Full, luscious lips denote youthfulness and sensuality, and are coveted by celebrities and ordinary women alike. Unfortunately, like many other areas of the face, the lips begin to lose their volume as we age, growing thin and lusterless. A once beautiful smile can be marred by lips that have lost their definition, causing a patient to feel self-conscious and frustrated with their appearance.
Lip augmentation is a popular and ultra successful procedure for restoring the plumpness and vitality to the lips, making clients feel sexy again. Treatments range from enlarging the lips through implants, to fat transfers, and the use of dermal fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm. The key to beautiful, voluminous lips, however, is moderation; over-correction can backfire. Therefore only a talented, experienced surgeon who specializes in facial plastic surgery should undertake the procedure.
HOW DOES LIP AUGMENTATION WORK?
Eschewing lip implants, Dr. Shabdiz favors the less invasive, non-surgical approach of lip augmentation facilitated by injectable dermal fillers like Restylane or Juvederm. Both fillers contain hyaluronic acid, a hydrating, volume-enhancing compound found naturally in the body’s soft tissue. Although they do not offer permanent augmentation, lip fillers tend to cause less swelling or bruising, and are easier to control since they can be injected incrementally until precise results are achieved.
Patients are given local anesthesia or a numbing gel, after which the doctor will mark the injections sites with a special cosmetic pen. Depending on the amount of plumpness and volume desired, either one syringe or two will then be injected along the vermilion lip border. The needles used are exceptionally thin and painless, and are in and out so quickly that most patients do not even realize the procedure is over. The entire treatment is performed at Dr. Shabdiz’s office, with clients returning to their normal routines the same day.
RECOVERY FROM LIP AUGMENTATION
The 3Rs of any cosmetic treatment are risks, recovery, and results. When it comes to the lip augmentation procedure, patients will be happy to note that this treatment is one of the safest and easiest to perform cosmetic treatments available.
Minor bruising, pain, swelling and minor bleeding are common post-procedure. But these will reduce a few hours after the treatment. Pain medication may be provided to you by Dr. Faramarz Shabdiz, based on how well you recover. If taken care of, the newly enhanced lips will be infection-free and healthy.
Patients will need to be careful when moving their mouths and performing functions like chewing and talking for a few days after the procedure. Complete recovery takes about a week and it takes another week or two for the results to properly show. The results of the lip augmentation treatment can last up to 6 months.
