Lip augmentation: methods, types of injections, side effects

Why are lips enlarged?

There are several main reasons:

• age-related changes;
• volume loss
• initially insufficient lip volume;
• inappropriate or undesirable form;
• asymmetry;
• the appearance of “purse-string” wrinkles;
• drooping corners of the lips.

As a rule, lip augmentation occurs simultaneously with correction of their shape. The cosmetic procedure allows you to get plump, voluminous lips with a beautiful contour, lift the corners of your mouth, and smooth out the skin around you. The correction eliminates even small wrinkles above the upper lip. A number of procedures help to moisturize, eliminate dryness and flaking of delicate skin. However, you don’t have to have any aesthetic problems to make your lips bigger. Only the client's desire is enough.

How can you enlarge your lips?

The shape and thickness of the lips depends on the condition of the orbicularis oris muscle and the volume of loose connective tissue. If there is not enough of it, the mouth appears thin and the beautiful M-shaped curve above the upper lip, called the “Cupid's bow,” is missing. To adjust the shape and volume, different techniques are used. There are three most common options:

• Use of botulinum toxins;
• Filler injections;
• Enlargement with gels.

Botulinum toxins - Botox, Xeomin, Dysport

Injections of drugs containing botulinum toxin do not enlarge lips. They work differently: the active substance has a paralytic effect on small facial muscles, gently and naturally blocking their activity. You still have lively and natural facial expressions, but creases and folds disappear. The muscles relax, which is why it seems that the lips have become a little different in shape. In fact, they remain the same. If you want to get rid of purse string wrinkles, Botox, Xeomin or Dysport are suitable. But if your goal is to make your lips fuller, it is better to pay attention to other methods.

Contour plastic with fillers

The most common method of enlargement. Fillers - special gels based on hyaluronic acid - are injected into the lips. This allows you to get the desired lip shape, increase volume, and make the skin moisturized and smooth. Modern manufacturers produce fillers that take into account all the features of the delicate lip area, so the procedure usually goes without complications.

Hyaluronic acid is produced in the human body, so compatibility problems most often do not arise. After some time - most often from 8 to 12 months - it is naturally eliminated from the body. Lips return to their natural shape. The procedure can be repeated, maintaining the volume you like.

In our clinic, augmentation is performed using fillers.

Lip augmentation with gels

A filler based on hyaluronic acid can also be called a gel - then all the information indicated above is relevant. Synthetic non-absorbable gels are considered an outdated technique, and the risks of negative consequences are high, because there are no certified preparations based on biopolymer gel. And those that exist at the moment, although cheaper, are manufactured illegally. At the Cleo Line cosmetology center, only certified legal drugs and techniques are used. For contouring, fillers based on hyaluronic acid are used.

Lip augmentation - what is it?

Hyaluronic acid lip injection is the injection of stabilized hyaluronic acid into the lip area.

Stabilized hyaluronic acid is a stitched synthetic material. Between the molecules of such hyaluronic acid, adhesion occurs, as a result of which the molecules are not removed from the body for a long time.

This type is used for contour plastic surgery. Hyaluronic acid is not foreign to the human body, because it is synthesized by the body and therefore its administration does not have a harmful effect. The substance introduced gradually dissolves and the sponges become natural; the period of elimination from the body lasts from 8 months or more. Gradually, the lips regain their original appearance.

Efficiency

Injections into the lips with hyaluronic acid are carried out under sterile conditions; during the procedure, the rules of asepsis and antiseptics must be observed; the procedure is carried out only with sterile gloves and after treating the injection site with a disinfectant twice. The doctor introduces the gel in small portions, gradually distributing it to the lip correction areas. Pumped lips look very attractive: asymmetry disappears, lips become plump. When using technology, the doctor uses different techniques, which can result in different forms.

An injection of hyaluronic acid into the lips can not only give shape, but also moisturize . One hyaluronic acid molecule attracts 200 water molecules. As a result, your lips will always be moisturized.

