Full, shapely lips are feminine characteristics that may gradually lose their definition and volume with time. All lips lose volume with time, eventually becoming thinner and flatter.
Does one need to go to a plastic surgeon to create fuller lips? Of course not. Temporary improvements with makeup and topical, natural treatments have been around for years to enhance the lips.
Enhancing the lips is generally performed with nonsurgical methods. Some women may have always considered their lips to be relatively thin, or just want to have bigger, more luscious lips.
We’ve reviewed the “lipstick in a syringe” method of enhancing the lips with facial fillers. Hyaluronic acid fillers such as Juvederm® and Restylane® are the most popular methods in cosmetic surgery offices to augment the lips with the most natural results. These facial fillers restore lip volume with results lasting several months.
Now, however, there are newer beauty products that use suction to temporarily plump the lips. These products induce minor trauma to the lips to increase blood flow and swelling to the lips for very short-term results.
Patients have described these suction devices as uncomfortable with lots of bruising. There is an initial “conditioning” period for several days. The priming period gets your lips and blood vessels accustomed to the repeated minor trauma that it endures. After this training period, the lips are more prepared to be plumped with the device as desired. Lips only stay puffy after these products for a couple of hours.
The lips, similar to the eyelids, are sensitive to swelling. We’ve discussed puffy eyelid in prior blog posts and similar factors such as allergies, hormones, diet, and temperature can contribute to lip swelling.
Don’t use these suction products if you’ve already had lip injections. The suction and minor trauma it causes the lips can negatively alter the fillers in the lips, contributing to asymmetry or nodules for example. In addition, facial fillers may not last as long after using these plumping lip products.
What questions do you have? Share your thoughts below.
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