Patients seeking lip surgery generally fall into two groups. The first are younger women who want to add volume to their lips in order to get a bigger pout. The classic technique for doing this involves injecting filler into the border around the lip. The second group consist of older people who want to recreate the youthful appearance they have lost with age. Lips not only get thinner as we age, but the shape of the lip also changes – they tend to get flatter, the cupid’s bow loses definition and the corners of the mouth turn downwards. In a lip rejuvenating procedure the volume loss is addressed along with a reshaping of the lips creating the illusion of a lift.
Different procedures:
Collagen
Once the most common dermal filler, collagen is used less often today because the newer options are deemed safer and the effects last longer.
Fat transfer
Fat is harvested from places on the body where it can be spared and it is either injected or surgically placed into the lips.
Dermal fillers
There are many types of dermal fillers that can be injected into the lips and around the mouth, but the most common fillers are products that contain substances similar to hyaluronic acid – a natural substance found in the body, which can help increase volume in the lips.
Restylane, a non-animal, clear gel that is believed to be very similar to the hyaluronic acid found naturally in the body. The substance usually lasts six months and, sometimes, longer.
Juvederm is chemically close to Restylane but some surgeons report the former is slightly smoother to inject.