Do dermal fillers for smile lines hurt?
Briefly, and unevenly. A sharp sting marks each entry point, then a spreading pressure as the gel opens the layer under the fold. The zone nearest the mouth corner is the tenderest; the cheek above the groove, where a large share of the volume often goes, is the mildest. Which comfort measures apply to your appointment is settled with your director at the consultation.
Is it worse than filler anywhere else on the face?
It sits in the middle. The mouth and its surrounding tissue are richly supplied with nerve endings, so a nasolabial correction registers more than work on a temple or a forehead, and generally less than a lip design, where the tissue is thinner still. Where your own plan lands on that scale depends on how much of it is superficial work near the mouth.
What is done to keep the appointment comfortable?
Four things, and none of them is a claim about a protocol we have not published. The map fixes the number of entry points in advance. The gel advances slowly and at low pressure, which is the safety requirement anyway. Support placed in the cheek reduces how much fine work the sensitive zone needs. And the specific comfort measures for your session are confirmed with your director beforehand.
Does the choice of filler change how much it hurts?
It can. Juvederm carries lidocaine within the syringe, which is one reason it is frequently selected for sensitive placements. That is a genuine difference between the families stocked here. It is not the only criterion, though: the family is chosen for what the fold needs mechanically, with comfort weighed alongside that and never ahead of it.
How much swelling should I plan for?
Enough to make the fold look over-corrected at first. Hyaluronic acid binds water, so the early appearance includes volume that is not gel. It is at its most obvious in the first days and eases gradually, and the amount varies between people and between plans. The design is properly read at the review appointment arranged with you.
Will I be able to go to dinner the same evening?
Many people do, and eating, talking and smiling are all fine straight away. What is worth avoiding for a few days is heat and alcohol, which widen vessels and make both swelling and bruising more pronounced, and anything that presses on the mid-face. A bruise near the mouth corner is possible whatever you do, so allow for it if you have something fixed in the diary.
Can I take a painkiller or use ice afterwards?
Bring this question to your consultation instead of to a search engine, because the answer depends on your medical history and on what your director wants watched in your case. Written aftercare is given to you on the day, and the clinic is open 365 days, so a call with a question is always possible.
When should I contact the clinic urgently?
Skin that turns white, mottled or dusky over the treated area; pain that escalates instead of settling; or any change in vision. Those are the signs the published safety literature flags for vascular compromise, and they mean contacting us immediately rather than waiting for the review. Hyaluronidase is kept within reach for this reason.
My smile lines look uneven a few days later. Is that normal?
Uneven settling between the two sides is common while swelling is clearing, and the sides rarely resolve at the same pace. A genuine asymmetry that persists after the area has calmed is assessed at the review and is usually correctable, including by dissolving part of the gel. Tell us sooner if it worries you.
Does a top-up hurt less than the first appointment?
Often it involves less work, which tends to matter more than anything else. When part of the original design is still supporting the fold, a second visit is usually a smaller volume placed where the line has relaxed, so there are fewer passes to feel. It is billed on the volume actually placed, like any other session.
What does the appointment cost, and is the rate the same for visitors?
Billing follows the cubic centimetre and the family chosen: ₩130,000 (≈ $95) per cc with our Korean house gel, and the imported families at their own listed per-cc rates. The published card applies to residents and to international patients alike, with no visitor surcharge. Your total is fixed and approved before treatment begins.
