Many women and more and more men want more lip volume or more pronounced lip edges. A pout is also an ideal of beauty for some people.
However, with increasing age, the fatty tissue under the skin reduces and the hyaluronic acid content decreases. As a result, the red of the lips becomes thinner and wrinkles appear.
The aim of lip augmentation is to restore a more youthful freshness and fuller, more sensual shape to the lips.
Lip augmentation and removal of wrinkles around the mouth © kittyfly | AdobeStock
You should refrain from taking painkillers such as aspirin for 14 days before the treatment. These delay blood clotting.
You should also largely avoid alcohol and sleeping pills.
In general, there are two treatments for shaping lips with the help of injections:
- lip contouring: this involves injecting fillers along the edge of the lips, where the lip color transitions from red to white. This accentuates the edge of the lips.
- Creating lip volume: This involves injecting fillers into the red of the middle part of the upper and/or lower lip. Normally, the lower lip has a larger volume than the upper lip. Therefore, treatment of the red area of the lower lip is not necessary in most cases.
First, the lip is anesthetized with a local anesthetic. The anesthesia is similar to that used by a dentist. As soon as the anesthetic has taken effect, the filling substances are injected into the lip.
The treatment is quick and uncomplicated and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
As this type of lip treatment is an uncomplicated and outpatient procedure, a stay in hospital is not necessary.
If collagen is used, an allergy skin test is necessary 4 weeks before the treatment. If you opt for treatment with hyaluronic acid, there is no need for such a test. The treatment can then be carried out directly.
Injection of hyaluronic acid into the upper lip © Monika Wisniewska | AdobeStock
After the injection, some general reactions associated with the injection may occur in the treatment area, such as
- Slight redness,
- swelling,
- tenderness and
- itching.
These side effects are generally described as mild to moderate. They usually subside on their own within a week after injection into the lips.
Other reactions are very rare. In rare cases, a local reaction may occur, which is considered a hypersensitivity reaction.
In some people, the lips react with severe lip swelling after this treatment. It can also occur asymmetrically. This reaction can last up to a week after the treatment, but will subside on its own.
During the first 6 hours, the treated areas of the face should not be touched if possible. Afterwards, light make-up or gentle washing with soap is no problem.
Until the initial reddening and swelling of the skin has subsided, you should not expose yourself to
- extreme heat (e.g. solarium and sunbathing) or
- extreme cold
exposure.
Fine corrections within 2 to 4 weeks after the first treatment may be necessary to achieve the best possible result. Clinical experience with hyaluronic acid has shown that smaller amounts of the product are usually required for a top-up treatment.
In general, a top-up treatment is required after 3 to 6 months.
If you suffer from allergies, e.g. to animal proteins, you must always inform the doctor treating you. It would then be advisable to use products with natural hyaluronic acid, which are of non-animal origin and are produced by biosynthesis.
Permanent filling substances can also lead to long-term defense reactions such as granuloma formation. For this reason, many doctors reject the use of permanent substances.
The advantage of hyaluronic acid and lactic acid is that the products are completely degraded.
By enhancing the contour, the lip is given a youthful freshness in a subtle way. The size of the lip is not affected. In addition, the treatment can often also reduce the small lip lines around the mouth.
Increased lip volume can give a fuller, more sensual shape . It is also possible to harmonize an overly narrow upper lip with a pronounced lower lip. If the lower lip is also very narrow, lip augmentation is also possible here.
If there is a desire for a pout, this can be achieved by injecting larger volumes. The desired look is often only achieved by combining individual treatment steps.
The shape of the lips is always subject to changing fashions. Therefore, degradable substances such as hyaluronic acid or collagen should be preferred for lip shaping.
The shelf life of degradable substances is several months. By using a stabilized hyaluronic acid, a duration of action of approx. 6 months can be achieved.
How long a treatment lasts with degradable products is very individual. This depends on many factors, such as
- Age,
- skin type,
- lifestyle habits and
- muscle activity.
The injection technique also plays a role.
