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While beauty trends come and go, luscious, sexy lips have stood the test of time. From iconic pinup girl Marilyn Monroe’s era-defining pout to modern-day bombshells like Scarlett Johansson, full lips have been a desirable trait for decades. However, if your genetic makeup didn’t bless you with naturally lovely lips or your lips have thinned due to age-related volume loss, don’t despair. Lip enhancement can give you the contours of your dreams and make your lips the focal point of your face.
Lip enhancement includes several procedures that add or restore volume to the lips. While you may choose permanent lip implants, you also have the option of using minimally invasive injectable fillers to achieve long-lasting, natural-looking results.
When performed by an experienced provider, lip injections with hyaluronic acid-based fillers such as Juvéderm can improve your appearance for a year or longer, increasing volume while minimizing perioral wrinkles. Cosmetic fillers are an excellent choice for anyone who is short on time, since the appointments take less than an hour and provide nearly immediate results with zero downtime.
Side effects are minimal and include minor swelling, bruising, and soreness around the injection site. These will resolve on their own over time. More extensive complications are rare when you have a skilled plastic surgeon perform your treatment. If you choose this option, you will need periodic touch-up treatments to maintain your appearance, since your body will naturally metabolize the hyaluronic acid over time.
If you desire a dramatic increase in lip volume or are seeking a low-maintenance solution, you may wish to consider surgical lip implants. These devices consist of medically approved materials for a longer-lasting enhancement than dermal fillers can provide. Dr. Desman will insert lip implants through tiny incisions hidden in the corners of your mouth. When fully healed, any resulting scarring should be virtually undetectable.
While lip implant surgery is a highly safe, effective procedure when performed by a qualified surgeon, keep in mind that having lip implants removed requires a follow-up surgery. That’s why many of our patients start with lip fillers to “try on” a new look before committing to surgical lip implants. It’s also essential to remember that lip implants will not resolve perioral wrinkles such as smoker’s lines, so if those are a concern for you, you may prefer to add cosmetic injectables to your lip implant procedure.
A fat transfer is another lip enhancement option that can provide outstanding results with minimal downtime. With a fat transfer procedure, Dr. Desman will remove fat via liposuction from an area where you have excesses, such as your abdomen, thighs, or hips. After purifying this “donor” fat with a technology called Puregraft, Dr. Desman will inject it into the lips. The transplanted fat cells will look and feel very natural in your lips, with long-lasting results. There’s also little to no risk of an allergic reaction, since the fat used for this procedure comes from your body.
If you are interested in lip enhancement to provide what Mother Nature didn’t deliver, please contact us today to schedule your no-obligation consultation with one of the most experienced cosmetic surgeons in Alexandria, VA.
You might also wish to have Dr. Desman perform other procedures alongside your lip enhancement, such as an eyelid lift or the application of a neuromodulator such as Botox to minimize wrinkles such as crow’s feet and brow furrows. Bring a list of all your cosmetic concerns to your initial appointment, and Dr. Desman will create a customized treatment plan specifically for you.