Sacramento Lip Augmentation doctors

Many patients have asked this same astute question over the years.  The good news is we do not see a worsening of lines after the fillers resorb.  In fact, due to the subtle collagen stimulating effect of all injectable fillers, I believe we are better off even after the filler goes away.  This has certainly been the experience in my practice and in my own lips.  ENJOY!

Botox, used very conservatively in the upper lip, will often evert it and make it appear subtly fuller as well as minimize the vertical lines of the upper lip. As mentioned previously, it can make certain "pursing" movements difficult so you should discuss this thoroughly with your doctor. One positive is that since very small amounts of Botox are used, it is quite affordable. In our office, it is almost always less than 125 dollars per treatment.

When performing lip augmentation, which is the injection of fat or fillers into the lips to make them fuller, how do you avoid going too far and creating a scary cartoonish "duck lips" look? First, by going back to art and anatomy. How are lips supposed to look? The upper lip should be smaller than the lower. The top curve should be well defined as is the philtrum (the lines going up toward your nose). The upper lip has three aesthetic units (oblongs) one on each side and one in the middle. The lower lip has two which meet in the middle. There are still more subdivisions: the white line, the vermillion, mucosal, submucosal, corners, but if you get the aesthetic units right you are most of the way there.

In younger women wanting filling, usually these units are better defined than in older women and it is a question of filling them up. In older women often the lips are very thin and you have to create your own aesthetic units. In addition there is more work around the lips than framing and supporting them. Often there are also lipstick lines that need to be dealt with as well. The real key besides having the aesthetic anatomy is knowing when to stop. There is an old saying in plastic surgery: the enemy of good is better. There is always a point when the lips look good (or great) and filling them more can bring down the end product. The aesthetic units are distorted, balance is lost and the patient looks very done. So like a lot of things in life – quit while you’re ahead.