Injected lips. One of the first images many think of when they hear this, is the over exaggerated image of Goldie Hawn in The First Wives Club. The overdone lip image is one that has appeared to take over the media and reality TV. The image of the woman whose lips enter the room 5 minutes before she does.
Lips, a subject very close to my heart. As a woman who has always had a very small Kewpie Doll mouth, I longed for full, pretty lips. The introduction of hyaluronic acid fillers made this all possible! My patients are always surprised to learn that my lips are filled. That’s because, done right, you cannot tell. I must confess, filling lips is one of my favorite treatments. To see a woman’s face light up upon seeing her “after” result is priceless.
Lips are a symbol of youth. As we age, our top lip seems to pull a vanishing act. Sometimes diminishing to a thin, pink line. We can start to develop those pesky looking “smokers lines” around the mouth. Sometimes we are born with asymmetrical lips, with one side being naturally being higher or less full. There are a couple of choices when having your lips filled. For those with lips that may have just lost a bit of their fullness over time, a minimal amount of filler in the lip body, the main pink area, may suffice. Other times, lining of the pink (vermillion) borders and a small amount placed into the lip body is preferred. Have the corners of your mouth started to go south? Filler can assist in this area as well. Filler in the lips lasts approximately 8-12 months.
I have seen lips filled badly, most of us have. I’ve corrected others mistakes. Lips are an art form. You need a good aesthetic eye and an understanding of just what outcome is appropriate and obtainable for that particular patient. I will never have Angelina Jolie lips. I wouldn’t want them. They wouldn’t fit my face.
As always, the key here is subtlety. A soft, natural full lip is the desired outcome.
Let them wonder if Mother Nature really was that good to you!
