Cosmetic Procedures

Lip Augmentation

Full lips are a subconscious indicator of youth. Until our early 30s, the lips produce enough collagen to keep them looking plump and full. Over time, our lips produce fewer collagen cells, causing them to become drier and lines to set in. Lip augmentation is a way to enhance the fullness of the lips and counteract depleting collagen production than begins in the mid 30s.

Who Needs It

Any woman is a candidate for lip augmentation. Some women feel they have lost some of the fullness in their lips, while other women who have always had small lips may want to enhance them.

Preparation

In getting ready for lip augmentation, it is important to know what all of your options and to discuss these options with your physician. Women have the option of permanently enlarging their lips through implants or by using less invasive techniques that plump up the lips for months at a time, such as a collagen injection. Some women like to experiment with a collagen injection before they decide to go ahead with a more permanent technique.

The Surgery

Injections—Collagen is probably one of the most well-known types of lip augmentation. This relatively fast, non-invasive material is injected into the lips with a syringe. The lips are typically overfilled a little, since some of the collagen will be immediately absorbed by the body. In a few weeks, the lips will be at their desired fullness. The look lasts for three to five months.

A fat graft removes a small portion of fat from another place on your body, such as your hip. Generally, the results last about as long as long as a collagen injection, but since the fat comes from your own body, it is less likely to be rejected, and after a few injections, the fat may stay in the lips permanently, ending your need for future injections. The swelling lasts about one week before going down to the desired size.

Another technique, Alloderm, removes cells from the think layer of skin under the epidermis of a donor, and injects it into the lips. Swelling subsides within a week, and after a couple of months, the implants are soft as the surrounding tissue. Alloderm usually lasts one year before it needs to be replaced.

Much like the fat injections, fat grafts are derived from tissue in your own body. The graft is taken from an inconspicuous place such as your hip and is inserted into the lips. The skin helps to nourish the fat making it easier for the body to accept the transplant. One complaint with the fat grafts is that the graft is too hard and occasionally slips out of place and needs to be straightened. Swelling from the implant lasts about a week, and the results are permanent. Another substance that is used as an implant but does not come directly from the body is Gore-Tex, a synthetic material that has been shown to effectively augment the size of the lips. While occasionally the implant slips and needs to be corrected, most people are happy with the results and find that the effects of Gore-Tex are permanent unless surgically removed.ResultsLip augmentation affords patients much flexibility in cost and longevity of results. Consult with your physician to find the best fit for you.