Beauty Link is a free concierge for patients. For filler, it points you only to hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi that the Ministry of Health has licensed and registered.
Our team wrote this lip guide in October 2026, and every section ends with its sources. Nothing here has been checked by a doctor, so treat it as reading, not medical advice, and ask your injector about your own lips.
Sources: FDA, Beauty Link team records
What lip filler is
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) says dermal fillers can plump thin lips, adding volume and fullness. It says hyaluronic acid is by far the most popular type of lip filler. ASPS says softer fillers are used in the lips.
The FDA calls dermal fillers medical device implants. ASPS says results show straight away and last from several months to several years, depending on the filler and the person.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, FDA
Lip filler, fat transfer or a lip lift
ASPS ranks the lip augmentation options, from least to most invasive, and calls lip filler a minimally invasive option. Beauty Link groups fillers with its non surgical treatments. Fat grafting, also called fat transfer, is surgery: fat is taken by liposuction, then injected into the lips, and ASPS says recovery is longer. A lip lift is the most invasive option. ASPS says it shortens the space between the nose and the top lip, and its results are permanent. This page covers filler only.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Beauty Link team records
What happens at the consultation
Before lip filler, ASPS suggests you come prepared to discuss what you want, your health and allergies, plus every medicine or supplement you use. Tell your doctor about any past fillers, anti wrinkle injections, laser treatments or face surgery.
The FDA says to tell your provider before treatment if:
- your skin is inflamed or infected
- you have a bleeding disorder
- you have severe allergies, or are allergic to local anaesthetic such as lidocaine
It also says the safety of fillers is not known during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
On the day, ASPS says the skin is cleaned, then numbed with something cold, a numbing cream or local anaesthetic. It says the visit can take from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on how many areas are treated.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, FDA
Risks to understand before you book
ASPS says severe problems from fillers are uncommon. Risks it lists include swelling, bruising, redness, lumps, filler you can feel under the skin, an uneven look, infection, a wound that may scar, and too much or too little filler. The FDA says some side effects can show up weeks, months or even years later.
The FDA says the most concerning risk is filler going into a blood vessel by mistake. The chance is low, but if it happens it can cause tissue death, vision problems including blindness, and stroke. The NHS also lists infection, nerve damage and blindness among the serious problems fillers can cause.
The FDA says to get medical help at once if, during or soon after treatment, you have:
- unusual pain, or changes in your vision
- skin near the injection that turns white, grey or blue
- signs of a stroke, such as trouble speaking, face drooping, or weakness or numbness in your face, arms or legs
In 2016, the Vietnamese news site VietNamNet reported on a young woman who had filler in her lower lip at a private spa in Hanoi. Part of her lip died, and doctors had to cut it away.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, FDA, NHS, VietNamNet
How to check who injects you, and the product
The FDA says to look for a licensed provider with experience in dermatology or plastic surgery, and to ask about their training in filler injections. The NHS, writing for people in the UK, warns against people who have only done a short training course. It also warns about treatments done in homes or hotels, deals sold on voucher sites, and people who only advertise on social media.
The FDA says to read the patient leaflet for the exact filler you will get, and never to buy filler online, because it could be fake. It says injectable silicone is not approved for any cosmetic use. Smartraveller, the Australian Government travel site, says standards can differ between hospitals and health workers within the same country.
Questions to ask before you agree to treatment:
- Who will inject me, and what is their training?
- Which product is it, and can I see the box and the leaflet?
- What is the plan if filler blocks a blood vessel? The FDA says providers should have a plan for this.
- Can I have the product name and the amount in writing, to take home?
- Who do I contact if I have a problem after I fly home?
The NHS says you can walk away if you are not completely comfortable.
Sources: FDA, NHS, Smartraveller
Timing your trip and flying home
ASPS says you can go back to most activities right away. It suggests no hard exercise for the first 24 to 48 hours, to limit swelling and bruising. ASPS says that at first your lips may look overfilled, with swelling, bruising or lumps. It says most of this gets better within hours or a few days, though some reactions need more treatment.
An ASPS article on treatments before a holiday suggests giving yourself a few weeks between any procedure and your travel date. Ask how much time you need before you fly: your lip doctor will tell you what applies to you.
ASPS says to discuss any past fillers and prior facial surgery at your consultation. Our face lift Vietnam guide covers surgery, and our guide to anti wrinkle injections in Vietnam covers those injections.
Smartraveller says basic travel insurance rarely covers medical tourism, so check your policy.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Smartraveller
How Beauty Link helps
Beauty Link is a concierge, not a clinic. It does not diagnose or recommend treatment. Patients pay us nothing for lip filler help, because the hospital covers our fee. It works only with hospitals, not clinics, in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Non surgical treatments, such as fillers, are among the services it helps with. Andrew Lam, our Co-founder, runs Beauty Link.
For lip filler, Beauty Link sets up a WhatsApp chat where the hospital team can answer you, and your advisor helps with language. The hospital is asked for a personal treatment plan and quote. There is airport pickup in Vietnam, and your advisor checks in while you recover and after you fly home. To compare hospitals, see choosing a Vietnam plastic surgery hospital and is plastic surgery in Vietnam safe.
Sources: Beauty Link team records
Questions
Beauty Link does not publish prices. Each hospital sends its own quote, so ask for the product name and amount on it. See also plastic surgery Vietnam cost.
Ask directly who will inject you and which product will be used. The FDA warns that filler bought online could be fake. The five questions above can help.
Smartraveller says standards can differ between hospitals and health workers within a country. So check each hospital and person with the questions above.
ASPS says results last from several months to several years, depending on the filler and the person. The FDA says some fillers are absorbed over time, so you may need to repeat the treatment to keep the look.
The FDA says removing filler may need injections, surgery or other steps, and these carry their own risks. It says removal can be hard or impossible, especially for permanent fillers or fillers not made of hyaluronic acid. Ask your doctor what applies to the product you are offered.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, FDA, Smartraveller, Beauty Link team records