The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery predicts that 2014 is going to see lip augmentations trending. If you hate your thin, narrow lips or want better definition of your lip’s natural contours, discover the procedure that have many men and women heading to their facial plastic surgeon’s office for help.
Options for Lip Augmentation
Patients have several options when it comes to lip augmentation. Each offers its own benefits, so it’s important to weigh them carefully when deciding how you want to enhance your lips. Depending on the procedure, expect the entire lip augmentation to take anywhere from 30 minutes for injections up to two hours for implants.
Collagen is one option for adding volume and contour to your lips. Collagen is found naturally in the skin. Typically, collagen available through a facial plastic surgeon is taken from bovine tissue. You will need an allergy test prior to the injections to ensure that your body doesn’t adversely react to the product. Injections involve a very fine needle, and it’s immediately apparent that your lips have developed more contour. Expect the results of collagen injections to last anywhere from three to six months. At that point, you need additional injections to maintain the fuller appearance.
Fat transfer involves a two-stage procedure. The first step is liposuction to draw fat from a fattier area of your body, such as your abdomen or buttocks. That fat is then prepared and added to syringes for injection into your lips. The results are instantly noticeable and the fat cells become a permanent addition to your lips.
Juvederm is a hyaluronic acid filler that boosts volume in your lips and also encourages collagen production within your tissue. This dermal filler has a lifespan of up to a year before your body absorbs it and touch-up injections are needed to maintain the fullness.
Finally, lip implants are a permanent solution that requires a surgical procedure. Lip implants do require a surgical incision to be made, and then silicone implants are inserted into the upper and/or lower lip. This is a permanent lip augmentation, but as there are incisions that need time to heal, there is a short recovery period.
Recovering from Lip Augmentation
Regardless of the procedure used, patients do often say their lips feel bruised or swollen following lip augmentation. This does dissipate quickly. For injections and dermal fillers, you should be able to return to normal routines immediately, but lip implants require you to take a few days off and rest at home before returning to work.
To really get the full, kissable lips you desire, it is important to communicate with your facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Robert Kessler is a board certified facial plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, CA. He meets with every patient during a consultation to make sure your goals match his. Read more about Dr. Kessler’s philosophy prior to your consultation. Schedule a lip augmentation consultation at Kessler Plastic Surgery by calling 949.644.6544.
