Trends in body aesthetics come and go. From curvy figures to tall and thin, short bob-cuts to long layers, the trends change almost every year. And this year is no exception, however, one trend is standing out above the others.
One of the Hottest Trends in Facial Aesthetics Right Now: Fuller Lips
Celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Scarlet Johansen, and Angelina Jolie are among some of the most well-known people that have inspired the full-lip trend. Likewise, the full lip trend has been increasing in popularity amongst social media influencers, making this new facial aesthetic trend hard to escape.
As more and more people, especially women, are hopping on the fuller lip trend, it’s important to know the basics of getting rid of thin lips.
What You Need to Know About Filling Out Thin Lips
It’s common for people to feel insecure about their lips if their lips are thin, or smaller than the average person’s lips. Some people are simply born with thin/small lips, while others get thin lips from not caring for them properly. Before getting a procedure performed to enhance the size of your lips, ask yourself if you take care of your lips. Do you keep them moisturized? Do you exfoliate them? Have you tried a night time rejuvenator? Trying simple remedies such as these may be all you need to achieve fuller lips all on your own without any medical intervention.
However, if you have done all of the at-home, simple remedies to enhance the size of your lips and you haven’t gotten results, you may want to try one of the following ways to get fuller lips.
What are Lip Fillers?
Lip fillers are one of the most popular ways to get fuller lips. There are a variety of different kinds of fillers that can be injected into your lips to make them appear fuller, however, the most common kind of filler used is a hyaluronic acid filler. Hyaluronic acid fillers can improve not only the volume of your lips but also the structure and overall shape.
When you use a lip filler, you can decide (with the help of your doctor of course) how much filler to inject to get rid of your thin lips. Typically, lip fillers last about six months. Some other benefits of lip fillers include:
- There is very little swelling and bruising directly after the procedure.
- Any bumps that appear post-injection will dissolve quickly.
- The injections can be administered gradually during multiple appointments until the patient is happy with the results.
- There are very few patients that have reported allergic reactions since hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in the body.
Can You Get Lip Implants?
Yes! Lip implants are another option for people that want to get rid of their thin lips. Lip implants are a kind of permanent lip augmentation that uses plastic implants to create fuller lips. There are two types of implants: silicone and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. Both are safe, though, the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene implants are more popular with patients because of the fast tissue response to the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. Likewise, the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene is softer and easier to compress to create more natural-looking results.
However, Dr. Amy Brodsky, founder and head dermatologist at The Derm, is one of the few doctors in Illinois that specializes in silicone implants. She says, “As long as silicone implants are done correctly, they are the most natural-looking.” Silicone implants are permanent, so we go slow, allowing the patient to go bigger if they want in the future.” Dr. Brodsky emphasized the importance of working with a talented, qualified, and specially trained doctor to get silicone lip implants as not many doctors specialize in silicone implants.
What is the procedure for lip implants?
Here is a brief description of what you could expect if you opt for lip implants to get fuller lips:
1. An incision will be made on both corners of the mouth and a clamp will be inserted into the incisions. A pocket will be created.
2. The clamp will open the pocket and the implant will be inserted.
3. The clamp will be removed and the incision will be closed.
Getting limp implants only takes about 30 minutes, as long as there aren’t any complications. Typically, it takes one to two weeks for the lip tissue to begin holding the implant in place, so it’s recommended that you avoid any kind of pressure to the lips during that time.
In addition to plastic implants, there are two other kinds of lip implant procedures that you can choose from:
Fat grafting for the lips
This kind of lip implant procedure uses fat that has been transferred from the abdomen to the lips to create a fuller appearance.
Tissue grafting for the lips
Tissue grafting uses skin from the lower stomach to fill the lips to make them fuller.
What is a lip flip and do they work?
A lip flip is a medical procedure that uses Botox injections to create fuller lips. Botox is injected into the upper lip to relax the muscles and “flip” the lip up. It’s important to point out that lip flips make the lips appear fuller, compared to dermal fillers and implants that actually do make the lips fuller. Lip flips simply temporally relax the lip muscles to turn the lip up rather than increasing the actual volume of the lip.
Lip flip procedures typically only take about 10 minutes and are normally fairly straight forward. The doctor will likely not numb your lips since the procedure isn’t very painful. After getting a lip flip, you will likely see results in 10-14 days, and the results should last between two and three months.
Which procedure works the best and has minimal side effects?
The lip augmentation that works the best depends on the specific person. For example, some people will benefit from lip injections more than others because they are comfortable with permanent results, whereas a first-time lip augmentation patient may do better with lip fillers so he or she can see if she likes fuller lips. All lip augmentations work to some degree.
In regards to the lip augmentation that has the least side effects, one should opt for a lip filler. Since the body naturally produces hyaluronic acid, lip fillers that use hyaluronic acid are the most natural. Dr. Brodsky pointed out that lip fillers are one of the safest options because the results are not permanent.
Most people that use lip fillers experience very few side effects if any. Side effects that you might experience include swelling, bruising, and asymmetry; all of which typically go away with time.
More invasive lip augmentations, such as lip implants, have more potential side effects than lip fillers, including ulceration, scarring, lumps on the lip, or stiffening of the lip.
Recovering After a Lip Augmentation
In order to get the most out of your lip augmentation, regardless of procedure, you need to pay special attention to recovery. Here are some tips for recovering after a lip augmentation:
- Avoid smoking
- Do your best to avoid rubbing, massaging, and touching your lips
- Don’t put any pressure on your lips for about 2 weeks after the procedure; this includes kissing
- Try to sleep on your back at night
- Be sure to go to any follow-up appointments
- Ice packs and head elevation may help with swelling and pain
- If you are in a lot of pain, talk to your doctor about getting some kind of pain medication
- Ice packs can help alleviate the pain
Depending on the intensity of your surgery, you may want to have someone drop you off and pick you up after your procedure. Similarly, if you have children you may want to arrange for someone to watch them the day of the procedure as you will likely be sore.
How to Find a Doctor to Help You Enhance Your Thin Lips
As you think about what kind of lip augmentation is right for you, you should make it a point to meet with multiple doctors to find the one that will give you the best results. Spend time researching various doctors online and reading reviews. Once you have found a few doctors you are interested in, meet with them for a consultation, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Some questions you may want to ask are:
- Can I see before and after pictures of your past patients?
- How should I prepare for the procedure?
- What procedure do you think is best for me?
- What are your credentials?
You should also check out Prime Women’s recently launched Ageless Beauty’s FREE Find A Doctor search feature. This feature allows you to find the best cosmetic doctor in your area.
This article is for informational purposes only. Please consult with a board-certified doctor for your best option.
