LIP ENHANCEMENT

For ages, a woman's lips have been viewed as a sign of her sensuality. More recently, full, beautiful, luscious lips have become en vogue. Luscious lips are a key element of almost every woman in Hollywood and of almost every photo in the fashion magazines. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with a pair of naturally beautiful lips. Even the few who are usually need a little bit of help to keep them looking so luscious. Over time, sundamage, smoking, and the natural aging process take their toll, and the corners of the mouth begin to droop. The V-shaped area of the upper lip known as Cupid's Bow begins to flatten out and lose its youthful fullness. Vertical wrinkles or Smoker's Lines begin to appear, causing your lipstick to bleed. That once sensual look is gone or greatly diminished.

Thanks to today's many medical advances there is help. Aging lips can be rejuvenated and less full lips can be enhanced.

What are my treatment options?

Lip enhancement and rejuvenation are two of the most frequently requested cosmetic procedures. Your options range from the latest in laser treatments to natural injectable fillers or synthetic implants. All of these fillers are soft, pliable, and have a natural feel.

Which treatment is best for me?

Your surgeon will select the procedure best for you. Every surgeon will have his or her own procedure preferences for a variety of reasons, including the range in shape of each patient's lips and the results desired.

Injectable lip enhancement

Your injectable options include Collagen, Fat Transfer, and Restylane® are options that may be available to you.

Zyderm and Zyplast injectable collagen are used to enhance the natural silhouette of the upper border of the upper lip and Cupid's Bow. They also fill in the vertical lines along the upper lip that often cause lipstick to "bleed" beyond the lip line.

Dermalogen and Fascian are injectable forms of human collagen made from donated skin and recovered by an accredited tissue bank.

Fat Transfer, also called autologous fat transplantation or micro-liposuction, plumps up your lips using fat taken from inconspicuous sites on your body. Fat transfer to the lips is a safe, natural, non-allergenic procedure designed to restore damaged or diminished dermal deficiencies.

Restylane® is synthetic, biodegradable hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body and therefore it also dissolves naturally with time and is integrated into your body's tissues.

What is recovery like?

Following lip enhancement with one of the injectable products, your lips remain swollen for a few hours only. You may return to normal activities the same day. Touch-up treatments may be necessary.

When implants are used for lip augmentation, discomfort is minimal. Small stitches may be used to close the implant site. These stitches will be removed in a few days. Some swelling may last up to a week. Elevating your head and applying cold compresses during the first 24 hours will help keep this to a minimum. Postoperative discomfort can be controlled with medication. Chewing food and brushing your teeth may be a little uncomfortable for a few days. There may be some bruising which can be covered with make-up.

If you are wondering if you could benefit from lip enhancement or rejuvenation, call our office to arrange a consultation.