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Plump lips are sexy. As a secondary sex characteristic, lips send signals that register deep in the male brain. Whether men consciously realize it or not, they’re programmed to desire women with succulent lips.
Now that cosmetic surgery has made buttery, pleasing lips available to everyone, they’ve become more popular than ever.
Great for Rejuvenating the Face
Aging gracefully almost always involves some special attention to the lips. This is because aging thins out the lips, scoring the edges with unattractive vertical lines. When the muscle beneath the lips contracts (when you’re chewing, for example), it acts like a purse string. Those vertical lines pleat and gather, making you look older. |
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A Peel May Be All You Need
Sometimes a simple chemical peel around the mouth area will restore a smooth surface and youthful contours. However, if there’s an unusual amount of atrophy in the lips (from smoking, bad dietary habits, or genetic factors) more aggressive measures will be required.
Many Options
The good news: women have many options for improving the appearance of their lips.
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First Line of Attack – Filler Injections
A variety of volumizing agents are available for lip plumping. Here is the palette:
Restylane
- This lab-manufactured hyaluronic acid (a substance that occurs naturally in skin but becomes depleted with age) restores volume by drawing water to itself. The water plumps up the surface of your lips.
- Effects last about 6 months or so. Very satisfying results.
Juvederm
- Hyaluronic acid, like Restylane, from a different manufacturer.
- Similar properties, very soft. Can also be used to plump vertical lip lines and nasolabial folds. Less soreness after injection than with Restylane. Lasts about 6 months.
Collagen
- We use collagen extracted from cows for lip augmentation.
- It’s a temporary fix, and lasts from 4 weeks to 3 months. Best for people who just want to get an idea of what lip augmentation might be like.
- There’s a risk of allergic reaction, so a pre-test will be required.
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An Outpatient Procedure
Injections are low-impact treatments.
- I’ll use a topical anesthetic to make the injections painless. The process is similar to a visit to the dentist.
- We’ll have you wait in the office, applying a cool cloth to the area, until you’re ready to go home. Plan on an hour for this.
What’s the Down Time?
Recovery is a few hours to a day or so. Swelling or bruising can last a bit longer, however.
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Second Line of Attack – Fat Injections and Surgery
Women who absolutely know they desire fuller lips and are ready for a permanent solution have two choices.
Fat Grafting
Here we insert your own fat into your lips to achieve fullness. This method varies from person to person -- sometimes the body will reabsorb the fat.
Recovery is a few hours to a day or so. Swelling or bruising can last a bit longer, however.
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Flap Grafts
Local flap grafts take tissue and skin from the inside flap of your mouth and transfer it to the outside. This is real surgery, so:
- Recovery can take up to 2 weeks
- You’ll need 3 days off from work.
- No exercise for a week.
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Will I Be Satisfied with My Result?
My patients have been thrilled with their lip augmentations, particularly women with genetically thin lips. They get renewed pleasure from dining out, and they report absolutely loving the way men respond to them after the surgery.
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