Lip Injection Left One Woman With a Daily Struggle That Lasted 10 Years

In one episode of the reality series Botched, a 30-year-old woman named Keara said a lip injection left her unable to close her mouth for 10 years. She sought help from Dr. Paul Nassif and Dr. Terry Dubrow years after undergoing the cosmetic procedure while she was a student at the University of Central Florida. She said the treatment dramatically changed her appearance and shattered her confidence.

Keara said that, back then, she told her mother she wanted lips similar to those of actress Angelina Jolie.

“I had mentioned to my mom that I had wished I had lips like [the actress], and she said that’s a really easy thing to do and I know somebody if you want to do it,” Keara said.

Her mother then offered to pay for the procedure as a Christmas gift.

After visiting the facility, Keara said a nurse recommended injecting 1 cc of product into her upper lip. “Immediately after getting the injections, I noticed that it was fuller in two places,” she said in the clip.

Keara returned to college two weeks later, and her friend immediately noticed the difference in her appearance. Over time, she said the condition worsened. “I haven’t closed my mouth in 10 years,” she said.

On Botched, Dr. Nassif said Keara appeared to have a serious inflammatory reaction resembling a bilateral cleft lip deformity.

“It appears that Keara has two gigantic mounds of some foreign bodies in her lip, and those most likely are called granulomas,” he said.

He also said why a nurse had the injection because, at the end, it is the responsibility of medical professionals who provide such cosmetic procedures.

Keara said the changes to her lips affected her confidence and made social interactions more difficult. She explained that it sometimes became a distraction while she was working with clients as a mental health counselor.

“When I have a client in front of me, they’re there to work out their issues or their problems or talk through things. And when I’m asked a question about my looks (…) it’s very uncomfortable,” she said.

To restore a natural look, Dr. Nassif removed the abnormal tissue and balanced Keara’s upper lip as much as possible. While the aesthetic upgrade is undeniable, Nassif warned that inflammation could still return.

In the comments section, however, many focus on Keara’s mother’s role in arranging and paying for the original procedure. Several questioned why Keara’s mother encouraged cosmetic treatment at a young age, while others debated how much responsibility should be placed on Keara since she was an adult when she made the decision.

One wrote, “I was wondering what kind of mom would immediately encourage a cosmetic procedure. Then I see her mom.”

Others showed sympathy for Keara, writing, “This breaks my heart. Her natural upper lip was beautifully shaped, and neither of her lips was thin. I’m glad she got such a good result; she really looks now like she never had the filler.” Some still criticized the family’s decision, writing, “Mom has projected all her insecurities onto her beautiful daughter.”