Plastic surgeons from around the country are reporting that the most often procedure are for the lips.   This latest craze for large lips has spurred a new wave of natural lip enlargement products and non-surgical lip enhancement plumpers that give a fuller pout, without injections or augmentation surgery.

While there are a certain number of lucky women who has been blessed with a perfectly plump, pouty and full smile, there are an even larger number of women who are seeking to enlarge, enhance, or otherwise increase the volume and fullness of their lips.  Many of these women do not have the money or inclination to go have a costly procedure performed which may not even produce permanent results.  So if you want fuller sexier lips, what are the non-surgical alternatives and are these processes safe and effective?

Non-Surgical Lip Enhancement Products

New lip enlargement products are appearing on the Internet all the time.  Which of these products actually work and which are just a waste of money?  Most of the creams, gels and glosses that are available actually work by causing an irritation to the outer layers of skin around the lips, causing a swelling of the area.  Some others just make the lips shine through the use of light reflection, giving the appearance of fuller lips.  Most of these products only make minor increases and last for a short period of time.

Lip enlargement pumps are a small hand-held device that gently sucks the lips outward, pulling fluid into the lips and creating a dramatically fuller set of lips for a few hours at a time.  They are usually inexpensive, and can be used over and over.  It is recommended that these be used in combination with a good cream or gel to assist in keeping the lips moist and protected.

Important Tip for Fuller Lips

A final tip is to keep the body hydrated.  Keeping the lips hydrated is part of the trick to keeping them as full and flushed as possible.  This will help them to stand out, instead of blending in with the rest of your face.  

Fuller lips can be achieved with non-surgical lip enhancement.  While the effects may not be as dramatic, care in choosing a good product and diligence in administering the treatments as recommend by are the key to a perfectly full, soft set of lips without surgery.

What to Expect Following Surgery

Topical anesthesia is generally used before lip injections, so that the procedure is painless. However, pain may be experienced by the patient as the anesthesia begins to wear off.  Patients who have received injections are often sore, swollen and possibly bruised. Full recovery will normally take about 1-2 days from the injection date.  The bruising and swelling can last as long as a week to 10 days depending on patient.

Tips for a Faster Recovery from Lip Injections

• Keeping ice packs applied to the lips for the first 48 hours
• Limit talking and chewing during the first 48 hours
• Limit smiling and laughing for the first week
• Sleep in a semi-upright position for the first week or to ten days.  Do not sleep on your stomach.
• To avoid unnecessary swelling or bleeding, do not bend over, strain, exercise or do any other activities that could increase pressure to your lips
• Avoid all strenuous activities for 1-3 days
• Keep the lips clean to avoid infection (antibiotics may also be applied to the injection site as directed by your doctor)

The swelling and soreness will go away eventually, unless you have an inflammation or reaction to the product.  Other than these possible minor complications, the recovery is usually short.  Patients are usually iced up beforehand and sent home with an icepack or rocket pop or other type of plastic enclosed Popsicle. It is recommended that you keep your lips iced as needed for pain.  Patients also may be instructed to take Tylenol or some other over the counter anti-inflammatory medicine.

Possible Complications Experienced During Lip Injection Recovery

Significant complications from lip augmentation are rare. With any procedure, there is always a possibility of bleeding, infection, reaction to the anesthesia, slow healing or an unexpected result. Other possible complications during lip injection recovery include asymmetrical lips, cold sores, numbing, scarring, swelling, and permanent stiffness in the lip.

Allergic reactions such as itching, redness, swelling may occur. Injections can cause lumping or scarring. On very rare occasions the injected material may be rejected by the body; however this can be avoided in most cases by pre-injection testing of the patient.  If any extreme complications do occur, the patient should immediately return to the doctor for further advice.

How Do Agents Work

Several high profile cosmetic companies, and even some lesser known new companies have developed lip plumpers that promise fuller, softer, sexier and plumper lips as well as superior moisture building and retention for added fullness and poutiness. These high tech ingredients work in several different ways. It’s key to find one that does not dry your lips, as this defeats the purpose of inflating your. Dry lips mean deflated lips which are not what is hoped to be achieved.

The high quality plumping agents will pump up the volume of the lip tissue, usually temporarily, mostly by dramatically enhancing and increasing the moisture retention abilities of the soft tissues your lips are composed of, which makes them inflate. This is all done without needles or surgery.  Now the effects will not be significant as if surgery was done, but you will still achieve some increase.

