Lip Augmentation

We get older, our lips may become wrinkled and lose volume as tissues shrink. Even if you were ssed with beautiful lips, you may find your lips are losing some of their fullness. Facial plastic geons can add volume and smoothness to lips that are too thin, too flat, or too wrinkled. With today's options you can add lip volume that lasts longer than a few hours or days. Temporary and semipermanent injectable substances are available for augmenting your lips, as well as surgical implants, the most lasting solution.

What Is Lip Augmentation?

Cosmetic lip augmentation is a medical procedure to make your lips larger, fuller, and more a tt ractive. The term usually refers to injecting or surgically implanting a substance to smooth, fill out, reshape, and enhance the lips. Some lip augmentation procedures will also help correct wrinkles around the lips. Your procedure may be temporary, semipermanent, or long-lasting.

Lip augmentation may involve the whole lip or only the vermillion - th e visible part of the actual lip, which is of course darker than skin surrounding the mouth.The lip's edge, where it meets the facial skin, is called the vermillion border. The double curve of the upper lip is often referred to as the Cupid's bow.

The type of procedure you have and the materials used will depend on the desired results, your own facial anatomy, and your doctor's experience. You may want to have just one lip augmented, though it's more common to do both lips to ensure the proper proportions.

Lip Augmentation Materials Injectable Fillers

Injectable fillers can give you quick and dramatic results. Bovine collagen (from cow skin) may be the most well-known temporary filler. Collagen from cows and pigs is similar to human collagen - a protein that supports your skin, soft tissues, and bones.

Such temporary fillers can last from a few weeks to several months. If you opt for collagen injections, for example, you'll have to repeat them every couple of months to retain your full-lipped look. That may be a good way to go if you want to experiment with different looks before commi tt ing to a more permanent procedure.

Surgical Implants Synthetic Implants

Synthetic lip implants are the most durable form of lip augmentation. They will plump up your lips without exaggerating their size. It may take you a while to get used to the feeling of solid implants in your lips, though the newest implant products are softer and more flexible than the older types.

Your surgeon will probably use a form of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), a synthetic substance derived from carbon. Gore-Tex ™ and Teflon ™ are well-known ePTFE materials. Newer implants, such as Advanta ™ , are improvements on Gore-Tex implants. Advanta, the leader in soft-tissue implants for the face, is the softest ePTFE implant available and does the best job of integrating with existing facial tissues.

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