Luscious Lips

Lip enhancement is a minor cosmetic procedure which can create fuller, plump and luscious lips. Today, there are various soft tissue fillers which can be injected into the lips to generate the plump Angeline Jolene Lips.

The soft tissue fillers include collagen, hyaluronic acid or fat.

These dermal fillers are temporary and to maintain the plump and luscious lips, repeat injections are necessary.

Despite what the surgeons claim, the majority of these dermal fillers last anywhere from 3-12 months.

Silicone was used in the past to augment lips but it use is limited. It produces permanent lip enlargement, however, its side effects have limited its use

There are newer and permanent lip implants which include AlloDerm and SoftForm. These require small skin incisions at the corners of the mouth to insert the implant

Lip Enhancement Techniques:

The majority of soft tissue fillers can be injected and just one injection will produce the desired result. Most temporary fillers can be injected in a matter of minutes. Because the fillers are temporary, repeat treatments are required in the future.

Permanent lip implants require a little more time because of the need to make small surgical incisions. Implants, such as AlloDerm are inserted through tiny incisions inside the corners of the mouth. Once the AlloDerm implant is in place, it eventually becomes integrated with normal tissue. Gore-Tex, SoftForm and soft ePTFE are other synthetic implant options.

Soft tissue filler used to augment the lips include:

- Autologen (no longer available)

- Dermalogen ? this is processed collagen derived from a donor

- Fascia - connective tissue that is more durable than collagen and lasts a lot longer

- HylaForm or Restylane - substances made from hyaluronic acid and provide the best consistency in the lips

- Radiance - involves injection of crystalline calcium hydroxyapatite

- Fat: fat may be derived from the patient's thigh or abdomen and injected. It has a habit of causing unevenness in the lips

To get the most luscious plump lips, seek a surgeon with experience with a variety of products. Let the surgeon decide what is best for you.

Never undergo a permanent lip implant first before trying out a temporary filler.