Topical Agents for Natural Lip Enhancement Items

The modern day lip plumper will generally work one of two ways. They either:

a.) Irritate the outer layer of the skin on the lip, causing flushing and swelling strictly caused by irritation to the outer membrane. While these types of plumping agents such as produce immediate results; it tends to last for only 30 minutes to an hour.  Then the lips dry out and “deflate”. Some products have also been found to leaves the lips dry and chafed the next day.

b.) Moisture Boosters -  These types of lip plumpers work by expanding lip tissues temporarily, or permanently as claimed by one company, which claims to enlarge your lips more permanently and over a gradual time span by helping to dramatically boost collagen production and help the lips maintain moisture better.

While no topically applied natural lip enhancement formula can double the size of your lips, these lip plumpers often can make a visible difference in the fullness and softness of your lips. If you want dramatic, permanently plumped lips, you should probably look into injections or implants, as these are the only means which will provide a dramatic increase in the fullness of your lips.

Enhancement Surgery – Is it Right for You?

Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with a pair of naturally beautiful lips. The few who are don’t get to keep them without a little help. Over time the sun, the elements, smoking and the aging process take their toll. The corners of the mouth begin to droop.

The V-shaped area of the upper lip known as Cupid’s Bow begins to flatten out and lose its youthful fullness. Vertical wrinkles or Smoker’s Lines begin to appear, causing your lipstick to bleed. That once sensual look is gone or greatly diminished. 

Patient Concerns Before and After Augmentation Surgery

Cosmetic plastic surgery providers often advise  their patients that many options now exist for improving the appearance  of the lips. Most practitioners also admit that successful lip augmentation is highly dependent on the skill  of the provider, with that skill stemming from many years of experience injecting the lips of many types of patients.

Moreover, the surgeon must master the various injection techniques. With many injectables, the benefit to the patient is an immediate return to normal, usual activities. A few surgeons offer a procedure known as surgical flap augmentations in which small sections of skin near the lips or inside the mouth are excised and added to the lips. But the technique does not add volume  and achieves only a slight outward protrusion of the lips.

The most frequently requested cosmetic procedures for the lips are enhancement and rejuvenation.  Options range from the newest and high tech laser treatment to natural injection of fillers or synthetic implants.  All filler treatments are done with soft pliable substances that have a natural feel. 

What to do Before Surgery, Expectations Following Surgery

Lip enhancement is not a one size fits all procedure.  A detailed discussion is required with a qualified surgeon to find out what treatment would be best for each patient.  Every surgeon will have a preference for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the shape of the patients lips, the desired results and the expectations of the patient. This will help to ensure that lip augmentation before and after surgery is exactly the patient wants.

Recovery from each procedure varies.  Enhancement done by injectable products will cause the lips to remain swollen for a few hours.  When implants are used for lip augmentation, discomfort is minimal. Some swelling may last up to a week. Laser lip rejuvenation requires a slightly longer recovery period. Most of the healing occurs during the first one or two weeks.

The two most common methods of enhancement are non-surgical lip augmentation and lip augmentation surgery.  Non-surgical enhancements include the injection of a variety of substances into the lip region to increase the size.  Surgical lip augmentation in achieved by using injectable fillers, implants or more advanced surgical procedures of rolling or lifting the lip region.  The difference with synthetic implants is that the results are permanent.

Planning for Augmentation Surgery

Accurate preoperative planning between the doctor and patient planning is a very important step since even minor asymmetries are always clearly evident to the patient and observers. In addition, it is recommended that an accurate psychological evaluation be conducted that should focus on identifying patients with unrealistic expectations.

Preoperative digital imaging or photo modifications can help in illustrating postoperative outcome and in operative planning. 

Once this is completed, it should be predetermine where the incisions will be made for lip implant insertion or the tunnel which is made to accommodate the implant. The surgery is normally completed as outpatient and will last anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes.  Most patience are given a general sedation, however it is patience now only receiving a local sedations is increasing.

What Happens During Surgery?

A variety of materials are being used for lip augmentation surgery.  These include biomaterials such as fascia, dermis, and decellularized donor dermis (AlloDerm.  Synthetic materials such as Gore-Tex/PTFE have been used successfully and allow for a controlled application with ease of use.

