Lip augmentation

Lip augmentation is a treatment which makes use of synthetic materials or surgical re-shaping to enhance the lips. Lip augmentation can help to create plump and full-looking lips it can also reduce fine wrinkles occurring around the mouth.

The Procedure

There are several different kinds of lip augmentation each with its own benefits;

Human-based Collagen Augmentation - Collagen is the main protein of connective tissues and during the procedure your surgeon will inject a human-based collagen filler into the lip area. As Human-Based collagen fillers are biocompatible this means the results can last for over four months. The lip area will usually be overfilled at first, this is due to the fact that just under half the collagen will be absorbed after a short time. However if you have successive treatments, more of the collagen will remain and in some cases will stay permanently.

Bovine-Based Collagen Augmentation - Before using this method your surgeon will need to test to see whether you are allergic as this form of collagen comes from cows. If the results show that you aren't allergic then the collagen will be applied in the same way as human-based collagen.

Hyaluronic Acid-Derived Augmentation - In this procedure you surgeon will inject a solution of hyaluronic acid into the lip area. This is composed of polysaccharide, which is a naturally occurring carbohydrate that occurs in human skin. These types of fillers are said to offer results which last longer than traditional collagen-based fillers.

Fat Transfer Augmentation - During this procedure your surgeon will extract fat cells from another area of your body (i.e. the buttocks). He will then prepare the extracted cells and inject them into the lip area. There are several different techniques used to prepare the cells and which one is used will determine how long the results last for.

Lip Implants - In this procedure a synthetic implant will be inserted via small incisions usually made at the corner of the lips. These can be made of several materials including strips and will typically deliver results which last much longer than fillers.

The risks

As with all surgical procedures, lip augmentation is not without risks. Fortunately with lip fillers these risks are few and far between. Although you may experience temporary bleeding at the site of the injection and swelling is common these will usually disappear within a short space of time. Other risks can also include; scarring, cold sores, infection and temporary loss of sensation in the lips. The use of implants can result in slight discomfort for a few days after the procedure. You may also experience temporary bleeding and its usual for your lips to be swollen for a short while. If the implanted material migrates it may require more surgery to correct. Other risks include infection, loss of sensation, scarring and cold sores.