How To Get Luscious Lips

Lip augmentation is fast becoming one of the most common cosmetic procedures being performed today. Both men and women find full plump lips appealing and sexy. Lip augmentation has become refined into a delicate art and the results of injections with dermal fillers are excellent. The dermal fillers are injected as liquids but there are also dermal fillers which are "sheet like" and require skin incisions for placement.

The majority of collagen type derivatives are only temporary and do not last longer than 6-12 months, Today, newer implantable materials have been developed which offer a longer lasting option

Sometimes fat can also be injected into the patient's lips. The fat is obtained from either the buttock area or the abdomen. It is then injected into the lips.

The most important technical consideration in lip augmentation is to place the dermal filler in the desired location to prevent unevenness

Permanent implants like AlloDerm and Gore Tex are inserted into the lips via small incisions made at the corner of the mouth. Once inserted, these materials get incorporated into the surrounding tissues and augment the lip size.

Even though Gore-Tex is made of plastic material, it is well tolerated by the body and is relatively easily inserted into the lips.

After lip augmentation, most individuals can return to work and resume their normal activities within 24-48 hours. However, the complete recovery period is usually about a week.

For individuals who are not yet committed to permanent luscious lips but would like to try out the procedure, the best choice is to select temporary filler like Restylane or Juvederm. These softer dermal fillers produce plump luscious lips and last anywhere from 6-9 months.

Complications of lip implants include:

- allergic reactions

- prolonged redness

- swelling

- itching

- hardness around he lips

- excessive bleeding

- lip asymmetry

- migration of the implant

- extrusion of the implant

Normal swelling and bruising lasts from three days to a week.

Any individual who has allergy to the pre testing collagen product or has allergy to a local anesthetic should not undergo lip augmentation

All individuals with a lip infection, open sore or history of contact dermatitis should wait for the condition to resolve.

Patients with a reaction to the pre-treatment collagen skin test; who have a serious allergy history; or are allergic to lidocaine (a local anesthetic) should not consider lip augmentation.

Treatment is sometimes postponed for patients with active inflammatory skin conditions or with infections.

There is no ideal lip filler and each one has its pros and cons. The best way to determine which dermal filler is best for you is to seek the advice of a cosmetic surgeon who has experience with this type of surgery