February 6, 2017

No matter what good genes you’ve been blessed with, when it comes to our lips, two things are certain: they will get thinner, and they will get lip lines.

As we age, the skin of our lips thins, and the fat beneath the skin decreases in volume, producing thinner lips. In addition, the movement of the circular muscle that frames the mouth produces radial lines that emanate from the lip much like the spokes on a bicycle wheel. These lip lines are often referred to as lipstick lines, smokers lines, or vertical lines. The corners of our mouth will also tend to deepen and turn down over time. Smoking, sun exposure, genetics, and constant movement of the mouth (through talking or other expressions) only exacerbate the situation. It’s no wonder that perioral rejuvenation (plumping of the lips and/or lip lines) is a large component of creating a more youthful and attractive appearance. Those who are looking for luscious lips may seek either temporary or permanent lip augmentation.

Temporary Lip Augmentation

Part of rejuvenating lips and the surrounding areas require volume replacement. That can be obtained as easily as dermal fillers, which are an excellent choice for those who are new to lip augmentation, as they are not permanent and they give the client an opportunity to determine the exact level of volume replacement desired.

Permanent Lip Augmentation

Some of our patients who are veterans to lip augmentation may request a more permanent solution. Newer innovations are permanent lip implants that can be placed in as little as twenty minutes in our surgical suite through small incisions placed inside the corners of the mouth. These silicone-grade, fusiform-shaped implants are pliable and very natural looking once placed. This type of procedure can improve the thin lip but may not address the other features such as the drool grooves, “marionette” lines (extending from the corners of the lips downwards towards the jaw) and/or the fine lines above and below the lips where lipstick is prone to bleed once applied. To address these features, dermal fillers may be used in combination with lip implants.

Ready to love your lips?