After the filler is placed, the lips will contain a foreign body, which will lead to an acceleration of local metabolism . Metabolic processes in the lip tissues accelerate, the active production of their own collagen and elastin begins, which leads to lip rejuvenation.

Indications for use

Injections of hyaluronic acid into the lips are recommended for patients with:

• thin lips;
• faint contours;
• asymmetrical, irregular shape;
• age-related defects (wrinkles, ptosis, tissue degeneration, drooping corners);
• dry skin in the lip area.

Contraindications

When performing a lip augmentation procedure, the cosmetologist must familiarize the patient with contraindications to avoid complications:

• pregnancy and lactation;
• autoimmune diseases and oncology;
• diabetes;
• allergies and intolerance to the drug;
• taking anticoagulants;
• feverish condition;
• blood disease;
• viral disease;
• herpes in the acute stage.

The procedure should be canceled during menstruation, as well as in the presence of general weakness.

Side effects

The most common side effects are:

• swelling at the injection site;
• bruises;
• pain;
• redness;
• balls, lumps;
• herpes.

These phenomena are temporary. Redness disappears after 3 hours, pain goes away in 1-2 days, swelling subsides in 2-3 days, bruises disappear in 4 days. Balls and lumps should be kneaded with light massaging movements. If herpetic rashes appear in the lip area, you should take antiviral drugs.

Serious side effects that may occur:

• asymmetry;
• fibrosis;
• mass seals;
• contouring.

Coping with problems will be achieved by correcting the result. With a small dose of the administered substance, there may be no effect.

How is lip contouring done?

Before starting the procedure, the specialist conducts a consultation: determines the desired shape of the lips, talks about other effects that can be achieved (getting rid of wrinkles above the upper lip, lifting the corners of the mouth).

Then the doctor determines the area of ​​correction and treats the skin with an antiseptic. If necessary, an anesthetic is applied: this way contour plastic surgery is tolerated more comfortably and does not cause discomfort.

In front of you, the specialist opens the package of a disposable syringe with the drug, then injects the filler evenly into the upper and lower lip, making several injections to evenly distribute the gel filler.

Preparation

Before the procedure, it is recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol and blood thinners. If you have previously had herpes on your lips, you should consult your doctor and possibly take a course of antiviral medications. No further special preparation is required.

Recovery period

Within 1-2 weeks after the procedure, there may be slight swelling in the correction area, as well as bruising and swelling. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Follow the recommendations of your restoration specialist to speed up the healing process of your lips.

Care after contouring

• After injecting hyaluronic acid into your lips, carefully monitor the area where the filler was injected;
• In the first days, it is worth limiting the consumption of spicy, salty and hot foods so as not to cause swelling of the tissues;
• To relieve swelling, soothing masks should be used;
• You cannot visit the sauna, solarium or bathhouse for one week;
• Peels and scrubs should be postponed for two weeks;
• Massage can be resumed only after 1 month;
• If herpes appears after injections into the lips with hyaluronic acid, then you should take the drug acyclovir.

Healing period

Lip injections with hyaluronic acid

After the procedure, lips become voluminous. As a result of the introduction of a foreign substance into the body, swelling appears, which is considered natural and goes away after 23 days. On days 5-10, the lips take on their real appearance, and the swelling subsides.

The result after the procedure lasts 6-12 months. After this period, the lips regain their original appearance, the skin does not stretch at the place where the filler was placed.

To prevent complications, a cosmetologist may recommend taking:

• antibiotics;
• antihistamines;
• antiviral drugs;
• heparin-based drugs.

Effect of the procedure

The result becomes visible immediately after correction. Lips acquire greater volume and change shape. The corners of the mouth are lifted and fine wrinkles are smoothed out. The face no longer looks tired and sad. In addition, hyaluronic acid helps moisturize the lips and the skin stops flaking. Soft, full, well-defined, symmetrical lips will delight you for a long time.

How long does the result last?

As a rule, the effect lasts for 8-12 months. Gradually, the filler dissolves, naturally dissolves in the body and is eliminated without external intervention.

How often should the procedure be repeated?

