What’s your favorite part of your face? Ask any woman, and she’ll probably talk about her eyes or her smile or even her lips. Unfortunately, not all women are blessed with naturally plush lips – either we simply aren’t born with lip volume or the natural aging process has taken some of our volume from us. Thankfully, the experts at DrYoungForever in San Antonio, TX know that permanent lip augmentation treatments are the ideal solution for amping up the volume of your lips.
Women have been doing their best to increase the volume of their lips for hundreds of years and it seems like we’ve tried everything, from capsaicin lip-plumping glosses to darkening the color of the lips with lipstick. But women also have permanent options for altering the shape and fullness of the lips. Permanent Lip augmentation treatments refer to any cosmetic treatment or procedure that fundamentally alters the size, shape, symmetry, or fullness of the lips.
There are a few reasons why women might try lip augmenting treatments. For example, fuller lips will help you look younger, or can even frame your smile better. Fuller lips can also pull off different lip cosmetics, such as lip stains, that are difficult to use on naturally thinner lips. More than anything, many women seek this treatment for the purpose of feeling more confident, desirable, and beautiful.
So, whether it’s your goal to mimic Angelina Jolie’s signature pout or you simply want to pump up the volume of your lips, you will have a few lip augmenting treatments to consider. In fact, at DrYoungForever, we offer several surgical and non-surgical treatments to create pumper and plusher lips.
There a few differences between surgical and non-surgical augmentation treatments. For one thing, surgical treatments tend to last for a longer period of time than non-surgical treatments – and some lip augmenting surgeries can even produce permanent results or results that last for several years. Non-surgical treatments, on the other hand, tend to only last for one or two years at a time, which may be preferable if you aren’t sure lip augmenting treatments are the right solution for you.
Surgical treatments are also more invasive than non-surgical treatments, which usually translates to longer recovery periods after treatment. Surgical treatments may have an increased risk of potential scarring depending on the treatment that is used. Non-surgical treatments, however, are generally lower risk and easier to recover from. If you aren’t sure which form of lip augmenting treatment is right for you, we can help you decide during your consultation.
A lip implant is a surgical lip augmenting treatment that produces permanent results. Implants are made with materials that mimic the texture of the natural lip to create more fullness or alter the shape of the lips entirely. Lip implants are usually only considered for patients who have had success with temporary lip fillers in the past and would like to enjoy treatments that last for a longer period of time.
A fat transfer for the lips is also a surgical procedure. Most cosmetic fat transfers involve removing fat from one area of the body, purifying and distilling the fat, and then injecting the fat into the desired area that needs more volume. In general, more fat is injected than seems necessary due to the fact that some fat cells will die off during the settling period. Fat transfers will produce results that last for several years and that feel like your natural lips.
Juvederm is a dermal filler that is used to restore volume all over the face, including the lips. Juvederm has a special silk-like filler made especially for the lips to restore lost volume, enhance natural volume, and fill in “lipstick lines” on the lips. Juvederm fillers for the lips can also be used around the mouth to fill in small fine lines and wrinkles, such as smoker’s lines or laugh lines.
Restylane is another dermal filler that is used to restore volume in the lips and other areas of the face. Like Juvederm, the special formula in this dermal filler increases volume and even helps your body create its own collagen to prolong the results. Restylane treatments will last for about 10 months, depending on how much filler is necessary for your treatment.
Versa is a newer dermal filler that, like Restylane and Juvederm, is based on a hyaluronic acid formula that helps restore lost volume in the face. Versa is a good first-time option for patients seeking to increase lip volume as the results of this treatment generally only last three to six months. Versa treatments will help you determine whether or not lip augmenting treatments are a good fit for your aesthetic goals.
Patients may also have the option of using Botox to enhance the volume of the lips – or at least appear to enhance the volume of the lips. Botox has recently been put to use relaxing other muscles in the face, such as the muscle along the upper lip that makes the upper lip look tense and thin. People who have a “gummy” smile may benefit from a lip flip, which will create the illusion of fullness on the upper lip without actually altering the shape or volume of the lip.
