Of the many treatments with filling agents available, lip augmentation is among the most popular. However, many of our Toronto and Mississauga patients express concern over not wanting to look too big, puffy, or “ducky”, and definitely not wanting sausage lips. We’ve all seen them, those overly enhanced, obviously artificial lips from the “real Housewives” TV shows. The most important way to avoid the overdone or unnatural look is to work with your natural lip shape.
If you already have full lips, they will be easy to enhance with moderate amounts of filler, and will be unlikely to look too huge even with a sizeable amount. While it is possible to “tweak” the shape, for example, the cupids bow can be enhanced somewhat, don’t aim to create a significant cupids bow if you don’t already have one at all. Generally, a good shape is achieved by placing progressively smaller amounts of filler as one goes from the middle to the outside of the lip.
Maintain proportion between upper and lower lip. Sometimes patients ask for only the upper or lower to be injected, but proportion is everything. It is often necessary to put at least a small amount in the both upper and lower so that they compliment each other.
Small lips should not be injected with too much filler. It’s better to aim for definition and contouring along the border of the lip as opposed to lots of filler in the meat of the lip. A bit of “out-turn” of a tiny upper lip can sometimes be achieved by injection with a cannula in the meat of the under side of the lip, or by injecting the area above the lip with a tiny amount of Botox. Toronto and Mississauga patients are reminded again that going with small amounts is very important. The cannula method also has the advantage of being much more comfortable. It is often better to use a small amount at the first treatment and return for more if you need it.
Remember, lips are one of the most difficult areas to inject well, and even very experienced cosmetic injectors can’t read minds, and it’s not always easy to give patients exactly what they envisioned. Even small changes in one’s lips can sometimes initially appear huge to you, even when the changes are actually very subtle. Sometimes swelling in the first few days after injection can also exaggerate the result, but this usually will settle down on its own.
Juvéderm® Volbella™ is a very desirable lip enhancer, in that swelling is typically minimal. The soft consistency of Volbella leads to a very natural look and feel, with no lumps or bumps, and it is thought to last as long as a year, which is considerably longer than most lip fillers. Some patients report the numbing agent in the product also takes effect quickly, making it very comfortable. Many patients who have tried other filling agents in the past, but were not happy because of “sausage lips”, discomfort, or bumps find they are much happier with the shape and feel of Volbella.
If you are interested in learning more about lip injection, or Juvederm Volbella, contact us for a consult. In Toronto call (416) 207-9090, in Mississauga (905) 273-3045.
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