Expanded tetrafluoroethylene is becoming more popular due to availability and ease of use by the doctor.  These substances are implanted in the subdermal plane at the vermillion border. 

Recovery from Enhancement Surgery

Immediately following lip augmentation surgery, the patient’s lips will swell and feel tender.  Most will be stiff and sore for a few says and will more than likely not want to move too much.  The swelling can last for up to a month and a half, however the residual swelling after 2 weeks is usually nominal and only noticed by the patient. Eating and drinking may be difficult during the first week. Patients should be encouraged to refrain from any strenuous physical activity for the first 2 to 3 weeks.

The most common method for augmentation is injection.  Injections involve filling the lip with a soft substance to create a fuller appearance.  Injections allow the patient to increase the size of their lips without committing to a permanent result. 

Collagen and fat are the most widely used injectable substances for this process. Collagen lip injections tend to last for between four and six month and require the patient to receive “touch-up” treatments two or three times a year.

Where does Collagen Come from?

Collagen is prepared from cow skin.  Although it is purified these lip injections contain refined bovine collagen, which has caused an allergic reaction in some people.  For this reason, a sensitivity test to lidocaine and dietary beef are normally conducted before any actual injections are made to the patient. 

These tests may delay the actual procedure from a few days to a couple weeks depending on the facility conducting the test.

How is Collagen Lip Injections Completed?

Collagen is injected into the lip with small needles.  Fat injections are also placed in the lips with small needles. The fat injected is often harvested from another area of the body — most often the abdomen or the thighs — and is purified before it is injected into the lips.

An advantage to this rcedure is that there is no possibility of an allergic reaction. As with collagen injections, results are temporary. The procedure is often performed more than once to achieve desired results. 

Using injections, doctors can increase the size of a patient’s upper or lower lip, or both; some injections are used to treat specific areas of the lip. Injections can also help reduce the appearance of wrinkles in the lips of older patients. Because it is a natural substance, the body will slowly absorb the substance.  This is the reason for the additional treatments every three to four months. 

Recovery from Collagen Injections

The lip injection procedure is considered ambulatory; patients walk in, have the procedure, and go home. Since the injections contain lidocaine (an anesthetic), most doctors do not use sedation or a separate anesthetic during collagen lip injections.

This means that patients will recover more quickly, and few individuals require pain medication after the injections, although there is usually some swelling and slight bruising, which subside after a few days.

Costs for Lip Injections

There are currently 3 main lip enhancing procedures. Each offers different results and has various costs. Injectable fillers are the least costly, however they only provide temporary results. The injections can have an effect from 6 weeks to 18 months, depending on person and the product chosen. Costs are determined by the number of injections per treatment.

These cost tend to run from approximately $400 to $700 per injections depending on the type of substance the expected time that the treatment should last. Injections of Collagen, Hylaform, Hyaluron, Perlane, Rofilan and others are the most common substance used in this procedure.

Cost for Lip Fillers

Injectable fillers are more permanent, however the cost increase dramatically due to the surgical procedures needed to implant these into the lip region. These fillers can range in cost from $500 per filler to up to $5,000 per procedure. Lipostructure, SoftForm, Dermalive, Alloderm, Aquamid, Bio Alcamid are the most common fillers used. The additional costs for these procedures include the cost of hospital and staff required for these surgical procedures.

Other Surgical Methods to Fuller Lips

Finally, plastic surgical corrections can be done to enhance the lips, mouth and smile. These are usually the most costly, have the longest recovery time and the most permanent results. Several of the new surgical procedures involving advancement, lift, and roll are designed to enhance various parts of the lip anatomy using the patient’s local tissues.

The use of advancement flaps are intended to project and fill the central and lateral parts of the vermillion. Lip lifts can be designed to shorten the distance between the Cupid’s bow and the base of the columella, “lifting” the lip and enhancing the vertical height of the dry vermillion. Reshaping the lower lip also can be performed in this fashion.

These procedures are more difficult to perform, require a longer recovery period; however they also have a more long lasting effect. These methods come with very costly lip injection prices so you need to be sure this is what you want.

As with any medical procedure complications can occur. There is always a possibility of bleeding, infection, reaction to the anesthesia, slow healing or an unexpected result. Other possible complications include asymmetrical lips, cold sores, numbing, scarring, swelling, and permanent stiffness in the lip. Allergic reactions such as itching, redness, swelling may occur. If any extreme complications do occur, the patient should immediately return to the doctor for further advice.

