Dr. Bonnie Marting
If we’re brutally honest with ourselves, most of us were not blessed with naturally full, gorgeous lips like the ones adoring Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johanssen. And the worst part is, as we age- lips only get thinner. So, what’s a girl to do? Most people, especially men, are fascinated by lips. The mouth historically has been associated with sexuality and reproduction. In early Egyptian records it’s been reported that Cleopatra wore bright colored lipstick to entice Julius Caesar with her red luscious lips. Times haven’t really changed much since then.
Lips come in all shapes and sizes. Following our teen years, our lips begin to lose their fullness and volume. This depletion continues throughout adulthood, until depending on our age- we can be left with mere lines adorning our faces.
Thankfully we can alter this process and re-create the youthful full lips we had as a teenager. The best time to alter this is when the volume loss begins. As in the picture below, a more pronounced Cupid’s bow was immediately achieved with Restylane.
You can also acquire more upturned corners, and a fuller pout on the bottom lip (commonly referred to as a bee sting).
Both Juvederm and Restylane (the preferred fillers for lips) are products made of hyaluronic acid. This is something your body already naturally contains. A gel form of this hyaluronic substance is injected into the lips and because the body recognizes the material, it absorbs it and allows it to remain for an extended period of time. A treatment may last from 6 months to a year.
Should you try it? If you want fuller lips and a more pronounced shape, I say definitely yes. But please make sure you find a skilled injector and ask to see the before and after pictures of previous patients. You want confidence in knowing they can place the Restylane or Juvederm precisely to give you the look you desire.
What should you not try? I don’t recommend implants or injectable silicone. I strongly advise you to stay away from both of these options. You only need to look in a fashion magazine to see some real Celebrity horror shows who have received lip implants and silicone. The possibility of ending up with duckbills is real. And if it’s done wrong, it might not be easy (or even possible) to remove.
Most importantly, ask yourself if you’d like to have a fuller pout and pucker. If so, give it a try. It’s easy, fast and relatively painless. You will see the results immediately! And that isn’t lip service. That’s a fact!
