Maybe you're looking for that plump, pouty Angelina Jolie pucker, or maybe you just want to revitalize aging lips that are beginning to flatline, or grow thinner and flatter with less and less visible pink tissue.
Lip augmentation can help. This procedure falls into two basic categories — implants and injectables — but laser lip augmentation may also be an option for some people. There are advantages and disadvantages to all lip augmentation approaches, so choosing the right procedure for you begins with a consultation with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, dermatologist or plastic surgeon.
Your doctor should take a thorough medical history to make sure that you are a candidate for lip augmentation, whether by injectables, surgery or laser treatment. You may not be a good candidate for lip augmentation if you currently have cold sores (oral herpes), certain chronic diseases such as diabetes or lupus, any lip scarring, blood clotting problems or dental problems.
Discuss your aesthetic objectives with the doctor so that he or she can determine whether they are realistic and can be met with a lip enhancement procedure. Bring in photos of lips that you admire to serve as a starting point for this conversation. Remember, though, that while Angelina Jolie's lips may complement her face, they may not look quite as good on yours.
You should tell your doctor about any and all medications you take on a regular basis, even if they seem innocuous. Certain common over-the-counter medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen may increase your risk of complications and should be stopped before your lip augmentation.
Smoking, too, can complicate the lip enhancement procedure and affect the results of your surgery. Additionally, smoking is known to cause wrinkles, especially around the lips — certainly not the effect you are going for. So if you smoke, quit before your lip augmentation procedure, and commit to not starting up again afterward. Ask your doctor about available and appropriate smoking cessation tools to aid in your efforts.
Lip Augmentation: Injectable Lip Plumpers
Some — but not all — available injectables can plump up the lips, adding volume. At one point, collagen was considered the go-to injectable for lip augmentation, but times are changing.
Today hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm are the gold standard for lip augmentation. These fillers tend to plump up the lips for three to six months. By contrast, collagen injections to the lips last only three to four months and require a skin allergy test. Some hyaluronic acid fillers such as Hylaform require an allergy test, but others do not.
A lip plumping option in the filler arena with virtually no risk of allergic reaction is Autologen, or autologous human collagen. This involves extracting collagen from another area of your body and injecting it into your lips. Unlike other collagen injectables that are derived from animals, there is no risk of allergic reaction with Autologen, so no allergy test is required. Dermatogen, which uses collagen from corpses to plump your lips, also does not require an allergy test.
Another injectable option for lip augmentation involves fascia, which is a specific type of connective tissue that is harvested either from your own body or that of a cadaver. Fascia can also be implanted surgically. It is often reabsorbed by your body within a year.
Fat Lips?
Fat injections to the lip can also play a role in lip augmentation. In this scenario, fat is harvested from an area of your body where it is plentiful, such as your own thighs or abdomen, and then re-injected into your lips. Sounds simple enough, but there are risks, including the possibility that if you put on weight your lips may bear the brunt of it, as there are now fat cells there. The results are also unpredictable because some of the fat that is injected into the lips may die, so deciding on the correct amount to inject is tricky. Fat injections may also result in lumps, bumps and scars on your lips. These risks are increased when fat injections are performed by unskilled practitioners.
Permanent Plumpers
Most available injectables for lip augmentation are temporary, but a few promise permanent results. They include Artefill and liquid silicone injections. However, liquid silicone injections are fraught with controversy, and their use in lip augmentation is off-label and not advised at this time.
Artefill (formerly Artecoll) is made from polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres that are suspended in a mixture that includes lidocaine and bovine (cow) collagen. Other fillers, such as Radiesse and Sculptra Aesthetic are not right for lip augmentation.
The best way to choose the right injectable for your lip enhancement procedure, should you decide to go that route, is to consult a qualified and experienced practitioner. There is no one-size-fits-all injectable for lip augmentation.
Recovery after lip augmentation with injections typically lasts just a few days. Expect some degree of bruising, swelling and pain. This can be minimized with ice packs and certain approved painkillers. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen are a no-no because they can increase risk of bleeding and bruising. Recovery may be more involved if your lip augmentation is done in combination with other facial rejuvenation procedures such as full face fat transfer or facelift.
Risks may include prolonged swelling, inflammation and lumps or bumps (nodules) in the lips and or dissatisfaction with the results.
Laser Lip Rejuvenation
Another lip enhancement option is laser lip rejuvenation. Some doctors will use a combination of different lasers to tighten and remodel the natural collagen and elastic tissue beneath your lips. These lasers may also zap away lipstick lines, lip lines and lip wrinkles — all signs of aging on the lips. Sometimes laser lip rejuvenation can be done in tandem with injectables to also plump up the lips.
Lip Augmentation: Implants
Lip augmentation surgery with implants is another option. For example, local flap grafts involve taking tissue and skin from the inside flap of your mouth to create an implant. Today, some surgeons are creating a lip implant using parts of the muscles that run along the side of your neck, as well as the connective tissue (fascia) that covers these muscles. The skin and muscle used in these can be removed during a face-lift.
Other lip implant options include Alloderm, Gortex and Softform. These are typically tube-shaped implants that eventually become one with your natural lip tissues. They are inserted through small incisions inside the corners of your mouth or along the upper line of your lip.
A lip augmentation procedure with implants is typically done on an outpatient basis, and can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours depending on the technique used and the extent of the lip augmentation. Local anesthesia is typically used, but a local along with intravenous sedation (where you are awake but not fully aware) is also an option.
You will need someone to drive you home after lip augmentation with implants. There will likely be some swelling for one or two days, and your surgeon will give you instructions on talking and chewing. Most people who have surgical lip augmentation can resume normal activities within seven to 10 days. To make your recovery as comfortable as possible, make sure you have ice packs, comfortable pillows and soft foods that do not require chewing available.
All surgeries have risks. Risks of lip augmentation with implants may include bleeding, problems related to anesthesia, infection that may require implant removal, allergic reaction to the implant, lip ulcers or sores, lip asymmetry, numbness or nerve damage (transient) and/or implant hardening, which may result in implant removal.
Lip Augmentation Cost
Insurance may cover lip augmentation if the procedure is reconstructive in nature, but if it is done solely for cosmetic reasons, you and you alone are responsible for the total cost. Discuss finance or payment plans with your doctor if it is too much to pay all at once.
Lip augmentation can cost anywhere from $300 for a collagen injection to $5,000 for lip rejuvenation surgery with implants. Sometimes lip augmentation is done in conjunction with other facial plastic surgery procedures, such as injectables to eradicate smile lines, which can add to the cost.
All About Facial Rejuvenation provides individuals with a number of articles about facial plastic surgery procedures, including eyelid lift surgery and rhinoplasty surgery. In addition, non-surgical treatments are covered, such as Dysport and Botox injections.
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