Lip Augmentation
Lips are a sign of beauty, youth and sensuality. Whether you are looking to enhance your lips of restore the youthful beauty that has been lost with age there are many options.
What Are Lip Fillers?
Among cosmetic procedures, lip augmentation is much sought after. There are three options available to those who want fuller lips – dermal fillers, fat transfer, and lip implants. Dermal fillers and fat transfer are minimally-invasive, while lip implants require surgery.
The most common options for lip enhancement are fillers or your own natural body fat to plump up your lips. A filler procedure takes about 15 minutes and can restore that youthful fullness for approximately 6 months to one year. There are more permanent solutions such as lip lifts or implants.
Of the options available, dermal fillers are the most chosen. There are many fillers on the market like Restylane and Juvéderm. Fillers contain substances like hyaluronic acid, which is found in the body naturally. Hyaluronic acid-based fillers improve the shape and appearance of the lips by adding volume and structure. The effects last about 6-8 months. You will have to get more injections on a regular basis to maintain results.
Benefits of Lip Enhancement
Lip enhancement is great for lips that are thinning with the normal aging process and have lost that youthful fullness. Additionally, lip augmentation can provide better balance to the face complementing many other procedures.
Commonly women seeking lip augmentation have fillers for the deeper folds of the face as well as Botox for forehead, eyebrow, and crow feet areas.
What to Expect During Your Augmentation Procedure?
Lip injections are usually done as an outpatient procedure at the doctor’s office. The injection process is simple and patients don’t have to worry about downtime for recovery. Fillers usually contain a small amount of lidocaine for comfort during the treatment process.
Once injected, the filler will begin to display some initial results that will continue to improve over the course of time. Fillers plump up the lips effectively and reduce wrinkles/lines around the mouth. While not permanent, the effects of fillers can last for 6 months and in some cases, even longer.
Fat transfer is a slightly more involved process. Liposuction may be used to harvest fat from another part of the body. The harvested fat is then processed and injected into the lips. Since fat from the patient’s body is used, it looks and feels natural.
Results last a long time and the chances of an allergic reaction are slim. There are no incisions in this process. Recovery takes about a day or two.
Lip implants require surgery. The implants are made of soft silicone. These offer good results and last many years. It takes about 30 minutes and is done under anesthesia.
For surgery, patients will have to take a couple of days off because they will have bruising and swelling at the site. Icing lips after surgery will keep swelling down.
How Much Does Lip Augmentation Cost?
The cost of lip augmentation varies from patient to patient. Factors that determine the cost are the method used and the overall complexity of the procedure. We’ll discuss your options and the associated costs during a consultation.
Contact Our Office
If you desire fuller, more youthful lips, a lip augmentation can help you reach your aesthetic goals. To learn more about the options available to you, contact our office to schedule your informative consultation with Dr. Stephen Small today.