There are several different methods available for lip tattooing perth augmentation or lip enhancement. The methods may be divided into non-surgical and surgical procedures. o Non-surgical Lip Augmentation– Fillers such as Restylane(TM), Juvederm(TM) and others can be injected into the lips to create a young full lip. Filler injections not only make the lip full but also distend the lip skin which has the effect of lessening lip lines and lip wrinkles.
When injected properly, fillers turn the pink portion of the upper lip upward, lessening the distance from the pink lip to the nose. This helps create a younger appearance to the lip, as the lip tends to turn down and lengthen as we age. The only downside to fillers is that they need to be repeated at least yearly, sometimes at six months.
1. Fat Injections– Fat is harvested from another body area such as the hip. The removed fat is treated in a way to improve “take” or survival after transplantation. The fat is then injected into the lip to plump and fill the tissue. Fat injection works but there is prolonged swelling and bruising following fat injection. Since 50% of the fat will dissolve, the surgeon has to over correct the injection. It can take three to six months for the final result to be seen.
2. Lip Augmentation with Lip Implants– There are several implants which can be used. These implants are small and soft and very different from breast implants. Small pieces of Gortex(TM) have been used for many years. Newer implants are like small long balloons which are inserted into the lips. The results of lip augmentation with lip implants can be excellent and are permanent, unlike fillers. However, implants pose a risk of rejection by the body. If implants are rejected and need to be removed, significant scarring and deformity can result.
3. Lip Lift Surgery– There are two common lip lift procedures. The best is a newer technique done on the inside of the upper lip, thus no visible scar. During the lip lift procedure small flaps of the mucosa (pink tissue in mouth) are bunched to push the lip outward and up. Results can be excellent and the lack of visible scars is a big plus.
Older methods of lip lift used an external incision below the nose. Upper lip skin near the nostrils of the nose was removed, thus pulling the upper lip upward. While this technique does improve age related lengthening of the lip, the scars in my opinion are unacceptable.
o Modern Concepts of Beauty– Today, full looking, plump lips are considered an ideal component of facial beauty. The popularity of the face of Angelina Jolie as an American example of a beautiful face often focuses primarily on her full lips. We are now a multi-cultural society, very different from fifty years ago when the Caucasian face with thinner lips dominated the beauty magazines. The Hispanic, African American and Asian concepts of beauty have always included full lips, and modern American beauty ideals have embraced this feature as our multi-cultural society has evolved.