The problem with both liquid collagen and fat are that they are eventually absorbed by the body and repeat treatments are necessary to maintain results. Newer, longer-lasting options have been developed which include implantable materials like AlloDerm and SoftForm.

Injections for Lip Augmentation:

The technique used to enhance the lips depends on the method selected. Injections are the quickest and simplest procedures. A determination of which material is made, either a natural or synthetic biocompatible material, or the patient’s own fat.

This substance is then injected or implanted into the lips. One injection is usually sufficient to produce the desired result, however these results may only be temporary, depending on the material used. For this reason, injections may need to be repeated periodically.

Implants for Lip Augmentation

If it has been determined that implant will be utilized, then the procedure will take longer and may be more complicated, as proper placement of the material is important. A common implant material is AlloDerm, a natural collagen sheet made from donated skin. AlloDerm is inserted through tiny incisions inside the corners of the mouth. Once the AlloDerm implant is in place, it eventually becomes integrated with the body’s natural tissues. Gore-Tex, SoftForm and soft ePTFE are other synthetic implant options which have recently been used.

Rejuvenation, the Newest Technique

Finally, a new technique that has grown in popularity is laser lip rejuvenation. While this does not increase the fullness of the lips, it does tighten the natural collagen and elastic tissue beneath the lips, reducing wrinkles and providing a more youthful appearance.

Benefits and Considerations:

Lip injections usually allow you to return to normal activities immediately. These injections, while temporary, can allow the patient to experiment with the appearance of fuller lips, without making the complete commitment. Collagen injections have a short-lived effect (9-12 weeks); fat injections provide longer-lasting results, but are sometimes unpredictable as to the degree of improvement, can have lumping or scarring effects.

Implants, while longer lasting, can also require a longer recover period. AlloDerm and Dermalogen do not require patients to provide donor tissue and are not rejected by the body, because they are human tissue. Usually they have a pliable, natural feel. Soft-form is a foreign body and may become infected or be rejected.

Allergic reactions can range from prolonged redness, swelling or itching, to firmness at the injection site. Other possible complications include bleeding, lip asymmetry, and migration and extrusion of the implant. Normal swelling and bruising lasts from three days to a week. While many techniques exist for lip augmentation, none are ideal.

Today there are many different substances which can be utilized to give the appearance of fully lips.  Each substance has its own benefits, procedures and other issues. 

Natural Substances for Lip Injections

Collagen injections - Collagen is found in cow skin and is prepared for use in humans.  The collagen injections are used to temporarily augment the lips. Some people have been found to have an allergic reaction to collagen.  For this reason, most surgeons require that a sensitivity test be performed before the actual procedure.

Collagen is injected into the lip with small needles. Because the body slowly absorbs the collagen, the results from this process tend to last for between one and three months. The procedure can be repeated as needed.

Fat injections - The fat is harvested from another area of the body (often the abdomen or thighs) and is purified before it is injected into the lips. An advantage to this procedure is that there is no possibility of an allergic reaction. As with collagen, results from this process are temporary but usually lasts longer than collagen injections.

Autologen injections - Autologen is collagen extracted from the patient’s own skin, often from excess skin removed in a facelift. The results are relatively long lasting, and there is no risk of an allergic reaction.

Transplant Lip Injection Products

Dermalogen injections - Dermalogen is extracted from the skin of a cadaver. The donor material is screened and processed to avoid the spread of disease. The effects are temporary, and are similar to the effects of collagen injections.

Fascia injections - Fascia (white connective tissue) extracted from a cadaver can be injected or surgically implanted.

HylaForm injections – HylaForm is another substance which is extracted from a cadaver, thus it has the same molecular component of the human body.

Synthetic Lip Injection Products

Artecoll injections - Artecoll is composed mainly of tiny synthetic beads (polymethyl methacrylate) that stay in the lips, and raise them. This technique lasts longer than fat or collagen injections.

Restylane injections - Restylane is a clear gel; the hyaluronic acid in restylane is similar to that naturally found in the body.

Lip injections are a great way to get the fuller looking lips you desire. However you must do some research on the different procedures prior to making any decision. You should also seek a doctor’s advice and get their opinions on the different options.