Lip
Rejuvenation
& Lip
Enhancement

The Scientific Stuff

Many of us are destined to have small narrow lips because of our heritage and family traits of facial features. In addition, injuries, scarring and cold sores can physically damage and distort the lips. Aging will also have its negative effects on the lips with reduced volume, loose wrinkled skin and vertical lip lines forming as we age. Loss of fat and changes in the dental structure over time will also impact on the mouth area.

The Good Stuff

Hyaluronic Acid can be injected into the lips and around the mouth to re-volumise the lips, improve the lip shape and correct poor skin texture to reduce fine lip lines and bleeding vertical lip lines. Dermal fillers are hyaluronic acid gels, which can be injected into the skin to fill out wrinkles & deep skin folds, correct depressed scars, enlarge or reshape the lips and enhance the size of the cheeks or chin. They are Non-Permanent/Temporary fillers composed of Non-Animal Stabilised Hyaluronic Acid, which is a stable biodegradeable substance that naturally metabolises out of the body over time.

As well as enhancing, reshaping and volumising the lips it is often necessary to use Hydrating Textural Injections or Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) to hydrate and smooth out crepey skin and improve very fine lines on and around the lips. These textural injections are not filling in their nature but help to restore the skins hydration and elasticity.

Your cosmetic practitioner will spend several minutes going over the problems that need to be addressed and what you expect to get from the treatment. Rest assured we will work with you to create beautiful natural looking lips and correct the signs of aging.

What You Need To Know

There are several competing companies that produce dermal fillers. Each company also has different types of fillers available. There are thin fillers that can be injected in the most superficial layers of the skin i.e. just underneath the surface in fine bleeding lip lines. There are fillers that are moderately thick that can be injected a little deeper to enhance and reshape the lips. Then there are thicker fillers that can be injected deeper still to give maximum volume to the lips. Several different types of dermal filler may be advised to improve and enhance the lip and mouth area. The amount of filler required will depend upon your own expectations and the extent of the problems needed to be corrected and enhanced. It is sometimes not possible to get a full correction in the first treatment. Further treatments over a period of time to gradually fill up the area are often the only way to achieve optimum results. This 'layering' of filler in an area by repeating the treatment over a few weeks to achieve the final effect, has been shown to increase the longevity of the filler and therefore prolong the final result. Further injections of filler can be done at a 'correctional treatment' and in most cases only a small amount is required at that treatment. This is particularly true for vertical lip lines and fine lines around the mouth because they are a result of movement and this movement will remain. Dermal fillers will naturally metabolise away over approximately 6-8 months depending on the type of filler used and the amount injected.

What I Need To Tell You

Lip treatments involve the injection of dermal fillers into and around the lips. It usually takes 45 minutes to enhance the lips and rejuvenate the skin around the mouth. These injections are mildly uncomfortable and although the majority of dermal fillers contain a local anaesthetic agent, many people prefer the added pain relief from a local anaesthetic injection that is very similar to that done for dental treatments. This will take a few seconds to do and ensures a completely pain free treatment. If small wrinkles around the lips and mouth are injected a local anaesthetic cream may be applied 45 minutes prior to the treatment instead of or in addition to the local anaesthetic injections. All anaesthetics wear off fully after several minutes. Any mild discomfort associated with lip enhancement treatments is over in a few seconds and is quickly forgotten when you see the result – it never stops our clients from coming back and trust me, it is worth it!

Unfortunately, everything we put on, in or expose our body to has a potential side effect. Luckily, any side effects from this treatment are extremely rare. It is not possible to be allergic to the active ingredient in temporary dermal fillers but it is rarely possible to have an allergic reaction to the preservatives used to stabilize those fillers, which can lead to prolonged local swelling and redness. It is possible to get bruising from the injection. Of course any bruising will clear completely within 1-10 days with no long term effects. Most people look 'puffy' in the treated area immediately after. This lasts for about 48 hours. It is usually mild and only noticeable to you or friends who know you.

To ensure the best results and reduce any possible complications from these injections it is important that you follow the aftercare instructions given to you by your cosmetic practitioner.