If you want to maintain the effect of lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid for a long time, you can repeat the procedure after removing the filler from the body. Also, specialists can make additional corrections 2-3 months after the initial increase if you have not received the desired volume.

Types of drugs

Various fillers are used to enhance lips. The most commonly used fillers are hyaluronic acid. For filling, gels with different densities, compositions and concentrations are used. A cosmetologist will help you make the right choice.

The most commonly used drugs are:

• Restylane;
• Juvederm;
• Surgiderm;
• Princesses;
• Filorga;
• Belotero;
• Teosial;
• Matridex;
• Reginines.

The cosmetologist selects the filler according to the patient’s wishes, at the appropriate cost.

Side effects

If the procedure is performed correctly, there should be no side effects - lip contouring is safe. However, in rare cases, unwanted complications still appear. It could be:

• loss of sensitivity in the injection area;
• the appearance of pigmentation at the injection sites of filler;
• temporary disruption of vascular function;
• change in skin texture in the filler injection area;
• gel penetration under the skin;
• the appearance of granulomas - tiny “nodules” on the surface of the skin.

If you notice any complication, do not try to “straighten” the filler yourself and wait, for example, for the return of sensitivity. Contact your doctor immediately.

Myths about lip augmentation

There are many myths around the procedure. We dispel the most popular ones.

1. After the procedure, I will have lips like Angelina Jolie. No - unless you want it yourself. The shape and volume are selected individually for each client. The correction can be done as unnoticeably and naturally as possible.
2. Contour plastic surgery can be cheap. The cost of the procedure consists of the payment for the services of a qualified specialist and the price of the filler. We work only with high-quality, safe and certified drugs: they simply cannot cost 3-4 thousand rubles. Accordingly, the procedure is more expensive.
3. After lip augmentation, the lips will not become the same. They will become so in about a year. The injections are carried out with a very thin needle, the specialist does not violate the anatomical features of the tissues. Therefore, if you get tired of the volume, don’t worry: in a year your lips will look the same as before the augmentation. The process can be accelerated by introducing a special enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid.
4. The denser the filler, the longer it will last. This is not true. The densest preparations are usually intended for correction of other areas: cheekbones, chin, face as a whole. For lips, special products with less density are used. At the same time, they last the same amount of time, but they feel absolutely natural.
5. Lip augmentation is dangerous. Again, this is not true. If you have chosen a qualified, experienced doctor who follows the technology of drug administration and uses certified and safe fillers, the risk of complications is minimal.

What before and after results can you get?

The injection method of lip augmentation has many advantages.

First, of course, is the correction of shortcomings. With the help of hyaluronic acid, you can remove lip asymmetry, get rid of imperfections, and fill out wrinkles. All unevenness and defects of the lips will disappear, the lips will become smooth and plump.

Secondly, this is lip augmentation. Your lips will become plump and juicy, and most women will envy you. A face with full lips will look much more beautiful, you will get a completely new look for yourself. In addition, your lips will be moisturized, and they will remain moisturized throughout the entire period of action of the drug. Hyaluron is a biodegradable substance found in the body that does an excellent job of moisturizing the lips.

This procedure is absolutely safe for the body, you will not experience any complications, the drug will definitely take root. The procedure leaves no traces, no scars. This is a completely invisible procedure. In addition, there is no allergy to hyaluron, since it is contained in the body. If you don’t like the result, then you don’t have to walk around with ugly lips - you can inject another drug that breaks down hyaluron, it will return your lips to their previous appearance. Removing hyaluron is as easy as introducing it.

How to safely enlarge lips at home

There are two ways to enlarge your lips at home - albeit only temporarily. This is makeup and gymnastics. They do not change the volume of the lips, but create an enlargement effect.

Makeup

With the help of cosmetics, you can create the effect of fuller and more clearly defined lips: for this, special makeup techniques are used, and lipstick or tint is often applied outside the natural contour. The effect lasts until the cosmetics are washed off or smeared. The method is suitable for a one-time visual lip enlargement, but strong asymmetry or age-related changes cannot be masked this way.