Lip enhancement can help you achieve the plump, fuller
looking lips that you desire. Lip volume can be enhanced with injectable
fillers such as collagen or with natural or artificial implants placed
surgically inside your lips. Lip surgery can also improve projection and
fullness.
How lip enhancement is performed
Lip enhancement can be achieved with injectable fillers, implants,
or lip surgery.
Injectable fillers
are a popular way to increase lip volume quickly and easily. Your doctor will
apply a numbing cream to your lips or inject anesthesia directly. Then a long
needle is inserted into your lips at the corners of your mouth and the filler
is slowly injected. Fillers can be made of natural collagen, fat harvested from
your own body, or other chemicals such as hyaluronic acid that promote natural
collagen growth. Different fillers have different longevities and
effectiveness.
Surgical implants
are a more permanent means of lip enhancement, although they can be removed
later if you wish. Your doctor will numb your lips using local anesthesia and
make two small incisions at the corners of your mouth. The implant is then
placed inside your lip using specially curved pliers. The implant looks like a
narrow worm, and can be made of artificial materials like Gore-Tex or natural
tissues like muscle or cartilage harvested from your body.
Lip advancement,
lift, and roll surgery improves projection and fullness using small
incisions above and below the lips to lift and turn them outwards. Your surgeon
will numb your lips with local anesthesia and make small v-shaped incisions
above and below your lips. Excess skin is removed and the incisions are then
stitched into a y-shaped pattern to pull on your lips and make them project
more and appear fuller.
Recovery and results
After injectable fillers you may want to take one to two
days off to recover, depending on how much filler was used. Your results will
be immediate, but temporary swelling may distort your final look. Lip fillers
aren’t permanent, and you may need touch-up sessions in a year or so.
Lip implants can require three days off of work and up to two
weeks for a full recovery. You’ll have to stick to soft foods and avoid
exercise while you heal. Your results will be immediate and permanent, although
you can have the implants removed later.
After lip enhancement surgery you’ll have pain
and discomfort around your incisions, but this should fade in several weeks.
Your stitches will be taken out after a week and you can use makeup or lipstick
to hide the incisions while they heal. Your results will be immediate and
permanent.