Despite working in the beauty and aesthetics industry, I don't consider myself particularly high maintenance. I have dabbled in dermal filler once before, and while it wasn’t a walk in the park by any means, I was definitely a fan of the results and would consider having it again.
 
But to be honest, lip augmentation is not something I’ve ever thought much about – that is, until I heard about the new age dermal filler MaiLi, which has just launched in the UK by Sinclair Pharma, the progressive aesthetics company behind the collagen stimulating filler Ellansé and Silhouette Soft thread lift.

MaiLi claims to last longer than traditional hyaluronic acid fillers – up to one year in total – even in dynamic areas such as the lips. It is also meant to give very natural results, thanks to the soft, ‘bouncy’ formulation, and no spread formula. Not only that, 24 per cent less filler is required than other brands.

Etre Vous Expert Dr Ioannis Liakas of Vie Aesthetics is one of only a handful of practitioners working with MaiLi at the moment, and I was more than happy to put myself in his very experienced hands.

Size wise, my top lip is a bit thinner than my bottom lip. I also have slight indents in the corners of my mouth – the beginnings of marionette lines – which I wanted to address if possible.

Rebecca before the treatmentDuring a quick remote consultation, Dr Liakas checked that I wasn’t having a Covid vaccination within the next two weeks, then confirmed an action plan which included placing some filler in the corners of the mouth to subtly soften the area.

A few days later, I was at the very smart Vie Aesthetics in Harley Street for my treatment. My lips were slathered in strong numbing cream before the procedure began, with Dr Liakas armed with 1ml of MaiLi Define which is reported to define, shape and contour lips, and smooth marionette lines.

Dr Liakas told me he was going to add volume specifically in the upper lip and work a little at the corners of the mouth. He generally uses both needle and cannula methods to distribute filler however, in my case, for precise definition and distribution, he used a needle.

Having had no numbing cream to take the edge of my first dermal filler experience, I was pleasantly surprised that I could hardly feel a thing, thanks to MaiLi also having lidocaine in its formulation.  

As agreed, the largest proportion of filler was distributed in the upper lip to add volume and definition. Filler was also injected near the corners of the mouth to create a 'smiley' result, and a very small proportion of the filler (0.2ml) was injected into my lower lip. He then massaged the filler with his fingers.

It was all over within minutes, and I was handed a mirror and an ice pack to take home with me to help minimise any swelling. I was delighted to see that my lips still looked like mine, only better. There was a little swelling, but nothing too bad (or noticeable) at all.

A couple of days later, a slight bruise appeared around one corner of my mouth, which was easily covered up with concealer. The best thing? Not one person noticed that I'd had anything done, which is definitely testament to the skill of Dr Liakas.

Rebecca two weeks post lip fillerA week later I still had some bruising inside my top lip, although the bruising in the corner had almost completely faded.

Vie Aesthetics – like all good practitioners – offers a follow up appointment around two weeks post- treatment, which is very useful (especially if you're new to lip filler), as it helps to allay any worries or concerns you may have.

At this point, I was pretty much healed and very happy with my newly plumped lips, which, if I'm lucky, will be with me until next spring.

The cost of 1ml of MaiLi Define lip filler with Dr Liakas is (at the time of writing) £300. To book a remote or in clinic appointment with Dr Liakas at Vie Aesthetics, visit our practitioner finder.