Juvederm, Juvederm Ultra Plus, and Restylane are excellent treatments for lip augmentation when done properly and conservatively. Subtle injections maintaining the normal anatomy of the lips can result in very natural appearing, plumper lips. It is also a great treatment for patients with a "gummy" smile. That is people whose lips don't cover their gums when smiling. However, there are some key points to understand when undergoing lip augmentation with fillers.
- Lips have a natural anatomy: The upper lip is composed of 3 segments. There is a central tubercle (a pout) that extends further down than the rest of the upper lip. There are two indentations on either side of the tubercle, as the lip then tapers with lateral lip elements on both sides of the tubercle. The lower lip is composed of 2 segments or "pillows" separated by a central indentation. It is very important that these structures be maintained when augmenting lips. If not a "sausage" type appearance can occur with the lip being one big tubular structure than is not very appealing. In addition, the lower lip should be slightly bigger than the upper lip.
- Conservative approach is the key: A slight augmentation of relatively plump lips can result in a beautiful natural appearance. However, trying to pump up very thin lips into Angelina Jolie lips can be quite disasterous and deforming. Adding volume to thin lips in a conservative fashion (again maintaining the anatomical structures) is the result you should be looking for.
- Communicate with your doctor: Some people think that injecting fillers is a quick and mindless procedure. If your doctor is quick to inject your lips and doesn't listen to your requests, you may be quite unhappy with the result. Make sure you and your doctor agree to the result you are trying to achieve.
Lip augmentation with fillers is a very powerful way to improve wrinkles around your mouth, add volume to thinning and aged lips, and decrease the amount of gum show when smiling if done properly. Since it is temporary, it also give you the chance to see if something more permanent, like fat grafting, is something you may want to pursue.
