Norwegian woman warns against lip fillers after extreme swelling; practitioner cites menstrual period as cause

A 24-year-old woman from Oslo, Malene Mauer, says she was left with an extremely swollen pout after a lip filler appointment in her hometown. She had the procedure five times before at other salons and did not expect anything unusual this time. The swelling appeared as she was leaving the salon, and the attending nurse suggested the reaction could be linked to her menstrual period, according to Mauer.

She had the filler dissolved immediately, but the swelling on her lips and face worsened, and she wore a face mask for a week as the swelling persisted. "At first everything went fine, but then she [the nurse] hit a tissue or blood vessel in my lips, which caused a lot of swelling," Mauer said. "Because of that, I had to get the filler dissolved right away, and my lips and my face became extremely swollen." She said the pain increased and the swelling did not subside, prompting contact with the salon. The nurse blamed the period and gave pills to reduce the swelling before sending daily messages asking how her lips were.

She later had a second top-up at another salon and encountered the same reaction. "The same thing happened, and the practitioner told me that I most likely developed an allergy to fillers from the very first time," she said. "I'm unsure if I would try and get them done again. I would like to, but it's very scary when the swelling gets as bad as it did for me. So I think I'll have to wait quite a long time."

Her TikTok video documenting the experience has drawn significant attention, with more than 1.3 million views and thousands of comments. Malene cautions others to research before choosing a place or practitioner: "Make sure the person is certified, check reviews and don't rush. It can look tempting on social media, but it's still a medical procedure and things can go wrong."

Malene's account underscores the risk of adverse reactions and the importance of thorough vetting of cosmetic providers, especially given that the swelling can be dramatic and long-lasting. While she loves the look of lip fillers, she remains uncertain about future treatments, saying she would like to have them again but may delay for a long period as she weighs her options.