Let’s talk lips! Whether you’re a lip filler veteran or you’ve marked 2022 as the year you’re going to schedule your first lip enhancement consultation, there is no denying that having lips you love is exciting! Lip filler continues to be one of the most requested cosmetic injectable services worldwide. Why? Your lips can significantly impact the balance of your facial features and the overall attractiveness of your face. Here are three ways your Skin Artisans Injection Specialist may enhance the natural beauty of your lips with cosmetic injectables to help you reach your 2022 lip goals!
#1 – Sometimes a “flip,” not filler, is all you need!
If you are entirely new to dermal fillers and prefer a subtler enhancement, your Injection Specialist may encourage you to try a “Lip Flip” first. This technique uses a tiny amount of Botox® Cosmetic or Dysport® to relax the muscles in your upper lip that act to pull it down. As a result, the upper lip can slightly turn upwards and expose more of the body or surface area of the lip. This new position can make the upper lip look fuller and more balanced with the lower lip. A “Lip Flip” is almost like a dermal filler dress rehearsal to preview what your lips may look like with small amounts of filler. Results should last about 8-12 weeks, depending on the degree of muscle movement in the lip area.
Although the “Lip Flip” can be performed as a stand-alone treatment, many patients combine it WITH dermal filler to boost their results. This technique can make the volume your lips receive from filler look even fuller and may even prolong your results. Your Injection Specialist will advise you on whether or not she thinks you are a good candidate for this combo treatment based on your specific goals and your lips’ natural shape and movement.
#2 – Don’t get stuck on volume. Lip fillers can also add definition, support, structure, and a beautiful border to your lips!
If you hadn’t noticed, big lips are out, and drop-dead gorgeous definition is in! Luckily, the sole purpose of lip fillers is not about simply increasing the size of lips. They are capable of so much more!
Our lips age just like our skin. As our collagen and elastin production begins to slow in our late 20s and 30s, we may notice that our lips start to lose fullness, definition, and lift. In our 40s and 50s, it may even appear that our upper lip drops and turns downwards due to natural cartilage loss under the nose, making our upper lip appear thin and flat. Dermal fillers can help correct all of these changes and more!
When fillers are injected into the border of the lips, they can restore support and create beautiful definition. Your Injection Specialist can also inject a dollop of filler directly under the nose to encourage a slight lift to the upper lip. Fillers are also an effective way to correct asymmetries between the upper and lower lip or side to side. Your Injection Specialist can even enhance the lift and definition of your cupid’s bow! As you can see – lip fillers are capable of so much more than just volumizing the lips.
#3 – Sometimes, a lip enhancement needs to go beyond the lips to fully achieve your goal.
The shape and appearance of your lips are directly affected by the rest of your lower face. For example, if you are a smoker, someone who frequently drinks from straws, or you strongly purse your lips when speaking, you may develop small vertical lines that extend above your lips towards your nose. Although these are called “smoker’s lines,” you don’t need to be a smoker to experience them. Your Injection Specialist can use a very soft dermal filler to fill these lines and Botox® or Dysport® to weaken the muscle movement that causes them. Smoothing “smoker’s lines” with fillers will instantly improve the appearance of your lips.
If the aging process has caused some sagging in your lower face, especially in the jowl area, the corners of your lips may be pulled downwards as well. In this case, your Injection Specialist may use a neurotoxin like Botox® to relax the depressor muscles that pull down the sides of your mouth and then use dermal filler in the deep lines at the corners of the mouth (sometimes called marionette lines) to smooth the lower face. This tandem approach lifts the corners of the lips into a more youthful position and accentuates their natural beauty.
As you can see, sometimes your Injection Specialist needs to inject beyond the lips to achieve your lip goals fully! This approach requires advanced techniques and an experienced injector. The Injection Specialists at Skin Artisans have decades of experience providing lip enhancements and all forms of facial rejuvenation and enhancement with dermal fillers. Schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss the goals you have for your appearance in 2022 by calling (952)234-8414, texting (952)767-3163, or CLICK HERE!
