Filler vs Filter: How TikTok Filters Aren’t Giving the Full Picture

You’re scrolling through TikTok when you come across a filter that you just have to try. And why shouldn’t you? You’ve always wanted to know what it was like to have pretty, pouty, puffy lips. So you click the filter, strike a pose and freeze at the horror of what you are looking at. Fish lips. Lip monster. Lisa Rinna’s twin. That insane looking lady on the ‘gram with lips that look like sausages who refuses to stop getting lip filler. And suddenly, your desire to get lip filler fades to gray. If you think that’s what lip filler is going to look like on your face, think again. A recent article from Marie Claire weighs in on the topic and I, Danielle Smith, Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner and Miami botox and filler specialist at smith & co., am here to spread the word that filters for filler aren’t telling the whole story.

As the article in Marie Claire explains, the “simple” filter isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, despite its nearly half a million uses. “Your face is not a paint by numbers situation or a Burger King menu—you can’t just pick a pre-set, it doesn’t work that way,” one dermatologist explains in the feature. In fact, the simple filter has limited capabilities. It also lacks skills and years of professional training, unlike a real injector. Overall, it’s simply not accurate. Some of those inaccuracies include how the AI of the simple filter doesn’t take your facial structure into consideration. That means the architecture of your lips aren’t even considered when it comes to adding AI lips to your face. Instead of taking the asymmetry of your real lips into consideration (as we are all somewhat asymmetrical) it plops a cookie-cutter version of ideal lips on your face. And most likely, that version makes the upper lip one-third smaller than the bottom, no matter what shape your face may be. It would be like trying to put your foot in a size 7 shoe, no matter what size your foot actually is. When it comes to injecting, I look at your face overall. What works best for your eyes, your cheeks, your jawline? That helps determine what lips will work best for your face. 

As well, a massive lip transformation doesn’t just happen overnight. A perfect puffy pout takes multiple visits and time to happen. And that leaves you time to digest the transformation, unlike a filter that just dumps a brand new set of lips on your face in nanoseconds. If you like the overall look of the filter, let me know what it is you like about it. Is it the shape? The fullness? We can use the filter as a guideline for our overall goal for your lip transformation. And vice versa, what is it you hate about the filter? This way we can help determine what we should avoid. If it’s a big new pair of lips landing smack in the middle of your face overnight, rest assured, you’re in good hands and we can avoid that easily. 

If you’re interested in lip filler (that’s filler, not filters), I, Danielle Smith, Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner and Miami botox and filler specialist at smith & co., can help. Schedule a consultation with me to discuss all the different things filler can do for you. Reach out by calling 305-393-2311 or contacting mehere online. I’m also happy to answer any questions you may have via DM on Instagram atsmithand_co. And be sure to follow along to see my before and after shots.