A woman has taken to social media to share a warning with others after winning free lip fillers.
The allure of lip fillers - an increasingly popular cosmetic procedure - has been a hot topic on social media. As reported by Glamour, the demand for this non-invasive beauty treatment has surged, mainly due to its affordability, simplicity, and temporary nature.
Typically, the procedure involves injecting hyaluronic acid into the lips to enhance volume and create a fuller effect.
However, Jessica Burko's recent experience serves as a cautionary tale. Known on TikTok under the handle @jessicacaileyburko, the Los Angeles-based influencer shared her distressing ordeal, describing it as a "cosmetic nightmare."
Despite having undergone lip filler treatments six times before without issues, Burko's latest encounter - which she won as part of a Halloween giveaway - took an unexpected turn. Check out her video below:
Immediately after the procedure, Burko noticed an unusual swelling in her lips. Concerned, she returned to her doctor, who administered a steroid injection. However, her condition worsened, with her lips continuing to swell significantly over the next few hours.
In a candid video, Burko warned her followers about the risks of free cosmetic treatments. "It was a free giveaway that I won, it was for Halloween," she explained. "He certainly had me looking very scary. I would never go back."
Despite the traumatic experience, Burko maintains a positive outlook on lip fillers. "Never do free cosmetics. But also don’t be scared to get your lips done," she advised. "I love getting them done, and I will be back to my regular girl."
Further revealing the severity of the incident, Burko mentioned that the doctor performing the procedure had "hit an artery," leading to the excessive swelling.
The following day, she revisited the clinic to have the fillers dissolved, thankfully restoring her face to its normal state.
After her video was viewed more than 10.1 million times on the platform, many commenters emphasized with Jessica's her natural beauty, suggesting that she didn't need fillers in the first place.
"You're so pretty without all that. Leave yourself alone. Nothing can compare to your natural beauty," one TikTok user commented.
Others took Jessica's video as a stark warning, with another person writing: "This was a sign to leave my lips alone."
One celebrity who has spoken out against fillers is Friends star Courteney Cox.
Last year, the 60-year-old actress discussed her skincare routine and perspective on aging during an episode of the Gloss Angeles Beauty Podcast.
When the co-hosts Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan asked the actress to name and explain her biggest beauty regret, Cox quickly said that it was fillers.
Courteney Cox back in 2015. Credit: Charley Gallay / Getty
She said getting the initial treatment created a "domino effect" that compelled her to get more, explaining: "You don’t realize that you look a little off, so then you keep doing more, 'cause you look normal to yourself," as cited by Huffington Post.
The Scream actress stated that she wasn’t aware of how she looked with the fillers in, saying: "You look in the mirror and go, 'That looks good.' You think and you don’t realize what it looks like to the outside person."
Credit: Steve Granitz / Getty
Looking back now, Cox shared that she mourns "just doing too many fillers and having them removed," and is thankful that she was able to get them dissolved from her face.
