The lips are a defining feature of a beautiful face. For that reason, lip enhancement is a popular cosmetic procedure.
What is Lip Enhancement?
Many women want to have fuller, plumper lips. Whether your lips are naturally thin or are thinning as a result of aging, a lip enhancement procedure can improve their appearance. Our office offers lip enhancement via lip fillers or implants. Dr. Price will help you identify which option is best for you during your initial consultation.
Candidates For Lip Enhancement
Lip enhancement is a good option for people whose lips are so thin that they, in effect, disappear when the person smiles.
It is also a preferred option for patients whose lips have thinned through time to the degree that they feel self-conscious about them. In many patients, we are able to enhance a “normal” lip just enough to create a “fuller” but natural look. Dr. Price also performs lip enhancement as a solution to uneven lips and when thin lips allow for the gums to show when smiling.
What are the benefits of lip enhancement?
Everyone’s heard of collagen, even if just for its inclusion in skincare products. Collagen is responsible for providing the structural framework under our skin that keeps it firm and tight. One of the more unfortunate aspects of aging is that with every passing year after our 20th birthday, our bodies produce one additional percentage point less collagen. By the time we are 50, we’re working with 30 percent less collagen. That’s why our skin sags, allows the formation of wrinkles and has areas of volume loss.
One of those areas is the lips. As our collagen production drops, our lips lose fullness and flatten. The lips thin, and they develop vertical lines, colloquially known as “barcode lines.” If you had lips you were less than thrilled within your younger years, you’re really not thrilled with them now.
That’s what lip enhancement is all about. Regardless of the method chosen, Dr. Price plumps your lips. He gives them a definition. They become ultimately kissable, and worthy of their place as a focal point of the face. Lip augmentation can give you full lips that you’ve never had, or they can give you back some of the fullness you’ve lost with time.
Patients love these treatments!
What are some lip features that can be changed?
Dr. Price’s goal with lip augmentation is unique to each patient. You may want to erase some vertical lip lines. Or you may want to make your lips more symmetrical. Or maybe you simply want plumper, more kissable lips!
These are some specific areas Dr. Price considers with lip augmentation:
- Cupid’s bow — This is the name of the area in the middle of your upper lip. This is thought to be the focus of the lips, and Dr. Price adds definition.
- Center fullness — Signature lip beauty means they are fuller in the center, tapering off at the corners.
- Profile projection — When viewed from the side, your upper lip should project slightly above your lower lip.
- Side-to-side symmetry — Augmentation can balance asymmetrical lips.
Options For Lip Enhancement
There are many options for lip enhancement. Dr. Price will discuss these options with you and will recommend one that best suits your condition and aesthetic goals. A combination of two or more of these methods may be the answer. Lip enhancement approaches include:
- Fat transfer
- Natural or synthetic fillers
- Dermal grafts
- Lip implants
- Lip lifts
- Vermilion advancement
Nonsurgical Lip Filler Treatments
Dermal fillers may be used to augment the lips to their desired contour. The choice of filler often depends upon your individual condition and preference. The choices in our practice include one’s own fat, fascia, and a number of temporary injectable fillers. Each material has its own pros and cons, which Dr. Price will discuss with you in your consultation.
Dr. Price performs lip filler treatments in the office and typically requires only a topical anesthetic to keep you comfortable during the injections. We may perform allergy testing if the filler contains synthetic materials. The filler is injected directly into the lips and usually takes less than an hour.
How long do dermal fillers last for lip augmentation?
The first dermal filler specifically meant for the lips was Juvéderm Ultra. It is still popular and known for visibly plumping the lips. Juvéderm added Volbella for a more subtle volume increase and lip definition. Restylane Silk is similar to Volbella for its subtle results. All three of these fillers last between 3 and 6 months in most patients. This short duration is because the near-constant movement of our lips tends to break down the hyaluronic acid in these fillers quickly.
There is a new filler, Restylane Kysse, which provides results for a full year.
Lip Augmentation Procedures
Lip enhancement surgery can be done under general or local anesthesia, depending on the procedure. If you opt for a fat transfer, liposuction will need to be performed prior to lip enhancement to harvest viable fat that will then be injected into your lips.
With lip implants, Dr. Price inserts synthetic implants through tiny incisions at the corners of the lips. We perform implant surgery in an office surgical suite or an outpatient center with the administration of local or general anesthesia. Once Dr. Price inserts the implants, he closes the small incisions, and your implants remain in place permanently.
How long does lip augmentation surgery take?
These procedures usually only take around 30 minutes
Is there downtime after lip augmentation surgery?
There is some recovery after Dr. Price surgically places lip implants. You’ll likely need just 1 to 3 days, but you’ll want to lay low during this time. For at least a week and more likely two, you’ll need to not open your mouth too wide. You can’t place any pressure or cause pulling around the lips, as this can make your implants shift. It usually takes from 1 to 2 weeks for the tissue to begin scarring, which holds the implants in place.
For at least the first couple of days, you’ll want to keep your head elevated, even when sleeping. You’ll probably need prescription pain medication for the first day or two after your surgery.
What are the risks involved with lip augmentation surgery?
This is surgery, so it entails all the risks involved with any surgery: excessive bleeding, infection, poor incision healing, and the like. These are pretty rare with lip augmentation.
The main risk involved is that your lip implant or implants could shift position. If this happens, you’ll need revision surgery to return them to their proper place.
Should you decide one day that you don’t like your lip implants any longer, you can have them removed.
What are the side effects of dermal fillers for lip augmentation?
The main side effect/risk with lip augmentation is redness and swelling at the injection sites. This usually lasts a day or so but is not severe. There can also be some mild bruising, but it can easily be covered with lipstick or makeup. To minimize any swelling or bruising, gently icing your lips immediately after your session is helpful. There is a chance of developing lumps, but that is rare and can be reversed immediately with an injection of an enzyme that neutralizes the hyaluronic acid.
Schedule a Consultation
If you have any other questions about lip enhancement treatments, please bring them with you when you meet with Dr. Price. You can request a consultation online to meet personally with Dr. Price, or call his office at (203) 453-6635 to schedule an appointment.
