantly discouraged by the medical authorities.

 

Can you Use the Hyaluron pen yourself?

Hyaluron pens were manufactured to provide an at-home lip filler effect at a reduced cost, without the need for a board-certified dermatologist. Hyaluron pens claim the same results as a lip filler treatment provided at a doctor’s office.

 

The Dangers of Lip-Filler Hyaluron Pen

Hyaluron pen injects hyaluronic acid forcefully through the tiniest holes in the skin. Apparently, it does not seem too fussy since this device does not even use a needle. But there is more to it than meets the eye.

In addition to the operator error, there are the following potential risks with this procedure:

1. Least control over the amount of substance injected

Needle-free devices such as the hyaluron pen use pressurized air to inject filler, which implies that you cannot control the amount of hyaluronic acid that goes in the subcutaneous tissue. The lip filler hence can quickly go in the wrong place or the wrong direction.

Besides, the major pro with these pens is that they are available in drugstores for cheap prices and need no experience to operate. So, the people who end up using them do not have any knowledge or understanding of the process. The procedure hence can quickly go wrong in such cases.

The intense air pressure behind the hyaluronic acid stream can cause blocked blood vessels, which hinders the nutrition and oxygenation of the tissue. This can cause permanent skin necrosis, along with swelling and lumpiness.

These needle-free injection devices are not very precise and efficient. The air pressure may vary from brand to brand. And if it is not sufficient, the nano-level hyaluronic acid molecules will not be able to pass the superficial layer of the skin. And resultantly, the little lip filler treatment can go wrong because the molecules have now made their way to the wrong area.

2. Lack of preciseness

You can only decide on the injection site, but there is little left to determine once you put the pen device into action. Unlike the FDA-approved injectors that provide complete control over the depth and plane, hyaluron pens do not.

Once the piston is pushed, the hyaluronic acid molecules in a thin stream will go wherever they find their way. That’s why many people report lumps, bumps, and bruising using this device.

3. Risk of Infection

Due to cross-contamination between different users, the risk of infection with bacteria, viruses, or a fungus is possible, and skin infections are extremely dangerous. Using such an apparently non-invasive device without the supervision of health care professionals can also spread the transmissible diseases.

Such risks are serious because the unlicensed or untrained people using these pens do not clean and sterilize the area before the procedure. This is what increases the risk here when compared with the FDA-approved lip injections. Now you know why a health professional won’t recommend you get a lip filler using a hyaluron pen.

4. Lack of Research

Since these needle-free devices are recent and rendered unsafe by several authorities, we do not have much research to say about the quality of results and long-term and short-term side effects. Researchers are not even sure if the side effects count as temporary or permanent harm.

For instance, a hyaluron pen does not go as deep as to puncture a blood vessel. But cases did report damage to blood vessels. Health professionals told afterward that a hyaluron pen is potentially dangerous to the blood vessels due to the uncontrolled high pressure of the air.

 

The Bottom Line

Hyaluron pen is one of those pain-free, needle-free injection devices that can generate enough pressure to inject the fine molecules of the filler substance into the human tissue, such as lips. Such treatments require experienced injectors, but a hyaluron pen tends to pass that.

Excessive pressure, in some instances, can result in bruising and serious injuries to the lips. Common sense tells us that this lack of preciseness is why FDA has not approved this injection device.