As we welcome the New Year, we’re looking forward to fresh starts. From workout routines to beauty routines, it’s the perfect time to embrace all that the new year has to offer. Right now, lip procedures are trending—big. And when it comes to lip sizes, bigger is truly better. If you’re feeling like your lips are thin, too lined, or not lined up, there are several different types of treatments that can take yours from lackluster to absolutely luscious.
As you consider the trends, remember to choose the look that works best with your face shape and proportion. You’ll also want to weigh whether or not you want a surgical or non-surgical procedure, how long the recovery time is, how long the results last, and the budget you’ve allocated. We’ve put together a guide, so you can decide what’s right for you!
Behind the Trends
Big beautiful lips are always in style, no matter your age. Whether you were born with thinner or asymmetrical lips, or your lips have lost volume or gained lines as you’ve aged, lip procedures are an increasingly popular way to boost your kisser!
Here’s how they help enhance your smile:
- Restore or add fullness to thin or aging lips
- Enhance a thin or flat lip shape
- Fix upper and lower lip symmetry
- Reduce vertical lip lines and wrinkle lines
You can choose between temporary filler injections and more permanent implants or fat transfers; many patients start with quicker fixes and then opt for something more permanent down the line. Here are the options:
Lip Filler Injections
To get a plumped up look without any downtime, non-surgical lip filler injections are a great choice. Juvéderm and Restylane products are FDA-approved and use hyaluronic acid to create natural, soft plumpness. They also help to create facial symmetry, smoother lips, and an overall refreshed look. Results can last four months to a year:
- RestylaneⓇ Silk: Augments lips and smooths vertical lines above the lips
- JuvédermⓇ Ultra XC: Plumps up lips
- JuvédermⓇ Volbella XC: Enhances lip shapes through perioral, or “lipstick,” lines and gently plumps up lips
Russian Doll Lips: Get the Look
Lip filler injections can be used to achieve some of the hot looks right now, like the “Russian doll” lip, which captures the pretty pout of “Babushka dolls.” Here, the lip is higher and plumper in the center to create a heart shape that’s drawn out by a Cupid’s bow on top. The treatment requires less filler than most treatments, and the technique is slightly different than a typical lip filler method.
Cherry Lips: Get the Look
This South Korean lip enhancement technique is also all the rage. Also called “rosebud lips,” the approach boosts the top and bottom middle areas, creating four round “cherries” in the middle for sensuous, kissable lips.
No matter what look you desire, your cosmetic surgeon will customize the amount of filler to your requested plumpness, so you can ensure that it complements your facial shape and size. Lip fillers are safe, quick, and easy requiring little-to-no downtime. While you may have some bruising, swelling, or redness at the injection site, side effects are minimal. You’ll notice the changes soon after the treatment, and after two weeks, results will be finalized. Since it’s a temporary treatment, just remember that you’ll need to follow up with a series of treatments to maintain the results.
Fat Transfers
One of the more popular surgical procedures for a more permanent plumping is through autologous fat injections, also known as fat grafting. If you’re already undergoing liposuction from another procedure, it’s the perfect time to repurpose your body’s natural fat to a place where it's more useful! Fat is injected into the lips so that there are no incisions on your lips or face. Since it comes from your body, the risk of an allergic reaction is reduced.Fat creates a beautiful shape that looks and feels natural (because it is), and has great longevity. Recovery from the procedure depends upon your liposuction surgery. Downtime is greater than with a dermal filler, so you may need to rest for a few days, depending upon the prescribed recovery time for the type of liposuction performed.
Lip Implants
Another type of surgery similar to the fat transfer method is lip implants. Lip implants are like breast augmentation, where a soft and pliable silicone rubber or biodegradable material is inserted into the lips to greatly boost their volume. Not as long-lasting as fat transfer, but definitely more permanent than fillers, these semi-permanent procedures require little maintenance and will last for many years, after which you’ll need to replace them. They require local anesthesia since the implants are inserted through tiny incisions tucked away in the corners of the mouth. Recovery time is just one to three days.Lip Flips
Everyone is using BotoxⓇ for their foreheads, but did you know it works wonders for your pout too? Gummy smile BotoxⓇ is a non-surgical and highly affordable procedure that lasts just a few minutes. Tiny amounts of Botox are injected into the upper lip to create the look of larger, fuller lips. It’s especially effective for thin upper lips, and for reducing a gummy-looking smile by helping your top lip stay put when you smile. Also, if you have an upper lip that curls up or vanishes when you talk, this is your fix! They last for anywhere between two to five months.Ring in the New Year with a New Kisser
If you’re hoping for a new look in the New Year, new lips can make a big difference! Talk with your cosmetic surgeon to assess your needs and decide the shape and size that will most enhance your face. Also determine whether or not you want a surgical procedure. Make sure to consider the recovery periods and of course, how long you’d like the treatment to last. Don’t forget to discuss the budget too.Lip enhancements are an easy, natural way to freshen up your entire face and show your best smile to the world. At the Advanced Center for Plastic Surgery, we’ve seen so many joyful smiles from simple lip procedures. Check our site often for discounts, and call us today to see how we can make your smile even bigger!
