Lip Enhancement Introduction

Fuller and defined lips has always been a sign of youthfulness and sensuality. Males and females with thin lips that reflect true age and shadow an otherwise youthful appearance are generally the candidates for lip enhancement. Most commonly there have only been two choices for lip augmentation: the injections and surgery. Injections are usually swift, simple and secure but they are generally transitory. The surgical lip enhancements have lasting results; however have a long recovery period. A relatively new technique of Laser Lip Enhancement is now used which gives rapid, reasonable and more lasting results. The recovery phase is short and the swelling and bruising takes around 5 – 15 days to recover from this lip enhancement treatment.
In radiance lip augmentation procedure around 0.8 cc (or as directed by the plastic surgeon) is injected into the lips. The effects are long lasting and recovery is quick and easy. The lips remain a little swollen, inflexible, and sensitive for the first few days after the lip augmentation procedure but after a few days of radiance injections, the lips look fine. In another procedure of permanent lip enhancement, fat is cropped via liposuction, and then this fat is re-injected into the lips on a regular basis. On the other hand, in a single sitting a high quantity can be injected. Along with this, collagen and fibroblasts are motivated. The procedure on a regular basis can make the lip enhancement at least 50% permanent.
Alloderm is giver tissue in which all of the feasible cells are removed. The procedure of alloderm lip enhancement is done under local anesthesia and the tissue is inserted into the body of the lip to enhance the lip volume and is placed into vermilion to refine the lip outline. The implant if combined with softform becomes lasting and if the lip cells grow into the implant, the resultant is a permanent lip enhancement. Another kind of surgery is insertion of hollow tube of Gortex into the lips under local anesthesia. The procedure augments the vermilion border however, the volume of lips remain the same. The lip augmentation is permanent and chances of implant coming out are very rare. A touching up procedure can fix the implant if there is any problem.
Collagen has been used since ages for lip enhancement. However, a skin test must be done before using collagen treatment as it is derived from animal sources and might cause allergy. Collagen is injected into the boundaries of the lips to refine the lip line and in the body of the lip to increment the redness of lip. Re-injections of collagen are needed every few months to maintain the lip enhancement. Another method of lip enhancement is to use Restylene. Restylene is prepared from hyaluronic acid, another basic material in the skin. The hyaluronic acid is cross-linked, thus when inserted into the skin, give a lasting result. However, certain complications such as lip swelling are reported with restylene. Lip Augmentation hurts but it depends upon the technique and product used. Injectables generally hurt less than the implants. The anesthesia and the risks must be discussed prior to the lip enhancement surgery and injections.
Summary: Fuller and clearly outlined lips have always been associated with youthfulness. Lip enhancement via injections and surgery are now used to define the edges and increase the volume of lips.