The lip augmenting treatment that will be used for you will be determined during your consultation. We will examine the condition of your lips and discuss whether or not your volume loss is related to aging. We will also discuss your aesthetic goals. It may be helpful to bring in reference photos so you and your aesthetician can be on the same page for how you want your lips to look at the end of your treatment.
Naturally, there are different ways to augment your lips. If you want to simply add more volume to your lips, then you may not need to think about a specific style. But if you want to also enhance or alter the natural shape of your lips to create artificial fullness, you may want to consider one of the more common augmentation styles used to enhance lip shape. The most popular augmentation styles include:
A classic augmentation involves adding more volume to all five zones of the lips. The goal with the classic style of augmentation is to add volume without necessarily changing the shape of the lips. Usually, all the volume added to each zone is equal so that the lips are not overbalanced.
Rubina is an augmentation style that involves the full expression of all five zones of the lips to create the fullest possible, but most natural-looking, amount of lip volume. Rubina styles are generally tailored to the amount of fullness already in your lips. If one of your lip zones is naturally fuller than others, then the amount of filler used to enhance the lip volume will correspond with that base level of volume.
Cupid is a lip augmenting style that focuses primarily on the Cupid’s bow of the mouth, which is the dip or inverse arch of the upper lip. The Cupid style involves adding more volume to the zones around the Cupid’s bow with the goal of creating a more Gerber-baby like impression of fullness. This augmentation style is a good option for those who have a naturally defined Cupid’s bow or smaller lips.
Pearlique is an augmentation style that concerns the bottom lip. The bottom lip naturally has two tear-drop shaped zones near the middle of the mouth that contain more volume than other areas of the lip. A Pearlique style of enhancement will increase the volume in these two zones to enhance the fullness of the bottom lip. Pearlique augmentation can be done alone or with other styles, such as Cupid or Angelic styles.
The Hollywood style of augmentation is about focusing on the middle three zones of the lips to create a partially-full expression of the mouth. This means that the middle portion of the upper and lower lips are given additional volume, while the remaining zones of the lips are left alone, or are only given partial volume. This is a good option for those who want to enhance the shape of the lips without increasing too much volume.
The Angelic augmentation style is the inverse of the Pearlique. The upper lip has two natural “wings” from the middle of the lip and with this style, those two wings are given more volume to fully express the upper lip. This type of augmentation is ideal for those who have a naturally narrow upper lip or those who have wider lips.
No. Augmentation treatments will not hurt. Whether you are choosing a surgical augmentation or a non-surgical augmentation, you will be given comforting methods during your treatment, such as local anesthesia or topical numbing creams. At most, you may feel sensations similar to that of a flu shot.
The longevity of your results will depend on three factors; the type of method being used for your treatment, your age, and the mobility of your mouth. For example, surgical techniques will last for several years while most non-surgical techniques will last for only a few months. Your age may be a factor due to how quickly fillers or natural volume loss will undo the results of your treatment.
Additionally, the mobility of your mouth or how much you move your mouth may cause fillers or surgical results to break down more quickly; in fact, the mobility of the lips is why dermal fillers will last half the time on the lips as they do on other areas of the face.
Yes. If you aren’t satisfied with the augmentation you have had at our clinic or at another clinic, there are ways to undo the augmentation or even alter the augmentation until you are satisfied with the results. We will be happy to answer any questions about augmentation alteration during your consultation.
Most women – and men – are good candidates for surgical or non-surgical lip augmenting treatments. If you are not happy with the size, shape, or fullness of your lips, then lip augmenting treatments are likely a good option to increase your lip volume and your self-confidence.
Whether you want to capture the plumpness of Hollywood stars or simply increase the natural volume of your lips, permanent lip augmentation treatments come in many different methods and styles to make all of your aesthetic goals come true. If you’re ready for plumper and more youthful-looking lips, contact DrYoungForever in San Antonio, TX to schedule your appointment today!
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